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Click here if this e-mail doesn't display properly Genomics: Was the Black Death the ‘mother’ of all plagues? A draft sequence of the ancient Yersinia pestis genome has been reconstructed using DNA extracted from victims of the Black Death. The study, reported in Nature, suggests that contemporary Y. pestis epidemics may have their origins in the medieval era. The Black Death (1347–1351), caused by the bacterium Y. pestis, is a key historical example of an emerging infection with rapid spread and high mortality, claiming an estimated 50% of the European population in five years. Access the paper free online, watch the accompanying video and listen to this week's Nature Podcast interview with Johannes Krause, to find out why researchers reconstructed this medieval genome – and compared it to the genomes of contemporary strains.     Bebo    Facebook    LinkedIn    MySpace    Twitter     As a registered user of Nature Publishing Group's Web sites, our database indicates that you have opted-in to receive product information and special offers. If you no longer wish to receive these e-mails or to discontinue all e-mail services from Nature Publishing Group please update your online account. Modify My Account (Log in to be recognised as a Nature.com registrant). For further information on technical assistance | print subscriptions | other enquiries. Nature Publishing Group | Principal offices: London | New York | Tokyo. Worldwide offices: Basingstoke | Boston | Buenos Aires | Delhi | Hong Kong | Madrid | Melbourne | Munich | Paris | San Francisco | Seoul | Washington DC. Macmillan Publishers Limited is a company incorporated in England & Wales under company number 785998 & whose registered office is located at Brunel Road, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Nature Publishing Group | 75 Varick St Fl 9 | New York | NY 10013-1917 | USA © 2011 Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.