在化石记录中,微量金属作为eumelanin颜料的生物标志物
R A Wogelius1, P L Manning, H E Barden
1School of Earth, Atmospheric, and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. roy.wogelius@manchester.ac.uk
概括
化石中的铜等微量金属是黑色素的化学生物标志物,即使在黑色素体结构退化后,也会显示出色素的存在和密度. 这一发现有助于理解古代动物的颜色.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 生物化学 生物化学
- 材料科学 材料科学 材料科学
背景情况:
- 早期鸟类和类动物的化石羽毛和体证实了羽毛的存在.
- 之前的色彩重建依赖于黑色素体结构,但这些结构的化学组成仍然没有特征.
研究的目的:
- 在化石生物中绘制和化学表征黑色素颜料的潜在残留物.
- 确定可靠的生物标志物来确定化石中黑色素的存在和密度.
主要方法:
- 在化石和现存标本上应用同步射线X射线技术,包括*Confuciusornis sanctus*.
- 分析化石物体内的微量金属分布和化学形式.
主要成果:
- 在化石中检测到的微量金属,特别是铜,是有机金属化合物,表明原始的eumelanin.
- 这些金属化合物的分布模式作为一种长寿命的生物标志物,用于确定黑色素的存在和密度.
- 保存的金属区分模式提供了黑色素的证据,即使黑色素体结构不再完好.
结论:
- 来自eumelanin的有机金属化合物可以在化石中保存,作为黑色素的可靠化学生物标志物.
- 这种方法允许在化石中描述黑色素的存在和密度,即使结构证据丢失.
- 这些发现为化石记录中颜料的化学保存提供了新的见解.
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