在Edmontosaurus化石骨中发现内源性原蛋白的证据
Lucien Tuinstra1, Brian Thomas1, Steven Robinson2
1Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, U.K.
Analytical chemistry
|January 17, 2025
概括
这项研究提供了强有力的证据,证明了在保存良好的埃德蒙多鱼化石中存在原蛋白. 先进的技术证实了原独特的氨基酸和序列,挑战了关于化石化的假设.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 生物化学 生物化学
- 地质地质地质地质地质地
背景情况:
- 人们普遍认为,化石化会破坏包括蛋白质在内的所有有机成分.
- 以前关于化石中蛋白质的报道面临着科学怀疑.
- 特殊的保存可能允许生物分子的生存.
研究的目的:
- 为了调查蛋白质的存在,特别是原,在一个保存得非常好的Edmontosaurus sacrum.
- 应用新的分析技术来解决围绕化石中的有机分子的争议.
- 提供强有力的证据支持或反对化石化期间的原体生存.
主要方法:
- 交叉偏光显微镜 (XPol) 检测可表明原体的双折射.
- 液体染色学-并联质谱学 (LC-MS) 用于识别和量化基,一种特定于原的氨基酸.
- LC-MS/MS自下而上的蛋白质组学来分析原蛋白序列.
主要成果:
- 在XPOL显微镜中,发现了Edmontosaurus sacrum中与原相一致的双折射.
- 在酸消化的样本中,氧素被明确地识别和量化,证实了原蛋白的存在.
- 原蛋白序列与之前报道的其他哈德罗萨乌斯和Tyrannosaurus rex样本相匹配.
结论:
- 这项研究提供了令人信服的证据,证明了原在白纪晚期埃德蒙多鱼化石中的保存.
- 这些发现挑战了长期以来的假设,即化石化完全消除了有机物质.
- 先进的分析技术可以成功地检测和表征古生物分子在特别保存的标本.
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