Testing the aminostratigraphy of fluvial archives: the evidence from intra-crystalline proteins within freshwater shells.

ABSTRACT: Until recently few studies of amino acid racemization of fossil bivalves and gastropods collected from river terrace deposits in Europe were based on the analysis of the intra-crystalline fraction. Instead they were based on the epimerization (racemization) of a single amino acid, isoleucine, and its inter-conversion to alloisoleucine. This paper presents data from the analysis of the intra-crystalline fraction of the shells, using a preparation technique of sample bleaching to remove the leachable matrix, thus leaving a component that exhibits closed-system behaviour. Reverse-phase HPLC separation with fluorescence detection allows the interpretation of four amino acids in detail: aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine and valine. The intra-crystalline fraction offers greater potential for

SUBMITTER: Penkman KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2727059 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature