Reanalysis of Tyrannosaurus rex Mass Spectra.

ABSTRACT: Asara et al. reported the detection of collagen peptides in a 68-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex bone by shotgun proteomics. This finding has been called into question as a possible statistical artifact. We reanalyze Asara et al.'s tandem mass spectra using a different search engine and different statistical tools. Our reanalysis shows a sample containing common laboratory contaminants, soil bacteria, and bird-like hemoglobin and collagen.

SUBMITTER: Bern M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2738754 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature