Molecular preservation in mammoth bone and variation based on burial environment.

ABSTRACT: Biomolecules preserved in fossils are expanding our understanding of the biology and evolution of ancient animals. Molecular taphonomy seeks to understand how these biomolecules are preserved and how they can be interpreted. So far, few studies on molecular preservation have considered burial context to understand its impact on preservation or the potentially complementary information from multiple biomolecular classes. Here, we use mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques to detect the remains of proteins and lipids within intact fossil mammoth bones of different ages and varied depositional setting. By combining these approaches, we demonstrate that endogenous amino acids, amides and lipids can preserve well in fossil bone. Additionally, these techniques enable us to examine var

SUBMITTER: Colleary C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7846728 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature