What’s it about?
Recently, there has been great discussion about the extraction of proteins from fossils. This paper outlines various methods, and their strengths and weaknesses, for extracting proteins from ancient bones.
Why does it matter?
The protein content of bones can provide information about the lives of the animal, as well as lend insight into evolutionary origins and relationships between long extinct animals. The questions being asked by the researchers affect the type of analysis they wish to utilize. Here, we learn the potential applications of each of four methods of protein extraction.
Why did I read this?
The lead author is a friend of mine. That, combined with the fact that hee works with mass spectrometry, kinda like I do, caught my attention. The field of paleoproteomics is on the cutting edge of science and is very exciting. I simply had to know what the latest thinking was.
Penny Higgins - Storyteller • Artist • Scientist 