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Bone matrix fibers in mosasaur bone (a) Histologic
preparation that shows how the fibres surrounds a
vascular duct. (b) SEM-picture that shows etched
fibres. (c) Detail of histologic preparation showing fibres encapsulated in bioapatite. (d) Histo-chemical
stain (blue) showing that the fibres contain biological
matter.Photo: Johan Lindgren
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Previously, other research teams have identified collagen-derived peptides in dinosaur fossils based on, for example, mass spectrometric analyses of whole bone extracts.
The present study provides compelling evidence to suggest that the biomolecules recovered are primary and not contaminants from recent bacterial biofilms or collagen-like proteins.
Moreover, the discovery demonstrates that the preservation of primary soft tissues and endogenous biomolecules is not limited to large-sized bones buried in fluvial sandstone environments, but also occurs in relatively small-sized skeletal elements deposited in marine sediments.
A paper reporting the discovery, Microspectroscopic Evidence of Cretaceous Bone Proteins is now available in the scientific journal
PLoS ONE
Citation
Lindgren J, Uvdal P, Engdahl A, Lee AH, Alwmark C, et al. (2011) Microspectroscopic Evidence of Cretaceous Bone Proteins. PLoS ONE 6(4): e19445. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019445.