Demarchi, Beatrice orcid.org/0000-0002-8398-4409, Hall, Shaun, Roncal-Herrero, Teresa et al. (33 more authors) (2016) Protein sequences bound to mineral surfaces persist into deep time. eLife. e17092. pp. 1-50. ISSN 2050-084X
Abstract
Proteins persist longer in the fossil record than DNA, but the longevity, survival mechanisms and substrates remain contested. Here, we demonstrate the role of mineral binding in preserving the protein sequence in ostrich (Struthionidae) eggshell, including from the palaeontological sites of Laetoli (3.8 Ma) and Olduvai Gorge (1.3 Ma) in Tanzania. By tracking protein diagenesis back in time we find consistent patterns of preservation, demonstrating authenticity of the surviving sequences. Molecular dynamics simulations of struthiocalcin-1 and -2, the dominant proteins within the eggshell, reveal that distinct domains bind to the mineral surface. It is the domain with the strongest calculated binding energy to the calcite surface that is selectively preserved. Thermal age calculations demonstrate that the Laetoli and Olduvai peptides are 50 times older than any previously authenticated sequence (equivalent to ~16 Ma at a constant 10 ̊C).
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (York) > Archaeology (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Chemistry (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Mathematics (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Physics (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Biology (York) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL NE/G004625/1 EPSRC EP/I001514/1 |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 29 Sep 2016 10:57 |
Last Modified: | 16 Dec 2024 00:06 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17092 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.7554/eLife.17092 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:105365 |