Preservation of the bone protein osteocalcin in dinosaurs

TY - JOUR

T1 - Preservation of the bone protein osteocalcin in dinosaurs

AU - Muyzer, G.

AU - Sandberg, P.

AU - Knapen, M. H.J.

AU - Vermeer, C.

AU - Collins, M.

AU - Westbroek, P.

PY - 1992/1/1

Y1 - 1992/1/1

N2 - Two different immunological assays were used to identify the remains of a bone matrix protein, osteocalcin (OC), in the bones of dinosaurs and other fossil vertebrates. Antibodies raised against OC from modern vertebrates showed strong immunological cross-reactivity with modern and relatively young fossil samples and significant reactions with some of the dinosaur bone extracts. The presence of OC was confirmed by the detection of a peptide-bound, uniquely vertebrate amino acid, γ-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla). Preservation of OC in fossil bones appears to be strongly dependent on the burial history and not simply on age. These results extend the range of protein preservation in the geologic record and provide a first step toward a molecular phylogeny of the dinosaurs. -Authors

AB - Two different immunological assays were used to identify the remains of a bone matrix protein, osteocalcin (OC), in the bones of dinosaurs and other fossil vertebrates. Antibodies raised against OC from modern vertebrates showed strong immunological cross-reactivity with modern and relatively young fossil samples and significant reactions with some of the dinosaur bone extracts. The presence of OC was confirmed by the detection of a peptide-bound, uniquely vertebrate amino acid, γ-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla). Preservation of OC in fossil bones appears to be strongly dependent on the burial history and not simply on age. These results extend the range of protein preservation in the geologic record and provide a first step toward a molecular phylogeny of the dinosaurs. -Authors

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874983451&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1130/0091-7613(1992)020<0871:POTBPO>2.3.CO;2

DO - 10.1130/0091-7613(1992)020<0871:POTBPO>2.3.CO;2

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84874983451

SN - 0091-7613

VL - 20

SP - 871

EP - 874

JO - Geology

JF - Geology

IS - 10

ER -