Palaeoproteomics: a revolution in ancient biomolecular studies?

Description

Proteomics, the study of protein expression in living systems, has been touted as the next biotechnological revolution. 

Advances in mass-spectrometry and separation / purification have greatly increased our ability to detect small amounts of proteins, in complex mixtures at high sensitivity. If DNA is the recipe book, proteins are the cooks, the kitchenware and make up a large part of the menu.  They are the kitchens and are and products  is a field which has received much publicity, although the fruits of research have yet to be fully realised. 

One area in which proteomics is yielding rich rewards is in the development of analytical technology.  Improvements have been made to the speed of sample processing and the sensitivity of the instrumentation. 

These achievements has transformed our ability to investigate fossil protein sequences, which are now routine in our laboratory.

Details

Project members

• Matthew Collins
• Jane Thomas-Oates
• Enrico Cappellini
• Mike Buckley
• Peggy Ostrom

Project dates

• 2005-2008

Funding bodies

• NERC

Resources

• BioArch
• Molecules Are Fossils, Too (NSF coverage of our joint project with Peggy Ostrom)
• Bison bones open ancient window (BBC News story on sequencing Bison Osteocalcin)
• Ancient Protein Sequenced Coverage of protein sequencing in Science (subscription required)
• Hunt for ancient human molecules (BBC News story on palaeoproteomics - amongst other things)
• Discovery of Ancient Protein & DNA In Same Fossil Could Help Scientists Look Further Back in Time Leading Edge, BBC Radio 4