Ancient proteomics : an investigation into protein survival in archaeological cattle bone
Biomolecular archaeology is a rapidly expanding field which uses scientific techniques to investigate organic remains from archaeological sites. Proteins and DNA are the most biologically informative molecules that can be studied in ancient bone, although the analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA) has dominated the field for the past thirty years despite problems with sample contamination with extant DNA. Advances in proteomics techniques in the last two decades have resulted in sensitive instruments which can detect very low concentrations (picomoles) of proteins in complex mixtures, and which are suitable for the analysis of potentially damaged ancient proteins due to low-energy âsoftâ ionisation techniques. The development of such techniques combined with the fact that proteins can provide biologically informative data while avoiding some of the problems facing aDNA analysis has caused a recent increase in interest in the study of ancient proteins. Despite this, little is still known about the ancient bone proteome and the potential longevity of useful proteins in ancient bone. This thesis uses conventional shotgun proteomics methodologies to investigate the temporal limits of protein survival and the potential
Wadsworth, Caroline
Ancient proteomics : an investigation into protein survival in archaeological cattle bone. Biomolecular archaeology is a rapidly expanding field which uses scientific techniques to investigate organic remains from archaeological sites. Proteins and DNA are the most biologically informative molecules that can be studied in ancient bone, although the analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA) has dominated the field for the past thirty years despite problems with sample contamination with extant DNA. Advances in proteomics techniques in the last two decades have resulted in sensitive instruments which can detect very low concentrations (picomoles) of proteins in complex mixtures, and which are suitable for the analysis of potentially damaged ancient proteins due to low-energy âsoftâ ionisation techniques. The development of such techniques combined with the fact that proteins can provide biologically informative data while avoiding some of the problems facing aDNA analysis has caused a recent increase in interest in the study of ancient proteins. Despite this, little is still known about the ancient bone proteome and the potential longevity of useful proteins in ancient bone. This thesis uses conventional shotgun proteomics methodologies to investigate the temporal limits of protein survival and the potential
ancient proteomics investigation protein survival archaeological cattle bone biomolecular archaeology rapidly expand field use scientific technique investigate organic remains archaeological_site dna biologically informative study ancient bone although analysis ancient_dna dominate field despite problem sample contamination extant dna advances proteomics technique result sensitive instrument detect low concentration complex mixture suitable analysis potentially damage ancient protein due low energy soft technique development technique combine fact protein provide biologically informative data avoid problem face analysis cause recent increase_interest study ancient protein despite little still know ancient bone potential longevity useful protein ancient bone conventional proteomics methodology investigate temporal limit protein survival potential