No abstract

Researchers' ability to accurately screen fossil and subfossil specimens for preservation of DNA and protein sequences remains limited. Thermal exposure and geologic age are usable proxies for sequence preservation on a broad scale but are of nominal use for specimens of similar depositional environments. Cell and tissue biomolecular histology is thus proposed as a novel proxy for determining sequence preservation potential of ancient specimens with improved accuracy. Biomolecular histology as a proxy is hypothesized to elucidate why fossils/subfossils of some depositional environments preserve sequences while others do not and to facilitate selection of ancient specimens for use in molecular studies.

Researcher ability to accurately screen fossil and sub-fossil specimens for preservation of DNA and protein sequences remains limited. Thermal exposure and geologic age are usable proxies for sequence preservation on a broad scale but are of limited use for specimens of similar depositional environments and/or ages. Cell and tissue biomolecular histology is thus proposed as a proxy for determining sequence preservation potential of ancient specimens with improved accuracy. Biomolecular histology as a proxy is hypothesized to elucidate why fossil/sub-fossils of some depositional environments and or geologic ages preserve sequences while others do not and to facilitate selection of ancient specimens for use in molecular studies.

Researcher ability to accurately screen fossil and sub-fossil specimens for preservation of DNA and protein sequences remains limited. Thermal exposure and geologic age are usable proxies for sequence preservation on a broad scale but are of limited use for specimens of similar depositional environments and/or ages. Cell and tissue biomolecular histology is thus proposed as a proxy for determining sequence preservation potential of ancient specimens with improved accuracy. Biomolecular histology as a proxy is hypothesized to elucidate why fossil/sub-fossils of some depositional environments and or geologic ages preserve sequences while others do not and to facilitate selection of ancient specimens for use in molecular studies.

Researcher ability to accurately screen fossil and sub-fossil specimens for preservation of DNA and protein sequences remains limited. Thermal exposure and geologic age are usable proxies for sequence preservation on a broad scale but are of limited use for specimens of similar depositional environments and/or ages. Cell and tissue biomolecular histology is thus proposed as a proxy for determining sequence preservation potential of ancient specimens with improved accuracy. Biomolecular histology as a proxy is hypothesized to elucidate why fossil/sub-fossils of some depositional environments and or geologic ages preserve sequences while others do not and to facilitate selection of ancient specimens for use in molecular studies.