Life Inside a Dinosaur Bone: a Thriving Microbiome

Saitta, Evan T.; Liang, Renxing; Lau, Chui Y.; Brown, Caleb M.; Longrich, Nicholas R.; Kaye, Thomas G.; Novak, Ben J.; Salzberg, Steven L.; Donohoe, Paul; Dickinson, Marc R.; Vinther, Jakob; Bull, Ian D.; Brooker, Richard A.; Martin, Peter; Abbott, Geoffrey D.; Knowles, Timothy; Penkman, Kirsty; Onstott, Tullis C.

doi:10.1101/400176

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…The contrast in fossilization between the ventral and dorsal surface provides a further case for melanin preservation, as this transition is best interpreted as countershading. Other epidermal structural molecules such as keratin [26,27] or collagen [28] would have had a very similar distribution in the epidermis on both top and bottom surfaces, and no unique protein markers (amides, succinimides, diketopiperazines) were recovered in the py-GC-MS data to the exclusion of markers overlapping with melanins [29] (Figure S3iv).…”

Section: Pigment Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Exceptionally Preserved Three-Dimensional Armored Dinosaur Reveals Insights into Coloration and Cretaceous Predator-Prey Dynamics

et al. 2017

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Predator-prey dynamics are an important evolutionary driver of escalating predation mode and efficiency, and commensurate responses of prey [1-3]. Among these strategies, camouflage is important for visual concealment, with countershading the most universally observed [4-6]. Extant terrestrial herbivores free of significant predation pressure, due to large size or isolation, do not exhibit countershading. Modern predator-prey dynamics may not be directly applicable to those of the Mesozoic due to the dominance of very large, visually oriented theropod dinosaurs [7]. Despite thyreophoran dinosaurs' possessing extensive dermal armor, some of the most extreme examples of anti-predator structures [8, 9], little direct evidence of predation on these and other dinosaur megaherbivores has been documented. Here we describe a new, exquisitely three-dimensionally preserved nodosaurid ankylosaur, Borealopelta markmitchelli gen. et sp. nov., from the Early Cretaceous of Alberta, which preserves integumentary structures as organic layers, including continuous fields of epidermal scales and intact horn sheaths capping the body armor. We identify melanin in the organic residues through mass spectroscopic analyses and observe lighter pigmentation of the large parascapular spines, consistent with display, and a pattern of countershading across the body. With an estimated body mass exceeding 1,300 kg, B. markmitchelli was much larger than modern terrestrial mammals that either are countershaded or experience significant predation pressure as adults. Presence of countershading suggests predation pressure strong enough to select for concealment in this megaherbivore despite possession of massive dorsal and lateral armor, illustrating a significant dichotomy between Mesozoic predator-prey dynamics and those of modern terrestrial systems.

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Section: Pigment Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Exceptionally Preserved Three-Dimensional Armored Dinosaur Reveals Insights into Coloration and Cretaceous Predator-Prey Dynamics

et al. 2017

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“…The common perception is that collagen cannot survive diagenetic alteration (Service ; Saitta et al . ). Here we demonstrate unequivocally, using online pyrolysis‐comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (py‐GC×GC‐TOFMS) and immunofluorescence analysis, that collagen is preserved in Early Eocene fish vertebrae.…”

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confidence: 97%

Chemical evidence of preserved collagen in 54‐million‐year‐old fish vertebrae

Dutta

Kumar

Singh³

et al. 2020

Palaeontology

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Collagens are the most abundant proteins in the animal kingdom. They form the structural framework of connective tissues such as bones, tendons and skin, and play important biomechanical role in supporting tissue functions. The preservation of collagen in deep time is a topic of intense debate. Here we provide indisputable evidence for the presence of collagen in early Eocene fish vertebrae using online pyrolysis comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (py‐GC×GC‐TOFMS) and immunofluorescence analysis. The presence of cyclic dipeptides such as diketodipyrrole, 2,5‐diketopiperazine of proline‐proline and 2,5‐diketopiperazine of proline‐glycine along with other nitrogen‐bearing molecules in the pyrolysis products of the studied fossils unequivocally demonstrate that collagen can withstand degradation and diagenetic alteration. Immunofluorescence study also confirms the presence of collagen‐I in the fossilized fish vertebrae. Contrary to common opinion, the present findings suggest that the preservation of collagen in fossilized soft tissues is not rare. We propose that one of the essential factors controlling preservation of collagen is the establishment of a suitable microenvironment within the fossil, inhibiting diagenetic alteration including microbial decay.

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“…5). As for the other half, corresponding to students who think that traces of biomolecules could survive for a short time in nature and those who did not know how to give an opinion, this situation also reflects the resistance still today on the part of some of the scientific community to accept that organic molecules could survive in deep time (Kaye, Gaugler & Sawlowicz, 2008;Bern, Phinney & Goldberg, 2009;Saitta et al, 2019;Korneisel et al, 2021;Saitta et al, 2021).…”

Section: Survival Time Of Biomoleculesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Conhecimento sobre Paleontologia Molecular entre estudantes do Ensino Médio do Sul do Brasil

Alves¹,

Gomes²,

Soldani³

et al. 2022

RSD

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Este trabalho é fruto de uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva, de natureza quantitativa de dados, que teve por objetivo investigar o conhecimento de estudantes do Ensino Médio do sul do Brasil sobre aspectos relacionados à Paleontologia em geral e, mais especificamente, aos conceitos básicos da Paleontologia Molecular. O grupo amostral foi composto por 52 estudantes da 2ª série do Ensino Médio, de duas escolas privadas, localizadas nos municípios de Araucária (PR) e Palhoça (SC), região sul do Brasil. Os dados foram obtidos através de questionário estruturado on-line, elaborado via plataforma Google Forms, composto de 21 questões objetivas de múltipla escolha. A análise dos questionamentos foi feita utilizando-se de estatística descritiva para exame da frequência de respostas distribuídas nas três categorias de análise: 1) características socioeconômicas, 2) conhecimentos gerais sobre Paleontologia e 3) conhecimentos específicos sobre Paleontologia Molecular. Os resultados demonstram que as respostas dos estudantes sobre conceitos básicos da Paleontologia Molecular encontram-se coerentes com os dados disponíveis na literatura científica, o que demonstra que os alunos do Ensino Médio são capazes de adquirir e aplicar conteúdos complexos vinculados à biologia molecular, fósseis e evolução, em ambiente escolar. Uma vez que são raros os estudos que buscaram investigar a compreensão de alunos da educação básica a respeito de assuntos da Paleogenômica e Paleoproteômica, percebe-se que os dados aqui apresentados poderão suprir uma lacuna do conhecimento existente em nosso país.

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Life Inside a Dinosaur Bone: a Thriving Microbiome

Cited by 4 publications

References 79 publications

An Exceptionally Preserved Three-Dimensional Armored Dinosaur Reveals Insights into Coloration and Cretaceous Predator-Prey Dynamics

An Exceptionally Preserved Three-Dimensional Armored Dinosaur Reveals Insights into Coloration and Cretaceous Predator-Prey Dynamics

Chemical evidence of preserved collagen in 54‐million‐year‐old fish vertebrae

Conhecimento sobre Paleontologia Molecular entre estudantes do Ensino Médio do Sul do Brasil

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