Molecular Histology as a Novel Proxy for Ancient DNA and Protein Sequence Preservation

Abstract

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 molecular histology is thus proposed as a proxy for determining sequence preservation potential of ancient specimens with improved accuracy. Molecular 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.