Proteomic and metagenomic insights into prehistoric Spanish Levantine Rock Art

Roldán, C.; Murcia‐Mascarós, Sonia; López-Montalvo, Esther; Vilanova, Cristina; Porcar, Manuel

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-28121-6

Cited by 23 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…In contrast, previous studies investigating the microbial communities associated with Palaeolithic art in caves reported an abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Cyanobacteria in the patinas [42][43][44]. At the phylum level, our findings are in line with those of Roldán [45], proving the similarity of the communities of our samples to the bacterial communities found in the prehistoric Spanish Levantine rock art and Atlanterra and La Graja shelters in Southern Spain [46,47].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Due to its tolerance to salts and acids, strains of Enterococcus spp. are highly competitive and adaptable to several ecosystems including lithic environments [45,74]. In addition, several members of Enterococcus genus have been reported to produce bacteriocins, which are antimicrobial compounds that contribute to either the stability or the dynamics of the microbial communities [75].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geomicrobial Investigations of Colored Outer Coatings from an Ethiopian Rock Art Gallery

Villa

Mugnai

et al. 2020

Coatings

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The open rock shelter of Yabelo in Ethiopia hosts diverse Holocene paintings of great cultural importance. The paintings are characterized by the presence of different mineral coatings, whose features have not been studied yet. Our goal was to understand whether different rock samples from the Yabelo paintings collected in close proximity may reveal coatings with different minerology and biology. Thus, elemental analyses combined with microscopic and molecular investigations were performed on two coatings, one whitish (sample 1) and one reddish (sample 2). Although both samples were dominated by heterotrophic bacteria, the two coatings showed distinct mineralogical and microbiological characteristics. Sample 1 contained higher amounts of Ca and P than sample 2, which was likely related to the presence of organic matter. Sample 1 hosted bacterial genera that are potentially involved in biomineralization processes, metal redox cycles and metal resistance. In contrast, sample 2 showed mainly pathogenic and commensal bacteria that are characteristic of animal and human microbiota, and other microorganisms that are involved in nitrogen and metal biogeochemical cycles. Overall, our results indicated that the bacterial communities were particular to the coating mineralogy, suggesting a potential role of the biological components in the crust genesis.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geomicrobial Investigations of Colored Outer Coatings from an Ethiopian Rock Art Gallery

Villa

Mugnai

et al. 2020

Coatings

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“…The oldest sample analyzed by proteomics is an ochre‐painted stone flake from a 49 000‐year‐old layer of Sibudu (South Africa), in which casein from a wild bovid was detected as the main protein binder (Villa et al ., ). Other sound cases include the proteomic analysis of the first historical overpaintings of the lost Giant Buddhas of Bāmiyān (Afghanistan), where a mixture of milk from different mammals was pointed out as the most likely binder (Lluveras‐Tenorio et al ., ), and a set of rock art paintings from the Mediterranean basin (Valltorta, Spain), in which bovid casein traces were also detected (Roldán et al ., ). The latter case is an example of how proteomic techniques can shed light not only on the composition of the binders, but also on art dating, since the detection of milk from wild or farmed animals has direct implications in the putative lifestyle of the authors of the art elements (i.e.…”

Section: Application Of Proteomic and Metabolomic Techniques To The Smentioning

confidence: 97%

“…This period saw a transition from hunter‐gatherer economic systems to a Neolithic society (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/874). The paintings include animals that could be used as cattle, and the identification of milk on the paintings would thus further support this conclusion (Roldán et al ., ).…”

Section: Application Of Proteomic and Metabolomic Techniques To The Smentioning

confidence: 97%

Art‐omics: multi‐omics meet archaeology and art conservation

Vilanova¹,

Porcar

2019

Microbial Biotechnology

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Summary Multi‐omics can informally be described as the combined use of high‐throughput techniques allowing the characterization of complete microbial communities by the sequencing/identification of total pools of biomolecules including DNA, proteins or metabolites. These techniques have allowed an unprecedented level of knowledge on complex microbial ecosystems, which is having key implications in land and marine ecology, industrial biotechnology or biomedicine. Multi‐omics have recently been applied to artistic or archaeological objects, with the goal of either contributing to shedding light on the original context of the pieces and/or to inform conservation approaches. In this minireview, we discuss the application of ‐omic techniques to the study of prehistoric artworks and ancient man‐made objects in three main technical blocks: metagenomics, proteomics and metabolomics. In particular, we will focus on how proteomics and metabolomics can provide paradigm‐breaking results by unambiguously identifying peptides associated with a given, palaeo‐cultural context; and we will discuss how metagenomics can be central for the identification of the microbial keyplayers on artworks surfaces, whose conservation can then be approached by a range of techniques, including using selected microorganisms as ‘probiotics’ because of their direct or indirect effect in the stabilization and preservation of valuable art objects.

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“…Differences in ochre pigments are not always readily identifiable, and pigments that appear similar in color and texture can have distinct elemental, mineralogical, and physical properties 35 . This recent recognition has ushered a surge of interest in characterizing and reconstructing aspects of ochre pigment treatment, such as raw material selection 36–39 , mineral processing technologies 40–43 , paint recipes (organic binders, inorganic adjuncts) 44–46 , and thermal enhancement 47–49 . However, a type of iron oxide source that is ecologically abundant yet relatively understudied is that which is formed by aquatic iron oxide producing bacteria (FeOB).…”

Section: Reconstructing Ochre Pigment Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Hunter-Gatherers Harvested and Heated Microbial Biogenic Iron Oxides to Produce Rock Art Pigment

MacDonald

Stalla

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Red mineral pigment use is recognized as a fundamental component of a series of traits associated with human evolutionary development, social interaction, and behavioral complexity. Iron-enriched mineral deposits have been collected and prepared as pigment for use in rock art, personal adornment, and mortuary practices for millennia, yet little is known about early developments in mineral processing techniques in North America. Microanalysis of rock art pigments from the North American Pacific Northwest reveals a sophisticated use of iron oxide produced by the biomineralizing bacterium Leptothrix ochracea; a keystone species of chemolithotroph recognized in recent advances in the development of thermostable, colorfast biomaterial pigments. Here we show evidence for human engagement with this bacterium, including nanostructural and magnetic properties evident of thermal enhancement, indicating that controlled use of pyrotechnology was a key feature of how biogenic iron oxides were prepared into paint. Our results demonstrate that hunter-gatherers in this area of study prepared pigments by harvesting aquatic microbial iron mats dominated by iron-oxidizing bacteria, which were subsequently heated in large open hearths at a controlled range of 750 °C to 850 °C. This technical gesture was performed to enhance color properties, and increase colorfastness and resistance to degradation. This skilled production of highly thermostable and long-lasting rock art paint represents a specialized technological innovation. Our results contribute to a growing body of knowledge on historical-ecological resource use practices in the Pacific Northwest during the Late Holocene.Figshare link to figures: https://figshare.com/s/9392a0081632c20e9484.

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Proteomic and metagenomic insights into prehistoric Spanish Levantine Rock Art

Cited by 23 publications

References 37 publications

Geomicrobial Investigations of Colored Outer Coatings from an Ethiopian Rock Art Gallery

Geomicrobial Investigations of Colored Outer Coatings from an Ethiopian Rock Art Gallery

Art‐omics: multi‐omics meet archaeology and art conservation

Hunter-Gatherers Harvested and Heated Microbial Biogenic Iron Oxides to Produce Rock Art Pigment

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