RE: Dinosaur and DNA

[Miles Constable at Edmn <ConstableM@mail.edm.ab.doe.ca>]

Jennifer
I read a precis of the research on extracting DNA from insects buried in 
amber several years ago in the magazine Science News. From what was 
mentioned in the article the DNA extracted was highly fragmented and there 
was no proof that it came from dinosaurs. The most likely source would be 
the insect itself, and possibly the blood from whatever it had fed on. The 
basic problem being that the skin of dinosaurs was rather thick, and may 
have been an effective barrier to mosquitos and biting flies. Small 
dinosaurs like Archeopteryx and the young of other dinosaurs could have been 
attacked by biting flies, also small mammals would be likely sources of 
blood.

Sorry I can't be much more help than this. Good luck. An interesting topic.
Miles Constable
 ----------
>>From: dinosaur
>>To: Multiple recipients of list
>>Subject: Dinosaur and DNA
>>Date: Tuesday, October 04, 1994 3:28PM
>>

>>        --Jennifer Lindbeck
>>
>>lindbeck@dickinson.edu
>>Dickinson College / HUB 1059
>>P.O. Box 4888
>>Carlisle, PA 17103-0928
>>
>>