Re: Dinosaur Protein

[Jeff Hecht <jeff@jeffhecht.com>]

At 5:01 PM -0700 4/12/07, T. Michael Keesey wrote:
>
>Will be very interesting if we can get collagen from other Mesozoic
>archosaurs. Would be extremely interesting to be able to compare
>molecular vs. morphological phylogenetic analyses for extinct taxa.

Jack Horner will be out hunting for some this summer, putting more than 100 
people in the field, as I report for New Scientist (see the end). 
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11591-ityrannosaurus-rexi-fossil-gives-up-precious-protein.html

Horner wants to excavate bones from beneath the surface where he expects 
they'll be better preserved, particularly in sandstone. This sample is from B 
rex, which he says was under 1000 cubic yards of sediment. 

By the way, they don't have much protein yet, only 7 sequences. So far it looks 
like it's better preserved in the bone than in the lab; Mary Schweitzer saw 
protein yields drop over time. Nonetheless, it's a big advance, and excellent 
work. 
-- 
Jeff Hecht, science & technology writer
jeff@jeffhecht.com  http://www.jeffhecht.com
Boston Correspondent: New Scientist magazine
525 Auburn St., Auburndale, MA 02466 USA
v. 617-965-3834; fax 617-332-4760