Traces of ancient proteins preserved in dinosaur fossil feathers have provided fresh insights into feather evolution.
degrade over time during the fossilization process to better comprehend the chemical information in the feathers.
“Modern bird feathers are rich in beta-proteins that help strengthen feathers for flight. Previous tests on dinosaur feathers, though, found mostly alpha-proteins. Our experiments can now explain this weird chemistry as the result of protein degradation during the fossilization process. So although some fossil feathers do preserve traces of the original beta-proteins, other fossil feathers are damaged and tell us a false narrative about feather evolution,” added Slater.
Furthermore, the findings of this new experiment contribute to the current debate over whether feather proteins can survive for long periods in the fossil record. “Traces of ancient biomolecules can clearly survive for millions of years, but you can’t read the fossil record literally because even seemingly well-preserved fossil tissues have been cooked and squashed during fossilization. We’re developing new tools to understand what happens during fossilization and unlock the chemical secrets of fossils. This will give us exciting new insights into the evolution of important tissues and their biomolecules,” said Prof.
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