Oldest Fossil Protein Sequenced [from Neanderthal]

Max Planck Society ^ | 08 March 2005 | Staff

[PatrickHenry]

An international team, led by researchers at the Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, in Leipzig, Germany, have extracted and sequenced protein from a Neanderthal from Shanidar Cave, Iraq dating to approximately 75,000 years old. It is rare to recover protein of this age, and remarkable to be able to determine the constituent amino acid sequence. This is the oldest fossil protein ever sequenced. Protein sequences may be used in a similar way to DNA, to provide information on the genetic relationships between extinct and living species. As ancient DNA rarely survives, this new method opens up the possibility of determining these relationships in much older fossils which no longer contain DNA (PNAS Online Early Edition, March 8, 2005).

The research, published in PNAS, presents the sequence for the bone protein osteocalcin from a Neanderthal from Shanidar Cave, Iraq, as well as osteocalcin sequences from living primates (humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans). The team found that the Neanderthal sequence was the same as modern humans. In addition, the team found a marked difference in the sequences of Neanderthals, human, chimpanzee and orangutan from that of gorillas, and most other mammals. This sequence difference is at position nine, where the crystalline amino acid hydroxyproline is replaced by proline (an amino acid that is found in many proteins). The authors suggest that this is a dietary response, as the formation of hydroxyproline requires vitamin C, which is ample in the diets of herbivores like gorillas, but may be absent from the diets of the omnivorous primates such as humans and Neanderthals, orangutans and chimpanzees. Therefore, the ability to form proteins without the presence of vitamin C may have been an advantage to these primates if this nutrient was missing from the diets regularly, or from time to time.

The skull of the 75,000 year old Neanderthal from the Shanidar cave in Iraq.

This research opens up the exciting possibility of extracting and sequencing protein from other fossils, including earlier humans, as a means of determining the relationships between extinct and living species, and to better understand the phylogenetic relationships.

[PatrickHenry]

Knuckle-dragging placemarker.

[orionblamblam]

Try that again, in English please.

[clearsight]

Had to leave work. Apologize for the non-response. Back to my last comment: What are your credentials anyway, that give you the seemingly obvious or imagined authority in which you write. Have you published anything ??? Done any of your own research for someone else. You write, that what we are discussing, is in your field of work ??? I sense from the tone of your responses some chest beating going on and some looking down your nose. Is it possible to get some valuable information from you without all the other distasteful icing ?

[Right Wing Professor]

The lack of, or over abundance of magnetic fields, do in fact severely effect biological systems.

Which is why magnetic resonance imaging, which uses fields thousands of times larger than the earth's field, has no known harmful effects.

By the way, this is my 'field' too, sonny.

[clearsight]

By the way, this is my 'field' too, sonny."

And so the Proud King has spoken............
and silence has descended across the land..........

[aruanan]

This is the oldest fossil protein ever sequenced. Protein sequences may be used in a similar way to DNA, to provide information on the genetic relationships between extinct and living species.

But not the oldest protein available since there is scorpionid chiton with the original color patterns intact that is millions of years old.

[orionblamblam]

> What are your credentials anyway, that give you the seemingly obvious or imagined authority in which you write.

My resume is on my website, which you can get to by clicking on my "orionblamblam" name at the end of this post.

> I sense from the tone of your responses some chest beating going on and some looking down your nose.

Quite possibly, because there are some things which are just plain facts, and what you're spouting is just clear nonsense. You have a serious lack of understanding of these things... that's fine most people don't know squat about space science. But you should know that you are wrong.

> Is it possible to get some valuable information from you without all the other distasteful icing ?

Yup. Ask questions, and then *learn.*

[clearsight]

" Which is why magnetic resonance imaging, which uses fields thousands of times larger than the earth's field, has no known harmful effects."

Only time will tell....has a similar ring to the problems with the F.D.A. and Drug industry. Oh by the way has ultra sound ever been really tested yet as to its safety to be used on pregnant women ??

[clearsight]

http://www.ipem.org.uk/meetings/28jan.PDF
I read enough. There are risks..........

[clearsight]

http://www.unhinderedliving.com/pultra.html

I've read enough......There are risks

[clearsight]

http://www.mercola.com/article/microwave/hazards.htm

I've read enough....There are risks

[clearsight]

http://www.earthpulse.com/

I've read enough.......there are risk's

[orionblamblam]

> I read enough.

Prove it. What did you read that tells you that a minor fluctuation in the Earths magnetic field , to the tune of double what we have to none at all, holds any biological risk. Remember, that's what this is about... you claimed that the changes int he Earth's magnetic field are dangerous. Show how a paper dealing with magnetic field strengths tens of thousands of times *greater* than the Earth's are relevant here.

(Note for those playing along: Earth's magnetic field is on the order of 0.5 Gauss. Typical MRI's are from 0.5 to 2.0 Tesla in strength. 1 Tesla = 10,000 Gauss.)

What you are basically arguing is that since if I shine a laser at you that is ten thousand times more wattage per unit area than bright sunlight, and it causes damage... then you risk damage going into the dark.

So, again, show that you ahve read *and* *understood*. What did the report say that leads you to believe that if the Earth's magnetic field shuts down, that that alone will cause biological harm?

[orionblamblam]

Microwaves aren't magnetic fields. You haven't read enough.

[orionblamblam]

"Earthpulse" are conspiracy theory New Age loonies. You haven't read enough.

[orionblamblam]

Ultrasound isn't magentism. You haven't read enough.

Ye gods.

[SwankyC]

The team found that the Neanderthal sequence was the same as modern humans. In addition, the team found a marked difference in the sequences of Neanderthals, human, chimpanzee and orangutan from that of gorillas, and most other mammals.

Arent Neanderthals supposed to be direct descendants of the monkeys?

[clearsight]

I read others research. I am not a scientist, but I do know from what I have read that we are affected by magnetic fields artificial and natural. Strong and weak. High frequency and low frequency whether on the ground or in space. Contact the researchers and argue with them. I am simply an inquiring mind not in a position to argue with
the experts like you say you are. Researchers don't agree with each other on the results they get. Some say there is no danger some say there is. I will err on the side of caution.............thank you

[clearsight]

I know that it is not, but the effects are very similar on the cells and possible damage can be inflicted....again I will err on the side of caution.........

[orionblamblam]

> I read others research.

Sadly, none of it was relevant. How about throwing in websites claiming that getting flattened by Caterpillar bulldozers while protecting terrorists is dangerous? That'll add to your arguement that minor fluctuations in an already faint magnetic field are dangerous every bit as much as reports on microwaves and sound waves.

> I will err on the side of caution

And thus, live in fear of natural variability? Trust me: the fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field are more than overwhelmed every time you get in your car, enter a steel building or pass a mountain made of iron ore.

Here's a simple experiment for you: carry a compass. Maybe one from a Crackerjack box, doesn't matter. Keep an eye on it. Note all the times when it *doesn't* point straight north. That is when some *other* magnetic field is more powerful locally than Earths. Since you'll want to err on the side of caution, leave that place.