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Independent Evidence for the Preservation of Endogenous Bone Biochemistry in a Specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex

Anné, Jennifer ; Canoville, Aurore ; Edwards, Nicholas P. ; Schweitzer, Mary H. LU and Zanno, Lindsay E. (2023) In Biology 12(2).
Abstract

Biomolecules preserved in deep time have potential to shed light on major evolutionary questions, driving the search for new and more rigorous methods to detect them. Despite the increasing body of evidence from a wide variety of new, high resolution/high sensitivity analytical techniques, this research is commonly met with skepticism, as the long standing dogma persists that such preservation in very deep time (>1 Ma) is unlikely. The Late Cretaceous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex (MOR 1125) has been shown, through multiple biochemical studies, to preserve original bone chemistry. Here, we provide additional, independent support that deep time bimolecular preservation is possible. We use synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF) and... (More)

Biomolecules preserved in deep time have potential to shed light on major evolutionary questions, driving the search for new and more rigorous methods to detect them. Despite the increasing body of evidence from a wide variety of new, high resolution/high sensitivity analytical techniques, this research is commonly met with skepticism, as the long standing dogma persists that such preservation in very deep time (>1 Ma) is unlikely. The Late Cretaceous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex (MOR 1125) has been shown, through multiple biochemical studies, to preserve original bone chemistry. Here, we provide additional, independent support that deep time bimolecular preservation is possible. We use synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to investigate a section from the femur of this dinosaur, and demonstrate preservation of elements (S, Ca, and Zn) associated with bone remodeling and redeposition. We then compare these data to the bone of an extant dinosaur (bird), as well as a second non-avian dinosaur, Tenontosaurus tilletti (OMNH 34784) that did not preserve any sign of original biochemistry. Our data indicate that MOR 1125 bone cortices have similar bone elemental distributions to that of an extant bird, which supports preservation of original endogenous chemistry in this specimen.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bone remodeling, diagenetic alteration, elemental analysis, molecular paleontology, synchrotron
in
Biology
volume
12
issue
2
article number
264
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85148948829
  • pmid:36829540
ISSN
2079-7737
DOI
10.3390/biology12020264
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dba31d77-1cd4-42d2-a3d1-98c984d16714
date added to LUP
2023-03-20 15:46:32
date last changed
2024-06-28 01:59:49
@article{dba31d77-1cd4-42d2-a3d1-98c984d16714,
  abstract     = {{<p>Biomolecules preserved in deep time have potential to shed light on major evolutionary questions, driving the search for new and more rigorous methods to detect them. Despite the increasing body of evidence from a wide variety of new, high resolution/high sensitivity analytical techniques, this research is commonly met with skepticism, as the long standing dogma persists that such preservation in very deep time (&gt;1 Ma) is unlikely. The Late Cretaceous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex (MOR 1125) has been shown, through multiple biochemical studies, to preserve original bone chemistry. Here, we provide additional, independent support that deep time bimolecular preservation is possible. We use synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to investigate a section from the femur of this dinosaur, and demonstrate preservation of elements (S, Ca, and Zn) associated with bone remodeling and redeposition. We then compare these data to the bone of an extant dinosaur (bird), as well as a second non-avian dinosaur, Tenontosaurus tilletti (OMNH 34784) that did not preserve any sign of original biochemistry. Our data indicate that MOR 1125 bone cortices have similar bone elemental distributions to that of an extant bird, which supports preservation of original endogenous chemistry in this specimen.</p>}},
  author       = {{Anné, Jennifer and Canoville, Aurore and Edwards, Nicholas P. and Schweitzer, Mary H. and Zanno, Lindsay E.}},
  issn         = {{2079-7737}},
  keywords     = {{bone remodeling; diagenetic alteration; elemental analysis; molecular paleontology; synchrotron}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Biology}},
  title        = {{Independent Evidence for the Preservation of Endogenous Bone Biochemistry in a Specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology12020264}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/biology12020264}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}