Nature Communications (Nov 2018)

Fossilization transforms vertebrate hard tissue proteins into N-heterocyclic polymers

  • Jasmina Wiemann,
  • Matteo Fabbri,
  • Tzu-Ruei Yang,
  • Koen Stein,
  • P. Martin Sander,
  • Mark A. Norell,
  • Derek E. G. Briggs

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07013-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Recent studies have reported preservation of proteinaceous soft tissues within dinosaur bones. Here, Wiemann et al. combine analyses of fossil vertebrate tissues and experimentally matured modern samples to elucidate the mechanism of soft tissue preservation and the environments that favor it.