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last mo.

24-Million-Year-Old Rhino Enamel Proteins Recovered, Dinosaur Fossils Next

Validation of the Arctic rhino protein sequences sets the stage for refining methods on dinosaur remains

Researchers surveying the unique sedimentary context of the Haughton Formation.
A view of the Haughton Formation near Rabbit Run creek on Devon Island, Nunavut. The dry, cold “polar desert” conditions helped preserve the ancient rhinoceros fossil found here, including traces of original proteins.
Ryan Paterson, right, and Enrico Cappellini, left, led the analysis on the rhino tooth fossil.
Scientists sequenced ancient proteins in a tooth from a prehistoric rhino relative that had been preserved in Canada's High Arctic for up to 24 million years.

Overview

  • Scientists extracted seven enamel proteins from a 24-million-year-old rhinoceros tooth in Canada’s High Arctic, establishing the oldest detailed protein sequence on record.
  • Comparative analysis of the protein data pinpointed a divergence between ancient and modern rhino lineages to between 41 and 25 million years ago.
  • Separate research in Kenya’s Turkana Basin recovered proteins from five fossils dated 1.5 to 18 million years old, demonstrating preservation in tropical conditions.
  • Peers have praised the Arctic findings but urged replication of the Kenyan results due to the complexity of its extraction and sequencing methods.
  • Teams are now refining paleoproteomic techniques with the goal of applying them to Mesozoic specimens and testing for dinosaur proteins within the next decade.