Using cutting edge technology, researchers recently analyzed amino acid sequences of a 68-million year old Tyrannosaurus rex femur bone and found a remarkable similarity to between T. Rex and modern day chicken collagen fibers (a protein that gives cells structure).
This new technique uses mass spectrometry at an unheard level of sensitivity to analyze amino acid sequences (amino acids are the component of protein – DNA determines the way in which the 20 different amino acids are combined to make protein). Mass spectrometry is a technique that analyzes charged particles by comparing the amount of charge vs. the mass of the various atomic elements.
While providing more valuable evidence to further support the link between dinosaurs and birds, this new technique opens a new door to understand evolutionary relationships. Because DNA degrades after a few tens of thousands years, researchers didn’t have a way of confirming ancient evolutionary relationships but since, in the right conditions, amino acids can last for millions of years this should prove to be a valuable technique for determining the evolutionary family tree. For example, the movement of life from ocean onto land required new types of respiratory tissues and this new kinds of amino acids sequences
Another interesting about this story is that it demonstrates a movement in the scientific community towards inter-disciplinary research. The combination of molecular biology in the lab and paleontology in the mountains of Montana, but that’s where science is going as the gaps in knowledge are steadily filled.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
Source:
“Protein Analysis of T. Rex Bone Finds Link to Chickens” by Rick Weiss, Washington Post Staff Writer
