Protein and DNA from Ancient Bones and Stone Tool Residues

在国家科学基金会的支持下，Lloyd Ream博士和他的合作者将开发一种技术来提取和鉴定保存在史前石器上的DNA，这些石器被用来屠宰动物。在前期工作中，里姆博士已经证明，在石器制造过程中产生的微裂缝会将血液蛋白质和DNA困在工具表面下140微米以下。这些残留物不能通过表面清洗去除，因此有可能保存很长一段时间。超声波可以释放60%到80%的捕获DNA，并使其可用于鉴定。该团队将在这项初步研究的基础上：1.将已建立的从石器中回收和分析古代蛋白质和DNA的方法合并为一个简化的程序；2.通过比较同时进行的蛋白质和DNA分析的结果来测试这些方法的重复性和敏感性：3.将DNA和蛋白质在骨骼中的保存联系起来，并使用这些数据来推断同一地层中石器上残留的可能情况；4.确定现代来源的蛋白质和DNA是否会污染相关的沉积物、未经改造的石头和石器；以及6.将考古学背景、沉积速度和标本年龄与蛋白质和DNA的保存相关联。如果成功，该项目将有助于确定参数，包括标本处理程序和必要的控制样本，这些样本对于研究来自任何考古遗址或博物馆藏品的石器上的蛋白质和DNA残留物非常重要。为了实现这一目标，该团队将分析Bugas Holding和Hell Gap考古遗址的石块和动物遗骸。它们总共涵盖了大约1,200到10,000年前的时间，不仅在年龄上不同，而且在沉积条件上也不同。这些遗址发掘得很好，为发展这些技术提供了极好的背景。在许多考古遗址中，石器构成了出土的主要材料类别，因此研究人员花费了相当大的努力来从这些遗址中提取最大量的信息。根据工具的形式来确定用途和里姆博士的技术通常是极其困难或不可能的，如果成功的话，可以让人了解特定的工具是用来狩猎还是用来屠宰游戏的。它还有可能识别动物的物种，这一点很重要，因为动物遗骸保存得很差，在许多地点往往被完全摧毁。如果开发成功，这些技术将为考古学家提供一种强大的新工具，可以在世界上许多时间段和许多地区使用。

With National Science Foundation support Dr. Lloyd Ream and his collaborators will develop a technique to extract and identify DNA preserved on prehistoric stone tools which were used to butcher animals. In preliminary work, Dr. Ream has demonstrated that microcracks produced during stone tool manufacture trap blood proteins and DNA more than 140 microns beneath the tool surface. These residues are not removed by surface washing and thus have the possibility of preservation for significant periods of time. Sonication can release 60 to 80% of the trapped DNA and make it available for identification. The team will build on this preliminary research and: 1. Combine into a streamlined procedure established methods for recovery and analysis of ancient proteins and DNA from stone tools; 2. Test the reproducibility and sensitivity of these methods by comparing the results of simultaneous protein and DNA analyses: 3. Correlate preservation of DNA and protein in bone, and use these data to infer probably condition of residues on stone tools from the same stratum; 4. Determine whether protein and DNA from modern sources contaminate associated sediments, unmodified stone and stone tools; and 6. Correlate archaeological context, deposition rate, and specimen age with preservation of protein and DNA. If successful, the project will help to define parameters, including specimen handling procedures and requisite control samples important for study of protein and DNA residues on stone tools from any archaeological site or museum collection. To accomplish this goal the team will analyze both lithics and faunal remains from the Bugas-Holding and Hell Gap archaeological sites. Together they cover a period from ca. 1,200 to 10,000 years ago and vary not only in age but also in depositional conditions. The sites are well excavated and provide an excellent context within which to develop these techniques.In many archaeological sites, stone tools constitute the primary class of material recovered and researchers therefore expend considerable effort in extracting the maximum amount of information from them. It is often extremely difficult or impossible based on tool form to determine use and Dr. Ream's technique, if successful will allow one to learn whether a specific implement was used to hunt or butcher game. It also has the potential to identify the species of animal and this is important because faunal remains are poorly preserved and often completely destroyed in many sites. If successfully developed these techniques will provide archaeologists with a powerful new tool which can be used in many time periods and many regions of the world.