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，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。在初步工作中，Ream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困在工具表面以下140多微米处。这些残留物不会通过表面清洗去除，因此有可能保存很长一段时间。超声波可以释放60%到80%的被困DNA，使其可用于鉴定。该团队将在这一初步研究的基础上：将已建立的从石器中恢复和分析古代蛋白质和DNA的方法合并为一个简化的程序；2. 通过比较同时进行蛋白质和DNA分析的结果，检验这些方法的重复性和灵敏度。将保存在骨头中的DNA和蛋白质联系起来，并利用这些数据推断来自同一地层的石器残留物的可能状况；4. 确定现代来源的蛋白质和DNA是否污染了相关沉积物、未修饰的石头和石器；和6。将考古背景、沉积速率和标本年龄与蛋白质和DNA的保存联系起来。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，这对研究任何考古遗址或博物馆收藏的石器上的蛋白质和DNA残留物都很重要。为了实现这一目标，该团队将分析来自Bugas-Holding和Hell Gap考古遗址的石器和动物遗骸。它们加在一起覆盖了大约1200到10000年前的时期，不仅年龄不同，而且沉积条件也不同。这些遗址挖掘得很好，为发展这些技术提供了良好的环境。在许多考古遗址中，石器工具是发现的材料的主要类别，因此研究人员花费了相当大的努力从中提取最大数量的信息。根据工具的形式来确定用途通常是非常困难或不可能的，如果成功的话，Ream博士的技术将允许人们了解特定工具是否用于狩猎或屠宰动物。它还具有识别动物物种的潜力，这一点很重要，因为在许多地点，动物遗骸保存得很差，经常被完全摧毁。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期和许多地区使用。

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.