H and O isotopes in bone and tooth protein for paleoenvironmental reconstruction

骨和牙齿蛋白中的 H 和 O 同位素用于古环境重建

• 批准号: 2309405
• 负责人: Linda Reynard
• 金额: $ 15.3万
• 依托单位: Boise State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-01 至 2025-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2309405&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: isotopes; bone; tooth; protein; paleoenvironmental

The study of past environments is an important focus for several disciplines, including archaeology. This research develops analytical tools to reconstruct paleoenvironments using molecular-based techniques; specifically, understanding the strengths and limitations of the analysis of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes from the protein in animal bones. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in the earth’s surface water vary with environmental parameters like temperature and aridity; subsequently these atoms are incorporated into animal tissues through food and water intake, and to some degree can be used as tracers of those original environmental variables. The advantages of understanding the systematics of hydrogen and oxygen isotopic records in animal bones include providing local environmental information at sites with direct human use; the integration of up to five isotope ratios (hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur), radiocarbon ages, and protein-based species identification; and the ability to use legacy collections and fragmentary bone samples where other materials like teeth are rare. This approach can be applied at archaeological and paleontological sites anywhere worldwide where protein is preserved in bones. Overall this work supports and complements more traditional archaeological approaches to understand the past. This research is conducted in and supports the infrastructure of the Stable Isotope Laboratory at Boise State University, a university facility serving the geosciences, archaeology, and biology. Outreach activities include participation in a campus science and engineering open day and science outreach with young tribal members. This project has three main components. First, assesses how hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in bone protein (collagen) of medium/large mammals change over time at long-duration cave sites and their utility for paleoenvironmental reconstruction, including integration with carbon and nitrogen isotopes and newly-generated radiocarbon dates. Second, furthers the use of peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS/MALDI-TOF) to identify the animal species of fragmentary bone material. Third, testing how these protein-based isotopic approaches compare to oxygen and carbon isotopic work on inorganic hard tissues like tooth enamel, which then allows comparison of old and new data sets. This project also investigate sites that range in age over the last few thousands of years and assesses multi-isotopic change over time. Sequential samples of modern faunal teeth are studied to generate comparisons between the organic protein-based and inorganic isotope records.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

对过去环境的研究是包括考古学在内的几个学科的重要焦点。本研究开发了利用分子技术重建古环境的分析工具；具体来说，了解动物骨骼中蛋白质的氢和氧同位素分析的优势和局限性。地球地表水中的氢和氧同位素比率随温度和干旱等环境参数而变化；随后，这些原子通过食物和水的摄入被纳入动物组织，并在某种程度上可以用作这些原始环境变量的示踪剂。了解动物骨骼中氢氧同位素记录系统的优点包括：在人类直接利用的地点提供当地环境信息；整合多达五种同位素比率（氢、氧、碳、氮、硫）、放射性碳年龄和基于蛋白质的物种鉴定；以及利用遗留收藏品和碎片骨样本的能力，因为牙齿等其他材料很罕见。这种方法可以应用于世界上任何地方的考古和古生物遗址，那里的骨头中保存着蛋白质。总的来说，这项工作支持和补充了更传统的考古方法来了解过去。这项研究是在博伊西州立大学稳定同位素实验室的基础设施中进行的，该实验室是一个为地球科学、考古学和生物学提供服务的大学设施。外展活动包括参加校园科学和工程开放日以及与年轻部落成员进行科学外展。这个项目有三个主要组成部分。首先，评估在长期存在的洞穴遗址中，中/大型哺乳动物骨蛋白（胶原蛋白）中的氢和氧同位素是如何随时间变化的，以及它们在古环境重建中的应用，包括与碳和氮同位素的整合和新产生的放射性碳测年。第二，进一步利用多肽质量指纹图谱（ZooMS/MALDI-TOF）鉴定骨碎片材料的动物种类。第三，测试这些基于蛋白质的同位素方法与氧和碳同位素方法在牙釉质等无机硬组织上的作用，然后可以比较新旧数据集。该项目还调查了过去几千年的年龄范围，并评估了多同位素随时间的变化。研究了现代动物牙齿的顺序样本，以产生有机蛋白质和无机同位素记录之间的比较。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。