51
|
Animal origin of 13th-century uterine vellum revealed using noninvasive peptide fingerprinting. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:15066-71. [PMID: 26598667 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1512264112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue-thin parchment made it possible to produce the first pocket Bibles: Thousands were made in the 13th century. The source of this parchment, often called "uterine vellum," has been a long-standing controversy in codicology. Use of the Latin term abortivum in many sources has led some scholars to suggest that the skin of fetal calves or sheep was used. Others have argued that it would not be possible to sustain herds if so many pocket Bibles were produced from fetal skins, arguing instead for unexpected alternatives, such as rabbit. Here, we report a simple and objective technique using standard conservation treatments to identify the animal origin of parchment. The noninvasive method is a variant on zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) peptide mass fingerprinting but extracts protein from the parchment surface by using an electrostatic charge generated by gentle rubbing of a PVC eraser on the membrane surface. Using this method, we analyzed 72 pocket Bibles originating in France, England, and Italy and 293 additional parchment samples that bracket this period. We found no evidence for the use of unexpected animals; however, we did identify the use of more than one mammal species in a single manuscript, consistent with the local availability of hides. These results suggest that ultrafine vellum does not necessarily derive from the use of abortive or newborn animals with ultrathin hides, but could equally well reflect a production process that allowed the skins of maturing animals of several species to be rendered into vellum of equal quality and fineness.
Collapse
|
52
|
Cleland TP, Schroeter ER, Zamdborg L, Zheng W, Lee JE, Tran JC, Bern M, Duncan MB, Lebleu VS, Ahlf DR, Thomas PM, Kalluri R, Kelleher NL, Schweitzer MH. Mass Spectrometry and Antibody-Based Characterization of Blood Vessels from Brachylophosaurus canadensis. J Proteome Res 2015; 14:5252-62. [PMID: 26595531 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Structures similar to blood vessels in location, morphology, flexibility, and transparency have been recovered after demineralization of multiple dinosaur cortical bone fragments from multiple specimens, some of which are as old as 80 Ma. These structures were hypothesized to be either endogenous to the bone (i.e., of vascular origin) or the result of biofilm colonizing the empty osteonal network after degradation of original organic components. Here, we test the hypothesis that these structures are endogenous and thus retain proteins in common with extant archosaur blood vessels that can be detected with high-resolution mass spectrometry and confirmed by immunofluorescence. Two lines of evidence support this hypothesis. First, peptide sequencing of Brachylophosaurus canadensis blood vessel extracts is consistent with peptides comprising extant archosaurian blood vessels and is not consistent with a bacterial, cellular slime mold, or fungal origin. Second, proteins identified by mass spectrometry can be localized to the tissues using antibodies specific to these proteins, validating their identity. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001738.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leonid Zamdborg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | | | - Ji Eun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.,Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea
| | - John C Tran
- Departments of Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences and the Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Marshall Bern
- Protein Metrics , San Carlos, California 94070, United States
| | - Michael B Duncan
- Division of Matrix Biology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Valerie S Lebleu
- Division of Matrix Biology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston, Texas 77054, United States
| | - Dorothy R Ahlf
- Departments of Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences and the Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Paul M Thomas
- Departments of Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences and the Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Raghu Kalluri
- Division of Matrix Biology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.,Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston, Texas 77054, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Departments of Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences and the Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Mary H Schweitzer
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences , Raleigh, North Carolina 27601, United States
| |
Collapse
|
53
|
Identification of lipid- and protein-based binders in paintings by direct on-plate wet chemistry and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 2014; 407:1015-22. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-014-8359-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 11/18/2014] [Accepted: 11/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
54
|
Brandt LØ, Schmidt AL, Mannering U, Sarret M, Kelstrup CD, Olsen JV, Cappellini E. Species identification of archaeological skin objects from Danish bogs: comparison between mass spectrometry-based peptide sequencing and microscopy-based methods. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106875. [PMID: 25260035 PMCID: PMC4178020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Denmark has an extraordinarily large and well-preserved collection of archaeological skin garments found in peat bogs, dated to approximately 920 BC - AD 775. These objects provide not only the possibility to study prehistoric skin costume and technologies, but also to investigate the animal species used for the production of skin garments. Until recently, species identification of archaeological skin was primarily performed by light and scanning electron microscopy or the analysis of ancient DNA. However, the efficacy of these methods can be limited due to the harsh, mostly acidic environment of peat bogs leading to morphological and molecular degradation within the samples. We compared species assignment results of twelve archaeological skin samples from Danish bogs using Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based peptide sequencing, against results obtained using light and scanning electron microscopy. While it was difficult to obtain reliable results using microscopy, MS enabled the identification of several species-diagnostic peptides, mostly from collagen and keratins, allowing confident species discrimination even among taxonomically close organisms, such as sheep and goat. Unlike previous MS-based methods, mostly relying on peptide fingerprinting, the shotgun sequencing approach we describe aims to identify the complete extracted ancient proteome, without preselected specific targets. As an example, we report the identification, in one of the samples, of two peptides uniquely assigned to bovine foetal haemoglobin, indicating the production of skin from a calf slaughtered within the first months of its life. We conclude that MS-based peptide sequencing is a reliable method for species identification of samples from bogs. The mass spectrometry proteomics data were deposited in the ProteomeXchange Consortium with the dataset identifier PXD001029.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luise Ørsted Brandt
- Centre for Textile Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail: (LØB); (EC)
| | - Anne Lisbeth Schmidt
- Department of Environmental Archaeology and Materials Science, The National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulla Mannering
- Centre for Textile Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Ancient Cultures in Denmark and the Mediterranean, The National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mathilde Sarret
- European School of Chemistry, Polymers and Materials Science, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christian D. Kelstrup
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper V. Olsen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Enrico Cappellini
- Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail: (LØB); (EC)
| |
Collapse
|
55
|
Solazzo C, Wadsley M, Dyer JM, Clerens S, Collins MJ, Plowman J. Characterisation of novel α-keratin peptide markers for species identification in keratinous tissues using mass spectrometry. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2013; 27:2685-2698. [PMID: 24591030 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.6730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 08/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE In ancient and/or damaged artefacts containing keratinous materials, the species of origin of the materials can be difficult to identify through visual examination; therefore, a minimally destructive methodology for species identification is required. While hair fibres from some species have seen substantial characterisation, others such as horn or baleen have received little or no attention, or lack protein sequences allowing formal identification using proteomics techniques. METHODS We used the PMF method (Peptide Mass Fingerprinting with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS)) to catalogue and identify diagnostic peptide markers up to the genus level. Sequences were checked using nanoflow liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC/ESI-MS/MS) and unidentified peptides were searched against a theoretical database generated by substituting amino acids in keratin sequences. RESULTS Specific peptides were identified by m/z and sequences characterised whenever possible for a range of species belonging to Bovidae and Camelidae, and for tissues such as baleen and horn. The theoretical database allowed an increase in the number of peptides of up to 10% in species with little genetic information. CONCLUSIONS A proteomics approach can successfully identify specific markers for the identification of materials to the genus level, and should be considered when identification by other means is not possible. Identification by PMF is fast, reliable and inexpensive.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Solazzo
- BioArCh, Biology (S Block), Wentworth Way, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK; Proteins and Biomaterials, AgResearch Lincoln Research Centre, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand; Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD, 20746, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
56
|
Solazzo C, Wilson J, Dyer JM, Clerens S, Plowman JE, von Holstein I, Walton Rogers P, Peacock EE, Collins MJ. Modeling Deamidation in Sheep α-Keratin Peptides and Application to Archeological Wool Textiles. Anal Chem 2013; 86:567-75. [DOI: 10.1021/ac4026362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Solazzo
- BioArCh, Biology
(S Block), Wentworth Way, University of York, York YO10 5DD, U.K
- Proteins
and Biomaterials, AgResearch Lincoln Research Centre, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Julie Wilson
- Department
of Mathematics, University of York, York YO10 5YW, U.K
- Department
of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5YW, U.K
| | - Jolon M. Dyer
- Proteins
and Biomaterials, AgResearch Lincoln Research Centre, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
- Biomolecular Interaction
Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag
4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
- Riddet Institute, Massey University, Private
Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Stefan Clerens
- Proteins
and Biomaterials, AgResearch Lincoln Research Centre, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Jeffrey E. Plowman
- Proteins
and Biomaterials, AgResearch Lincoln Research Centre, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Elizabeth E. Peacock
- NTNU
University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department
of Conservation, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Matthew J. Collins
- BioArCh, Biology
(S Block), Wentworth Way, University of York, York YO10 5DD, U.K
| |
Collapse
|