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Fagernäs Z, Troché G, Olsen JV, Welker F. Digging deeper into ancient skeletal proteomes through consecutive digestion with multiple proteases. J Proteomics 2024; 298:105143. [PMID: 38423353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2024.105143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
An increasing number of studies utilise the recovery of ancient skeletal proteomes for phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis. Although these studies manage to extract and analyse ancient peptides, the recovered proteomes are generally small in size and with low protein sequence coverage. We expand on previous observations which have shown that the parallel digestion and analysis of Pleistocene skeletal proteomes increases overall proteome size and protein sequence coverage. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the consecutive digestion of a skeletal proteome using two proteases, particularly the combination of Glu-C or chymotrypsin followed by trypsin digestion, enables the recovery of alternative proteome components not reachable through trypsin digestion alone. The proteomes preserved in Pleistocene skeletal specimens are larger than previously anticipated, but unlocking this protein sequence information requires adaptation of extraction and protein digestion protocols. The sequential utilisation of several proteases is, in this regard, a promising avenue for the study of highly degraded but unique hominin proteomes for phylogenetic purposes. SIGNIFICANCE: Palaeoproteomic analysis of archaeological materials, such as hominin skeletal elements, show great promise in studying past organisms and evolutionary relationships. However, as most proteomic methods are inherently destructive, it is essential to aim to recover as much information as possible from every sample. Currently, digestion with trypsin is the standard approach in most palaeoproteomic studies. We find that parallel or consecutive digestion with multiple proteases can improve proteome size and coverage for both Holocene and Pleistocene bone specimens. This allows for recovery of more proteomic data from a sample and maximises the chance of recovering phylogenetically relevant information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zandra Fagernäs
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gaudry Troché
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper V Olsen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Frido Welker
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Mylopotamitaki D, Harking FS, Taurozzi AJ, Fagernäs Z, Godinho RM, Smith GM, Weiss M, Schüler T, McPherron SP, Meller H, Cascalheira J, Bicho N, Olsen JV, Hublin JJ, Welker F. Comparing extraction method efficiency for high-throughput palaeoproteomic bone species identification. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18345. [PMID: 37884544 PMCID: PMC10603084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44885-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
High-throughput proteomic analysis of archaeological skeletal remains provides information about past fauna community compositions and species dispersals in time and space. Archaeological skeletal remains are a finite resource, however, and therefore it becomes relevant to optimize methods of skeletal proteome extraction. Ancient proteins in bone specimens can be highly degraded and consequently, extraction methods for well-preserved or modern bone might be unsuitable for the processing of highly degraded skeletal proteomes. In this study, we compared six proteomic extraction methods on Late Pleistocene remains with variable levels of proteome preservation. We tested the accuracy of species identification, protein sequence coverage, deamidation, and the number of post-translational modifications per method. We find striking differences in obtained proteome complexity and sequence coverage, highlighting that simple acid-insoluble proteome extraction methods perform better in highly degraded contexts. For well-preserved specimens, the approach using EDTA demineralization and protease-mix proteolysis yielded a higher number of identified peptides. The protocols presented here allowed protein extraction from ancient bone with a minimum number of working steps and equipment and yielded protein extracts within three working days. We expect further development along this route to benefit large-scale screening applications of relevance to archaeological and human evolution research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Mylopotamitaki
- Chaire de Paléoanthropologie, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France.
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Florian S Harking
- Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Zandra Fagernäs
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ricardo M Godinho
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Geoff M Smith
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Kent, UK
| | - Marcel Weiss
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tim Schüler
- Thuringian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and Archaeology, Weimar, Germany
| | - Shannon P McPherron
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Harald Meller
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology, Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - João Cascalheira
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Nuno Bicho
- Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Jesper V Olsen
- Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Chaire de Paléoanthropologie, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Frido Welker
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Varadi M, Tsenkov M, Velankar S. Challenges in bridging the gap between protein structure prediction and functional interpretation. Proteins 2023. [PMID: 37850517 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The rapid evolution of protein structure prediction tools has significantly broadened access to protein structural data. Although predicted structure models have the potential to accelerate and impact fundamental and translational research significantly, it is essential to note that they are not validated and cannot be considered the ground truth. Thus, challenges persist, particularly in capturing protein dynamics, predicting multi-chain structures, interpreting protein function, and assessing model quality. Interdisciplinary collaborations are crucial to overcoming these obstacles. Databases like the AlphaFold Protein Structure Database, the ESM Metagenomic Atlas, and initiatives like the 3D-Beacons Network provide FAIR access to these data, enabling their interpretation and application across a broader scientific community. Whilst substantial advancements have been made in protein structure prediction, further progress is required to address the remaining challenges. Developing training materials, nurturing collaborations, and ensuring open data sharing will be paramount in this pursuit. The continued evolution of these tools and methodologies will deepen our understanding of protein function and accelerate disease pathogenesis and drug development discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaly Varadi
- Protein Data Bank in Europe, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Maxim Tsenkov
- Protein Data Bank in Europe, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sameer Velankar
- Protein Data Bank in Europe, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
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Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird. Nat Commun 2023; 14:914. [PMID: 36854679 PMCID: PMC9974994 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36405-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The systematics of Madagascar's extinct elephant birds remains controversial due to large gaps in the fossil record and poor biomolecular preservation of skeletal specimens. Here, a molecular analysis of 1000-year-old fossil eggshells provides the first description of elephant bird phylogeography and offers insight into the ecology and evolution of these flightless giants. Mitochondrial genomes from across Madagascar reveal genetic variation that is correlated with eggshell morphology, stable isotope composition, and geographic distribution. The elephant bird crown is dated to ca. 30 Mya, when Madagascar is estimated to have become less arid as it moved northward. High levels of between-clade genetic variation support reclassifying Mullerornis into a separate family. Low levels of within-clade genetic variation suggest there were only two elephant bird genera existing in southern Madagascar during the Holocene. However, we find an eggshell collection from Madagascar's far north that represents a unique lineage of Aepyornis. Furthermore, divergence within Aepyornis coincides with the aridification of Madagascar during the early Pleistocene ca. 1.5 Ma, and is consistent with the fragmentation of populations in the highlands driving diversification and the evolution of extreme gigantism over shorts timescales. We advocate for a revision of their taxonomy that integrates palaeogenomic and palaeoecological perspectives.
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Pilaar Birch SE, Szpak P. Current developments and future directions in archaeological science. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2212490119. [PMID: 36252010 PMCID: PMC9618125 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212490119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne E. Pilaar Birch
- Department of Anthropology, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Paul Szpak
- Department of Anthropology, Trent University, Peterborough, K9L 0G2 ON, Canada
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Demarchi B, Mackie M, Li Z, Deng T, Collins MJ, Clarke J. Survival of mineral-bound peptides into the Miocene. eLife 2022; 11:82849. [PMID: 36533893 PMCID: PMC9803351 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously, we showed that authentic peptide sequences could be obtained from 3.8-Ma-old ostrich eggshell (OES) from the site of Laetoli, Tanzania (Demarchi et al., 2016). Here, we show that the same sequences survive in a >6.5 Ma OES recovered from a palaeosteppe setting in northwestern China. The eggshell is thicker than those observed in extant species and consistent with the Liushu Struthio sp. ootaxon. These findings push the preservation of ancient proteins back to the Miocene and highlight their potential for paleontology, paleoecology, and evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Demarchi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of TurinTorinoItaly
| | - Meaghan Mackie
- The Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark,The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Zhiheng Li
- Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Tao Deng
- Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Matthew J Collins
- The Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark,McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Julia Clarke
- Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
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