Preserved Dinosaur Cartilage: Proteins, Chromosomes and DNA Markers

[BillTre]

TL;DR

This article found evidence for the preservation of collagen, DNA, and cartilage polysaccarides by histological staining techniques on thin ground section of fossil material.

I found this article on https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339566392_Evidence_of_proteins_chromosomes_and_chemical_markers_of_DNA_in_exceptionally_preserved_dinosaur_cartilage.
The reference is:
Alida M. Bailleul, Wenxia Zheng, John R. Horner , Brian K. Hall, Casey M. Holliday and Mary H. Schweitzer. (2020). Evidence of proteins, chromosomes and chemical markers of DNA in exceptionally preserved dinosaur cartilage. National Science Review 0: 1–8, 2020

Abstract:

A histological ground-section from a duck-billed dinosaur nestling (Hypacrosaurus stebingeri) revealed microstructures morphologically consistent with nuclei and chromosomes in cells within calcified cartilage. We hypothesized that this exceptional cellular preservation extended to the molecular level and had molecular features in common with extant avian cartilage. Histochemical and immunological evidence supports in situ preservation of extracellular matrix components found in extant cartilage, including glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II. Furthermore, isolated Hypacrosaurus chondrocytes react positively with two DNA intercalating stains. Specific DNA staining is only observed inside the isolated cells, suggesting endogenous nuclear material survived fossilization. Our data support the hypothesis that calcified cartilage is preserved at the molecular level in this Mesozoic material, and suggest that remnants of once-living chondrocytes, including their DNA, may preserve for millions of years.

 

[BillTre]

That Svante Pääbo guy should sequence the DNA.

Then he could go all Jurassic Park with the sequence!