University of Liverpool Study Reveals Collagen Preservation in Mesozoic Fossils, Challenging Long-Standing Beliefs

University of Liverpool Study Reveals Collagen Preservation in Mesozoic Fossils, Challenging Long-Standing Beliefs

(IN BRIEF) The University of Liverpool has uncovered strong evidence that organic molecules, including collagen, can be preserved in Mesozoic fossils, challenging previous assumptions. Using advanced mass spectrometry and other techniques, the research team identified collagen in the hip bone of an Edmontosaurus. This discovery opens up new avenues for studying ancient life and the preservation of proteins in fossils, offering insights into dinosaur biology and the mechanisms that allow proteins to survive over millions of years.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 1-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — A groundbreaking study led by the University of Liverpool challenges long-held beliefs about the preservation of organic molecules in fossils, revealing that Mesozoic fossils may still contain remnants of their original organic materials. For years, scientists believed the fossilization process destroyed such organic molecules, but the new research offers compelling evidence that some fossils, including a specimen of an Edmontosaurus, preserve original proteins.

By employing advanced techniques such as mass spectrometry and protein sequencing, the researchers identified traces of collagen in the fossilized hip bone of the duck-billed dinosaur. This discovery not only provides new insights into ancient life but also opens up exciting possibilities for studying the biochemical preservation of extinct creatures.

The study, published in Analytical Chemistry, analyzed a well-preserved Edmontosaurus sacrum, unearthed from the Upper Cretaceous strata of the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota. This fossil, part of the University of Liverpool’s collection, offered a rare opportunity to conduct cutting-edge analyses.

Key Findings and Implications

Professor Steve Taylor, head of the Mass Spectrometry Research Group at the University of Liverpool, emphasized the significance of the findings: “This study conclusively demonstrates that organic biomolecules, such as collagen, can survive in fossils. These results challenge the long-standing belief that organics in fossils are simply the result of contamination.”

The research also suggests that cross-polarized light microscopy images of fossil bones, which have been collected for over a century, should be re-examined for potential collagen remnants. These images could provide an untapped resource of fossils for future protein analysis, potentially unveiling new connections between dinosaur species. Moreover, the study raises intriguing questions about how proteins like collagen can persist in fossils for millions of years.

Collaboration Across Disciplines

The study involved interdisciplinary collaboration, with researchers from UCLA using tandem mass spectrometry to identify hydroxyproline—an amino acid specific to collagen. This finding further confirmed the presence of collagen in the fossil. Additional sequencing and imaging techniques were conducted at the University of Liverpool’s Materials Innovation Factory and Centre for Proteome Research, strengthening the evidence of original protein preservation.

This collaborative effort included contributions from several institutions:

• University of Liverpool’s Mass Spectrometry Research Group conducted the protein sequencing and mass spectrometry tests.
• The Materials Innovation Factory at the University of Liverpool carried out supplementary analyses.
• The Centre for Proteome Research at the University of Liverpool identified collagen alpha-1 fragments, the primary form of collagen in bone tissue.
• UCLA researchers used advanced tandem mass spectrometry to quantify key amino acids.

The full study, titled Evidence for Endogenous Collagen in Edmontosaurus Fossil Bone, is published in Analytical Chemistry.

Media Contacts:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

Catrin Owen
Media Relations Manager – Humanities and Social Sciences
T: +44 (0)7721 834238
E: catrin.owen@liverpool.ac.uk

Sarah Stamper
Media Relations Manager – Science and Engineering
T: +44 (0)7970 247396
E: sarah.stamper@liverpool.ac.uk

Jennifer Morgan
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0)7775 547589
E: J.L.Morgan@liverpool.ac.uk

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool