Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) for bone material - Acid soluble protocol v1

The study of faunal remains from archaeological sites is often complicated by the presence of large numbers of highly fragmented, morphologically unidentifiable bones. In Australia, this is the combined result of harsh preservation conditions and frequent scavenging by marsupial carnivores. The collagen fingerprinting method known as zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) offers a means to address these challenges and improve identification rates of fragmented bones. Here, we present novel ZooMS peptide markers for 24 extant marsupial and monotreme species that allow for genus-level distinctions between these species. We demonstrate the utility of these new peptide markers by using them to taxonomically identify bone fragments from a nineteenth-century colonial-era pearlshell fishery at Bandicoot Bay, Barrow Island. The suite of peptide biomarkers presented in this study, which focus on a range of ecologically and culturally important species, have the potential to significantly amplify the zooarchaeological and paleontological record of Australia.

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“…The exact protocols are described in detail in Wang et al . [ 47 ] and are publicly available on protocols.io [ 58 , 59 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Samples with sufficient collagen preservation for ZooMS were reanalysed with the previously described acid-insoluble approach to get higher quality spectra. The exact protocols are described in detail in Wang et al [47] and are publicly available on protocols.io [58,59].…”

Section: Collagen Extractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species identification of Australian marsupials using collagen fingerprinting

et al. 2021

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“…Bones that were not included in the stable isotope study were analysed using two published collagen extraction protocols [ 96 , 97 ]. Given known concerns about archaeological collagen preservation in the study region [ 98 ], we wanted to maximize our ability to identify these samples.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The supernatant containing the acid-soluble fraction from the initial digestion of the bone (see above) was transferred into 30 kDA molecular weight cut-off ultrafilters and centrifuged at 3700 r.p.m. [ 97 , 100 ]. The sample was rinsed twice with 500 µl of 50 mM AmBic and centrifuged again at 3700 r.p.m.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The samples were separated into two groups for processing: those for which collagen was extracted only for ZooMS (n = 372), and those for which collagen was extracted for both ZooMS and stable isotope analyses (the latter results not reported here) (n = 22), which required a different extraction protocol. Bones that were not included in the stable isotope study were analysed using two published collagen extraction protocols [96,97]. Given known concerns about archaeological collagen preservation in the study region [98], we wanted to maximize our ability to identify these samples.…”

Section: Zooms Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Collagen fingerprinting traces the introduction of caprines to island Eastern Africa

et al. 2021

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The human colonization of eastern Africa's near- and offshore islands was accompanied by the translocation of several domestic, wild and commensal fauna, many of which had long-term impacts on local environments. To better understand the timing and nature of the introduction of domesticated caprines (sheep and goat) to these islands, this study applied collagen peptide fingerprinting (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry or ZooMS) to archaeological remains from eight Iron Age sites, dating between ca 300 and 1000 CE, in the Zanzibar, Mafia and Comoros archipelagos. Where previous zooarchaeological analyses had identified caprine remains at four of these sites, this study identified goat at seven sites and sheep at three, demonstrating that caprines were more widespread than previously known. The ZooMS results support an introduction of goats to island eastern Africa from at least the seventh century CE, while sheep in our sample arrived one–two centuries later. Goats may have been preferred because, as browsers, they were better adapted to the islands' environments. The results allow for a more accurate understanding of early caprine husbandry in the study region and provide a critical archaeological baseline for examining the potential long-term impacts of translocated fauna on island ecologies.

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Zooarchaeology through the lens of collagen fingerprinting at Denisova Cave

Brown

Wang

Oertle

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Denisova Cave, a Pleistocene site in the Altai Mountains of Russian Siberia, has yielded significant fossil and lithic evidence for the Pleistocene in Northern Asia. Abundant animal and human bones have been discovered at the site, however, these tend to be highly fragmented, necessitating new approaches to identifying important hominin and faunal fossils. Here we report the results for 8253 bone fragments using ZooMS. Through the integration of this new ZooMS-based data with the previously published macroscopically-identified fauna we aim to create a holistic picture of the zooarchaeological record of the site. We identify trends associated with climate variability throughout the Middle and Upper Pleistocene as well as patterns explaining the process of bone fragmentation. Where morphological analysis of bones from the site have identified a high proportion of carnivore bones (30.2%), we find that these account for only 7.6% of the ZooMS assemblage, with large mammals between 3 and 5 more abundant overall. Our analysis suggests a cyclical pattern in fragmentation of bones which sees initial fragmentation by hominins using percussive tools and secondary carnivore action, such as gnawing and digestion, likely furthering the initial human-induced fragmentation.

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Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) for bone material - Acid soluble protocol v1

Cited by 3 publications

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Species identification of Australian marsupials using collagen fingerprinting

Species identification of Australian marsupials using collagen fingerprinting

Collagen fingerprinting traces the introduction of caprines to island Eastern Africa

Zooarchaeology through the lens of collagen fingerprinting at Denisova Cave

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