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Cited by 496

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 1 of the 1 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Molecular Coproscopy: Dung and Diet of the Extinct Ground Sloth Nothrotheriops shastensis

Poinar, Hendrik N., Hofreiter, Michael, Spaulding, W. Geoffrey, Martin, Paul S., Stankiewicz, B. Artur, Bland, Helen, Evershed, Richard P., Possnert, Göran, Pääbo, Svante·1998·Science
DOI 10.1126/science.281.5375.402
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Abstract

DNA from excrements can be amplified by means of the polymerase chain reaction. However, this has not been possible with ancient feces. Cross-links between reducing sugars and amino groups were shown to exist in a Pleistocene coprolite from Gypsum Cave, Nevada. A chemical agent, N -phenacylthiazolium bromide, that cleaves such cross-links made it possible to amplify DNA sequences. Analyses of these DNA sequences showed that the coprolite is derived from an extinct sloth, presumably the Shasta ground sloth Nothrotheriops shastensis . Plant DNA sequences from seven groups of plants were identified in the coprolite. The plant assemblage that formed part of the sloth's diet exists today at elevations about 800 meters higher than the cave.

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Metadata

Authors
Poinar, H. N., Hofreiter, M., Spaulding, W. G., Martin, P. S., Stankiewicz, B. A., Bland, H., Evershed, R. P., Possnert, G., & Pääbo, S.
Venue
Science
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Published
1998-07-17
Volume
281
Issue
5375
Pages
402-406
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
DOI
10.1126/science.281.5375.402
OpenAlex
W2048575968
Cited by
496
References
1
FWCI
17.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Molecular Coproscopy: Dung and Diet of the Extinct Ground Sloth Nothrotheriops shastensis. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1126/science.281.5375.402
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Poinar, H. N., Hofreiter, M., Spaulding, W. G., Martin, P. S., Stankiewicz, B. A., Bland, H., Evershed, R. P., Possnert, G., & Pääbo, S. (1998). Molecular Coproscopy: Dung and Diet of the Extinct Ground Sloth Nothrotheriops shastensis. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.281.5375.402

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