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Ancient Biomolecules and Evolutionary Inference
Open accessAbstract
Over the past three decades, studies of ancient biomolecules—particularly ancient DNA, proteins, and lipids—have revolutionized our understanding of evolutionary history. Though initially fraught with many challenges, today the field stands on firm foundations. Researchers now successfully retrieve nucleotide and amino acid sequences, as well as lipid signatures, from progressively older samples, originating from geographic areas and depositional environments that, until recently, were regarded as hostile to long-term preservation of biomolecules. Sampling frequencies and the spatial and temporal scope of studies have also increased markedly, and with them the size and quality of the data sets generated. This progress has been made possible by continuous technical innovations in analytical methods, enhanced criteria for the selection of ancient samples, integrated experimental methods, and advanced computational approaches. Here, we discuss the history and current state of ancient biomolecule research, its applications to evolutionary inference, and future directions for this young and exciting field.
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“complementary aDNA and ancient protein analysis has proven useful for studies of evolution and phylogeny, where one can be used to verify the findings of the other”
From Ancient protein analysis in archaeology (2021) · cites this paper as [3]
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“The archaeological and palaeoecological value of wetlands and ditches (a cultural ecosystem service in its own right) often comes primarily through anoxic conditions allowing for the survival of materials that in drier contexts would decompose; e.g., wood or soft tissue as well as macro and microscopic ecofactual (i.e., organic without human workmanship, yet culturally relevant) material 61 , and”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [62]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Cappellini, E., Prohaska, A., Racimo, F., Welker, F., Pedersen, M. W., Allentoft, M. E., de Barros Damgaard, P., Gutenbrunner, P., Dunne, J., Hammann, S., Roffet-Salque, M., Ilardo, M., Moreno-Mayar, J. V., Wang, Y., Sikora, M., Vinner, L., Cox, J., Evershed, R. P., & Willerslev, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark;,
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (DE)
- University of Bristol (GB)
- Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom;
- ORCID
- Venue
- Annual Review of Biochemistry
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 2018-06-20
- Volume
- 87
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1029-1060
- ISSN
- 0066-4154 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-4509
- OpenAlex
- W2802156024
- Cited by
- 118
- References
- 173
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 2.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Annual Review of Biochemistry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Villum Fonden (KU2016, 00010120, 17649, 00017649)
- Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2016-235, RPG-2016-115)
- University of Cambridge
- European Commission (324202, HORIZON2020, 722606)
- National Research Foundation
- Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
- Lundbeckfonden (R109-2012-9995, R70-2010-6286, KU2016, R155-2013-16338, R38-2008-3048, R24-2008-2527)
- Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
- H. Lundbeck A/S
- Natural Environment Research Council (lsmsf010001, NE/N011317/1)
- FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (324202, FP7-IDEAS-ERC/324202)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Keywords
- ancient biomolecules, ancient DNA, ancient proteins, biomolecule preservation, evolutionary inference, paleogenomics, palaeoproteomics, sample selection, analytical methods, computational methods
- MeSH terms
- DNA, Ancient, Animals, Biological Evolution, Fossils, Humans, Lipids, Paleontology, Phylogeny, Proteins, Evolution, Molecular, Genomics, Proteomics, Extinction, Biological
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