Molecular coproscopy:: Dung and diet of the extinct ground sloth Nothrotheriops shastensis

被引：361

作者：

Poinar, HN

Hofreiter, M

Spaulding, WG

Martin, PS

Stankiewicz, BA

Bland, H

Evershed, RP

Possnert, G

Pääbo, S

机构：

[1] Univ Munich, Max Planck Inst Evolutionary Anthropol, D-80333 Munich, Germany

[2] Univ Munich, Inst Zool, D-80333 Munich, Germany

[3] Dames & Moore, Las Vegas, NV 89119 USA

[4] Univ Arizona, Dept Geosci, Desert Lab, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA

[5] Univ Bristol, Dept Geol, Biogeochem Res Ctr, Bristol BS8 1RJ, Avon, England

[6] Div Ion Phys, Angstrom Lab, S-75121 Uppsala, Sweden

来源：

SCIENCE | 1998年 / 281卷 / 5375期

关键词：

D O I：

10.1126/science.281.5375.402

中图分类号：

O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];

学科分类号：

07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;

摘要：

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.

引用

页码：402 / 406

页数：5

共 41 条

[11] DNA damage and DNA sequence retrieval from ancient tissues [J].