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Ultraviolet light illuminates the avian nature of the Berlin Archaeopteryx skeleton.

ABSTRACT: The question of whether the iconic avialan Archaeopteryx was capable of active flapping flight or only passive gliding is still unresolved. This study contributes to this debate by reporting on two key aspects of this fossil that are visible under ultraviolet (UV) light. In contrast to previous studies, we show that most of the vertebral column of the Berlin Archaeopteryx possesses intraosseous pneumaticity, and that pneumatic structures also extend beyond the anterior thoracic vertebrae in other specimens of Archaeopteryx. With a minimum Pneumaticity Index (PI) of 0.39, Archaeopteryx had a much more lightweight skeleton than has been previously reported, comprising an air sac-driven respiratory system with the potential for a bird-like, high-performance metabolism. The neural spines of the 16th to 22nd presacral vertebrae in the Berlin Archaeopteryx are bridged by interspinal ossifications, and form a rigid notarium-like structure similar to the condition seen in modern birds. This reinforced vertebral column, combined with the extensive development of air sacs, suggests that Archaeopteryx was capable of flapping its wings for cursorial and/or aerial locomotion.

SUBMITTER: Schwarz D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6482141 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Ultraviolet light illuminates the avian nature of the Berlin Archaeopteryx skeleton.

Schwarz Daniela D Kundrát Martin M Tischlinger Helmut H Dyke Gareth G Carney Ryan M RM

Scientific reports 20190424 1

The question of whether the iconic avialan Archaeopteryx was capable of active flapping flight or only passive gliding is still unresolved. This study contributes to this debate by reporting on two key aspects of this fossil that are visible under ultraviolet (UV) light. In contrast to previous studies, we show that most of the vertebral column of the Berlin Archaeopteryx possesses intraosseous pneumaticity, and that pneumatic structures also extend beyond the anterior thoracic vertebrae in othe ...[more]

PMID: 31019224

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Project description:Untreated or 20 J/m2 UVC treated RKO cells were collected and RNA from either whole-cell lysates or from polysomal fractions was extracted at 0 (untreated), 3, 6, and 12 h after treatment. RNA from whole-cell lysates or each of 11 polysomal fraction was reverse-transcribed in the presence of [α-33P]dCTP and the radiolabeled product used to hybridize human cDNA arrays. The experiment was repeated using three independent sample sets. The samples were named T-c-A, T-c-B, T-c-C, T-3h-A, T-3h-B, T-3h-C, T-6h-A, T-6h-B, T-6h-C, T-12h-A, T-12h-B, T-12h-C, P-c-1-A, P-c-2-A, P-c-3-A, P-c-4-A, P-c-5-A, P-c-6-A, P-c-7-A, P-c-8-A, P-c-9-A, P-c-10-A, P-c-11-A, P-c-1-B, P-c-2-B, P-c-3-B, P-c-4-B, P-c-5-B, P-c-6-B, P-c-7-B, P-c-8-B, P-c-9-B, P-c-10-B, P-c-11-B, P-c-2-C, P-c-3-C, P-c-4-C, P-c-5-C, P-c-6-C, P-c-7-C, P-c-8-C, P-c-9-C, P-c-10-C, P-c-11-C, P-3h-1-A, P-3h-2-A, P-3h-3-A, P-3h-4-A, P-3h-5-A, P-3h-6-A, P-3h-7-A, P-3h-8-A, P-3h-9-A, P-3h-10-A, P-3h-11-A, P-3h-1-B, P-3h-2-B, P-3h-3-B, P-3h-4-B, P-3h-5-B, P-3h-6-B, P-3h-7-B, P-3h-8-B, P-3h-9-B, P-3h-10-B, P-3h-11-B, P-3h-1-C, P-3h-2-C, P-3h-3-C, P-3h-4-C, P-3h-6-C, P-3h-7-C, P-3h-8-C, P-3h-9-C, P-3h-10-C, P-3h-11-C, P-6h-1-A, P-6h-2-A, P-6h-3-A, P-6h-4-A, P-6h-5-A, P-6h-6-A, P-6h-7-A, P-6h-8-A, P-6h-9-A, P-6h-10-A, P-6h-11-A, P-6h-1-B, P-6h-2-B, P-6h-3-B, P-6h-4-B, P-6h-5-B, P-6h-6-B, P-6h-7-B, P-6h-8-B, P-6h-9-B, P-6h-10-B, P-6h-11-B, P-6h-1-C, P-6h-2-C, P-6h-3-C, P-6h-4-C, P-6h-5-C, P-6h-6-C, P-6h-7-C, P-6h-8-C, P-6h-9-C, P-6h-10-C, P-6h-11-C, P-12h-1-A, P-12h-2-A, P-12h-3-A, P-12h-4-A, P-12h-5-A, P-12h-6-A, P-12h-7-A, P-12h-8-A, P-12h-9-A, P-12h-10-A, P-12h-11-A, P-12h-1-B, P-12h-2-B, P-12h-3-B, P-12h-4-B, P-12h-5-B, P-12h-6-B, P-12h-7-B, P-12h-8-B, P-12h-9-B, P-12h-10-B, P-12h-11-B, P-12h-1-C, P-12h-2-C, P-12h-3-C, P-12h-6-C, P-12h-7-C, P-12h-8-C, P-12h-9-C, P-12h-10-C, P-12h-11-C. ‘T’ represents total RNA, ‘P’ represents RNA from polysomes fractions, ‘c’ represents RNA from untreated cells, ‘3h’ represents RNA from cells collected 3 h after UVC treatment, ‘6h’ represents RNA from cells collected 6 h after UVC treatment, ‘12h’ represents RNA from cells collected 12 h after UVC treatment. The numbers 1-11 correspond to the each polysomal fraction. The letters A, B and C correspond to the three independent experimental datasets. Keywords = post-transcriptional / translation / nascent protein synthesis / stress response / ribonomics Keywords: ordered

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Ultraviolet light illuminates the avian nature of the Berlin Archaeopteryx skeleton.

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Ultraviolet light illuminates the avian nature of the Berlin Archaeopteryx skeleton.

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