Meta-proteomic analysis of two mammoth’s trunk for an indirect picture of their habitat and characterization of the alpha-1 type I collagen sequence

ABSTRACT: The investigation of archaeological samples, which are of inestimable value, requires minimally destructive or non-destructive sampling techniques. One of the most promising and recent non-invasive techniques is known under the acronym EVA, an ethylene vinyl acetate film which avoids contamination and proteins damages. The present work reports the results of the metaproteomic analysis performed on the middle part of a trunk, and on the portion of a trunk tip tissue of two different woolly mammoths some 40000 years’ old. In particular, proteins were extracted by applying EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) films to the surface of these tissues belonging to two Mammuthus primigenus specimens, discovered in two regions located in the Russian Far East, and then investigated via a shotgun MS-based approach. This approach allowed to obtain two interesting results: i) an indirect description of the habitat of these two mammoths, and ii) an improved sequence characterization of the alpha-1 type I collagen (col1a1), the major component of type I collagen. Sequence characterization of the col1a1 highlighted some differences between M. primigenius and other Proboscidea together with the identification of two potentially diagnostic amino acidic mutations that could be used to reliably distinguish the Mammuthus primigenius respect to the other two genera of elephantids (i.e. Elephas and Loxodonta), and the extinct American mastodon (i.e. Mammut americanum). The results were validated through the level of deamidation and other diagenetic chemical modifications of the sample peptides, which were used to discriminate the “original” endogenous peptides from contaminant ones.

INSTRUMENT(S): Orbitrap Fusion

ORGANISM(S): Mammuthus Primigenius

TISSUE(S): Skin

SUBMITTER: Vincenzo Cunsolo  

LAB HEAD: Salvatore Foti

PROVIDER: PXD029558 | Pride | 2022-05-19

REPOSITORIES: Pride