Palaeoproteomics

Proteins preserved in archaeological substrates can be extracted, processed in the lab and then characterised using a variety of mass spectrometry techniques. The term “Palaeoproteomics” is used to indicate the application of tandem mass spectrometry, typically coupled to liquid chromatography (LC-MS/MS), to the study of ancient proteomes, i.e. the whole suite of proteins expressed by an organism (or many organisms, in which case we talk about “metaproteomes”) and preserved over archaeological timescales.

Biomineralised tissues and organisms as well as composite materials (bone, tooth, eggshell, mollusc shell, dental calculus, coprolites, paintings, ceramic containers) all retain variable fractions of their original proteomes as well as more complex signatures (for example, that of the oral microbiome). Applications include: using protein sequences and structures to reconstruct evolutionary relationships; determining the biological sex of human and some non-human animals; identifying raw materials; reconstructing molecular mechanisms of diagenesis and preservation; providing insights into past health and diseases as well as foodways and diets.