Ref ID:	31913
Ref Type:	Journal Article
Authors:	Nicholson, Graeme J. Tomiuk, Jürgen Czametzki, Alfred Bachmann, Lutz Pusch, Carsten M.
Title:	Detection of bone glue treatment as a major source of contamination in ancient DNA analyses
Date:	2002
Source:	American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Abstract:	Paleogenetic investigations of ancient DNA extracted from fossil material is for many reasons susceptible to falsi.cation by the presence of more recent contamination from several sources. Gelatine-based bone glue that has been used extensively for nearly two centuries by curators to preserve hard tissues contributes nonauthentic DNA to paleontological material. This fact has been frequently neglected and is barely mentioned in the literature. Now paleogeneticists, curators, and conservators are faced with the problem that treatment of samples with adhesives and consolidants for conservatory purposes has seldom been recorded. Here, we show that racemization of amino acids, and in particular serine, is an excellent indicator for the treatment of paleontological samples with glue.
Date Created:	10/19/2003
Volume:	118
Number:	2
Page Start:	117
Page End:	120