国际最新成功提取至少1800万年古蛋白 可助物种演化研究

Core Insights - Recent studies published in the journal "Nature" reveal that researchers have extracted ancient proteins from fossils dating back at least 18 million years, indicating that protein preservation lasts much longer than previously thought [1][3][5] Group 1: Research Findings - The studies demonstrate that ancient proteins can be extracted from fossils in the Turkana Basin, a region known for its evolutionary significance, where many African mammal populations, including ancient humans, rhinos, and hippos, diverged [5][7] - One study involved sampling proteins from the earliest known true rhinos and proboscideans, with samples dating back 18 million years, while another study extracted enamel protein sequences from a true rhino from the Canadian High Arctic, dating back approximately 21 to 24 million years [3][5][7] - The findings suggest that cold conditions, such as those in the Canadian Arctic, are conducive to the preservation of biological molecules, which aids in reconstructing animal evolution [7] Group 2: Implications for Evolutionary Studies - The results of these studies provide new insights into the evolutionary history of various species, particularly the lineage of rhinos, and highlight the potential for ancient proteins to offer molecular information about extinct animals [5][7] - The ability to extract proteins from such ancient fossils expands the timeline for molecular preservation, which could lead to a better understanding of the evolutionary processes over millions of years [1][3]