Fossil macromolecules from cephalopod shells: characterization, immunological response and diagenesis | Paleobiology | Cambridge Core (original) (raw)

Abstract

The EDTA-soluble fractions extracted from rostra of two late Cretaceous belemnites (Cephalopoda), Gonioteuthis and Belemnitella, were divided into an humic acid and a fulvic acid fraction (the latter was absent in Belemnitella). The extracts are compared with preparations from shells of two recent cephalopods, Nautilus pompilius and Sepia officinalis. Use was made of immunology, amino acid analysis, pyrolysis mass spectrometry and some other techniques.

The fulvic acid fraction of Gonioteuthis, a mixed peptide-like saccharide-like substance, produced confluent immunodiffusion patterns with an EDTA-soluble Nautilus extract against anti-Nautilus rabbit serum. The humic acid of Gonioteuthis did not contain D-alloisoleucine and its amino acid composition was very similar to that of the EDTA-insoluble fraction of Nautilus. This humic acid was enriched in polyphenol, which may be due to chemical reaction of peptides and carbohydrates during diagenesis. It is concluded that both fractions of Gonioteuthis are original belemnite materials that have undergone only minor alterations during diagenesis.

This is an exploratory study of biochemical compounds derived from fossils, with particular emphasis on immunological methods.

References

Carter, P. W. and Mitterer, R. M. 1978. Amino acid composition of organic matter associated with carbonate and non-carbonate sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 42:1243–1251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Crenshaw, M. A. 1972. The soluble matrix from Mercenaria mercenaria shell. Biomineralization. 6:6–11.Google Scholar

Degens, E. T. 1976. Molecular mechanisms on carbonate, phosphate, and silica deposition in the living cell. Top. Curr. Chem. 64:1–112.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Degens, E. T., Spencer, D. W., and Parker, R. H. 1967. Paleobiochemistry of molluscan shell proteins. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 20:553–579.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Dische, Z. 1955. New color reactions for the determination of sugars in polysaccharides. Methods Biochem. Anal. 2:313–358.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Gottschalk, A. 1966. Glycoproteins, their Composition, Structure and Function. 628 pp. BBA Library. . Elsevier; Amsterdam.Google Scholar

Hare, P. E. and Hoering, T. C. 1977. The organic constituents of fossil mollusc shells. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Year Book. 78:625–631.Google Scholar

Hoering, T. C. 1973 . Comparison of melanoidin and humic acid. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Year Book. 72:682–690.Google Scholar

de Jong, E. W., Westbroek, P., Westbroek, J. F., and Bruning, J. W. 1974. Preservation of antigenic properties in macromolecules over 70 myr old. Nature. 252:63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Kabat, E. A. and Mayer, M. M. 1964. In: Experimental Immunochemistry. 2nd ed. Pp. 85. Thomas C. C.; Springfield, Illinois.Google Scholar

Krampitz, G., Weise, K., Potz, A., Engels, J., Samata, T., Becker, K., Hedding, M., and Flajs, G. 1977. Calcium-binding peptide in dinosaur egg shells. Naturwissenschaften. 64:583.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Lowry, O. H., Rosenbrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., and Randall, R. J. 1951. Protein measurement with the folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193:265–276.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

van der Meide, P. H., Westbroek, P., de Jong, E. W., de Leeuw, J. W., and Meuzelaar, H. L. C. 1979. Characterization of macromolecules from fossil shells by immunology and Curie-point pyrolysis mass spectrometry. .Google Scholar

Meuzelaar, H. L. C., Haider, K., Nagar, B. R., and Martin, J. P. 1977. Comparative studies of pyrolysis-mass spectra of melanins, model phenolic polymers, and humic acids. Geoderma. 17:239–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Meuzelaar, H. L. C., Kistemaker, P. G., Eshuis, W., and Boerboom, H. A. J. 1976. Automated pyrolysis mass spectrometry; application to the differentiation of microorganisms. Adv. Mass Spectrom. 78:1452–1456.Google Scholar

Nawrot, C. F., Campbell, D. J., Schroeder, J. K., and Van Valkenburg, M. 1976. Dental phosphoprotein-induced formation of hydroxylapatite during in vitro synthesis of amorphous calcium phosphate. Biochemistry. 15(16):3445–3449.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Posthumus, M. A., Boerboom, H. A. J., and Meuzelaar, H. L. C. 1974. Analysis of biopolymers by Curie-point pyrolysis in direct combination with low voltage electron impact ionization mass spectrometry. Adv. Mass Spectrom. 6:397–402.Google Scholar

Schroeder, R. A. and Bada, J. L. 1976. A review of the geochemical applications of the amino acid racemization reaction. Earth Sci. Rev. 12:347–391.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Speath, C. 1975. Zur Frage der Schwimmverhältnisse bei Belemniten in Abhängigkeit vom Primärgefüge der Hartteile. Paläontol. Z. 49(3):321–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Weiner, S. and Hood, L. 1975. Soluble protein of the organic matrix of mollusk shells: a potential template for shell formation. Science. 190:987–989.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Weiner, S., Lowenstam, H. A., and Hood, L. 1976. Characterization of 80-million-year-old mollusc shell proteins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 73(8):2541–2545.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Weiner, S., Lowenstam, H. A., and Hood, L. 1977. Discrete molecular weight components of the organic matrices of mollusc shells. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 30:45–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Wyckoff, R. W. G. 1972. The Biochemistry of Animal Fossils. VIII + 152 pp. Scientechnica; Bristol.Google Scholar