Bone collagen from subtropical Australia is preserved for more than 50,000 years

Ancient protein studies have demonstrated their utility for addressing various evolutionary and historical questions. Most palaeoproteomics research has been confined to high latitudes with temperate climates. Understanding protein preservation at lower latitudes is crucial for clarifying the mechanisms involved in the long-term survival of ancient proteins and expanding the geographical scope of palaeoproteomics. This study assesses collagen preservation in the Australian fossil record using thermal age estimates, FTIR, ZooMS, and protein deamidation calculations. It reveals unexpected subtropical collagen survival in bones older than 50,000 years, exceeding chemical predictions. These findings challenge assumptions about palaeoproteomics in subtropical Pleistocene environments, prompting exploration of the underlying mechanisms for this exceptional preservation and opening avenues for analyzing ancient proteins in other (sub)tropical contexts and deeper timescales.

Carli Peters, Yiming Wang, Vikram Vakil, Jonathan Cramb, Joe Dortch, Scott Hocknull, Rochelle Lawrence, Tiina Manne, Carly Monks, Gertrud E. Rössner, Helen Ryan, Mikael Siversson, Tim Ziegler, Julien Louys, Gilbert J. Price, Nicole Boivin, Matthew J. Collins