Review and prospects of paleoproteomics: using collagen as an example

Proteins are macromolecules and they are the basis of many biological functions and metabolism. The sequence of the proteins is decided by genetic code. Therefore, proteins provide us unique information on evolution. Recent development in mass spectrometry technology makes it possible to obtain ancient protein sequence information from fossils, providing a new way to decipher the evolutionary secrets of animals from fossils when relevant morphological and DNA information is not available. Collagen is a widely distributed protein in bones. It has great preservation potential in fossils due to its special structure and has become a key research object in paleoproteomics. Using collagen as an example, this paper summarizes the research methods and research achievements of paleoproteomics and discusses the current challenges and future trends of this subject to show the application potential and research significance in paleontology.

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