| Title |
Molecular evidence of keratin and melanosomes in feathers of the Early Cretaceous bird Eoconfuciusornis
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, November 2016
|
| DOI | 10.1073/pnas.1617168113 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Yanhong Pan, Wenxia Zheng, Alison E. Moyer, Jingmai K. O’Connor, Min Wang, Xiaoting Zheng, Xiaoli Wang, Elena R. Schroeter, Zhonghe Zhou, Mary H. Schweitzer |
| Abstract |
Microbodies associated with feathers of both nonavian dinosaurs and early birds were first identified as bacteria but have been reinterpreted as melanosomes. Whereas melanosomes in modern feathers are always surrounded by and embedded in keratin, melanosomes embedded in keratin in fossils has not been demonstrated. Here we provide multiple independent molecular analyses of both microbodies and the associated matrix recovered from feathers of a new specimen of the basal bird Eoconfuciusornis from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China. Our work represents the oldest ultrastructural and immunological recognition of avian beta-keratin from an Early Cretaceous (∼130-Ma) bird. We apply immunogold to identify protein epitopes at high resolution, by localizing antibody-antigen complexes to specific fossil ultrastructures. Retention of original keratinous proteins in the matrix surrounding electron-opaque microbodies supports their assignment as melanosomes and adds to the criteria employable to distinguish melanosomes from microbial bodies. Our work sheds new light on molecular preservation within normally labile tissues preserved in fossils. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 50 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 9 | 18% |
| Brazil | 2 | 4% |
| Norway | 1 | 2% |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 2% |
| Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 1 | 2% |
| Portugal | 1 | 2% |
| Austria | 1 | 2% |
| Australia | 1 | 2% |
| United States | 1 | 2% |
| Other | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown | 32 | 64% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 39 | 78% |
| Scientists | 8 | 16% |
| Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 2 | 4% |
| Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 2% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 62 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 1 | 2% |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 2% |
| Canada | 1 | 2% |
| Unknown | 59 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 13 | 21% |
| Researcher | 8 | 13% |
| Student > Master | 8 | 13% |
| Student > Bachelor | 7 | 11% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 3 | 5% |
| Other | 10 | 16% |
| Unknown | 13 | 21% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Earth and Planetary Sciences | 21 | 34% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 12 | 19% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 4 | 6% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 2 | 3% |
| Materials Science | 2 | 3% |
| Other | 6 | 10% |
| Unknown | 15 | 24% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 317. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 06 January 2023.
All research outputs
#103,596
of 24,903,209 outputs
Outputs from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
#2,253
of 101,978 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#2,288
of 426,319 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
#40
of 922 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 24,903,209 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 101,978 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 38.9. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 97% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 426,319 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 922 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 95% of its contemporaries.