Tiny bits of protein extracted from a 68-million-year-old dinosaur bone have given scientists the first genetic proof that the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex is a distant cousin to the modern chicken.

"It's the first molecular evidence of this link between birds and dinosaurs," said John Asara, a Harvard Medical School researcher, whose results were published in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

Scientists have long suspected that birds evolved from dinosaurs based on a study of dinosaur bones, but until recently, no soft tissue had survived to confirm the link.

That all changed in 2005 when Mary Higby Schweitzer of North Carolina State University reported finding soft tissue, including blood vessels and cells, in a T. rex bone dug out of sandstone from the fossil-rich Hell Creek Formation in Montana.

Schweitzer, in another study appearing in this week's issue of Science, found that extracts of T. rex bone reacted with antibodies to chicken collagen, further suggesting the presence of birdlike protein in dinosaur bones.

For his study, Asara used a highly sensitive technology called mass spectrometry to determine the chemical makeup of bone fragments provided by Schweitzer and her team.

For the full story: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/04/12/dinosaur.reut/index.html">Click Here</a>

Again you've forgotten the link Dan. I'll follow it up later. Many years ago I constructed a tree of reptile, dinosaur and bird evolution. I don't think I can design it to post it here but might try. I got the information from a book claiming that birds had developed from dinosaurs. Since that time more evidence has surfaced that at least some dinosaurs, especially young ones, were feathered. I've been interested in ornithology since I was about three.

Repaired the link for you Daniel

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/04/12/dinosaur.reut/index.html

Wow, maybe they will find the Ostrich an even closer match?

Anyone for for a Cloned dinosaur egg for breakfast?

Thanks Mike. From the article:

"The fact that we are getting proteins is very exciting,"

I'll say.

My neighbour has a chicken, the likes of which I've never seen before. The chicken comes to him to have it's head scratched - anyway, that seems to be the reason, because if he doesn't scratch it, the chicken kicks him. Given the opportunity, his feathered friend will also attack anyone who enters his property with a series kicks and pecks. Maybe he's heard about his ancestry!

Best not to call a chicken chicken eh.

What I find most amazing about this story...is that Scientists were able to extract viable DNA from bones 68million years ago!
If they can do that, they must eventually be able to trace mans actual ancestry back, using viable DNA?
Would'nt that be far, far more accurate than Archeology or Paeleontology, of digging up bones and skulls in Olduvali Gorge Africa, and other parts of the world?

Mike Kremer.

The story says they extracted proteins, not DNA, Mike. They must have backtracked from the protein structure to the DNA, and compared that. A much more difficult path than extracting DNA alone.

Rose wrote:

"The story says they extracted proteins, not DNA, Mike."

Exactly. Mike, I'm old enough to remember that it was by using much the same imune reactions that scientists first came up with the idea humans and apes had separated a mere 5 or so million years ago. Before that we believed the split was much more ancient. We had to be vastly different from them!

Mitochondrial DNA later supported the 5 million year interval but some research I posted (on "Out of Asia not Africa" I think) shows the separation was actually quite complex and involved several periods of back hybridization, which makes sense.

Mike, as you say genetic evidence is "far, far more accurate than Archeology or Paeleontology, of digging up bones and skulls in Olduvali Gorge Africa, and other parts of the world?" But these pieces of evidence are also valuable for filling out the picture.

Thanx for pointing out my huge mistake Amaranth.
I have always said 'I know zilch about DNA'

Mike Kremer.

I feel the forum is an opportunity for all to learn and grow.

Amaranth

Mike. The DNA makes the proteins of course.