Paleontology, Molecular

Abstract

Recent developments in modern molecular biology have facilitated the expansion of the new field of molecular paleontology. This field comprises the isolation and characterization of proteins and nucleic acids from fossil material. The various kinds of fossil preservation are outlined and discussed with respect to the types of preservation most appropriate for producing fossils that will yield direct sequence information. The molecular techniques used to isolate nucleic acids and proteins, and to characterize the sequence information from these molecules are described. The biological importance of data obtained from fossils is also discussed.