Glycosylated proteins preserved over millennia: N-glycan analysis of Tyrolean Iceman, Scythian Princess and Warrior.
An improved understanding of glycosylation will provide new insights into many biological processes. In the analysis of oligosaccharides from biological samples, a strict regime is typically followed to ensure sample integrity. However, the fate of glycans that have been exposed to environmental conditions over millennia has not yet been investigated. This is also true for understanding the evolution of the glycosylation machinery in humans as well as in any other biological systems. In this study, we examined the glycosylation of tissue samples derived from four mummies which have been naturally preserved: - the 5,300 year old "Iceman called Oetzi", found in the Tyrolean Alps; the 2,400 year old "Scythian warrior" and "Scythian Princess", found in the Altai Mountains; and a 4 year old apartment mummy, found in Vienna/Austria. The number of N-glycans that were identified varied both with the age and the preservation status of the mummies. More glycan structures were discovered in the contemporary sample, as expected, however it is significant that glycan still exists in the ancient tissue samples. This discovery clearly shows that glycans persist for thousands of years, and these samples provide a vital insight into ancient glycosylation, offering us a window into the distant past.
1] Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA [2] Cancer Research Institute & Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea [3].
Sureyya
S
Ozcan
1] Cancer Research Institute & Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea [2].
Bum Jin
BJ
Kim
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Grace
G
Ro
Department of Food Nutrition, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
Jae-Han
JH
Kim
Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Thomas L
TL
Bereuter
Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Christian
C
Reiter
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Lauren
L
Dimapasoc
University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Daniel
D
Garrido
University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
David A
DA
Mills
1] Cancer Research Institute & Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea [2] Agilent Technologies Inc., Santa Clara, California 95051, USA [3] Robert Mondavi Institute for Food Science, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA [4].
Rudolf
R
Grimm
1] Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA [2] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA [3].
Carlito B
CB
Lebrilla
1] Cancer Research Institute & Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea [2].
Hyun Joo
HJ
An
D006031:Glycosylation; D009106:Mummies; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D011134:Polysaccharides; D011506:Proteins