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. 1994 Nov 18;266(5188):1229-32.
doi: 10.1126/science.7973705.

DNA sequence from Cretaceous period bone fragments

S R Woodward  1 , N J Weyand, M Bunnell
Affiliations

DNA sequence from Cretaceous period bone fragments

S R Woodward et al. Science. .

Abstract

DNA was extracted from 80-million-year-old bone fragments found in strata of the Upper Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation in the roof of an underground coal mine in eastern Utah. This DNA was used as the template in a polymerase chain reaction that amplified and sequenced a portion of the gene encoding mitochondrial cytochrome b. These sequences differ from all other cytochrome b sequences investigated, including those in the GenBank and European Molecular Biology Laboratory databases. DNA isolated from these bone fragments and the resulting gene sequences demonstrate that small fragments of DNA may survive in bone for millions of years.

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Comment in

  • Detecting dinosaur DNA.
    Zischler H, Höss M, Handt O, von Haeseler A, van der Kuyl AC, Goudsmit J. Zischler H, et al. Science. 1995 May 26;268(5214):1192-3; author reply 1194. doi: 10.1126/science.7605504. Science. 1995. PMID: 7605504 No abstract available.
  • Detecting dinosaur DNA.
    Hedges SB, Schweitzer MH. Hedges SB, et al. Science. 1995 May 26;268(5214):1191-2; author reply 1194. doi: 10.1126/science.7761839. Science. 1995. PMID: 7761839 No abstract available.
  • Detecting dinosaur DNA.
    Allard MW, Young D, Huyen Y. Allard MW, et al. Science. 1995 May 26;268(5214):1192; author reply 1194. doi: 10.1126/science.7761840. Science. 1995. PMID: 7761840 No abstract available.
  • Detecting dinosaur DNA.
    Henikoff S. Henikoff S. Science. 1995 May 26;268(5214):1192; author reply 1194. doi: 10.1126/science.7761841. Science. 1995. PMID: 7761841 No abstract available.
  • Possible dino DNA find is greeted with skepticism.
    Gibbons A. Gibbons A. Science. 1994 Nov 18;266(5188):1159. doi: 10.1126/science.7973693. Science. 1994. PMID: 7973693 No abstract available.

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