Palaeoproteomics of Dental Calculus: Exploring the Biomolecular Archive
| Autoři | |
|---|---|
| Rok publikování | 2025 |
| Druh | Konferenční abstrakty |
| Fakulta / Pracoviště MU | |
| Citace | |
| Popis | Dental calculus, a calcified form of dental plaque, entraps and preserves a wide range of particles that enter the oral cavity during life. As a rich source of information, dental calculus has become a focal point in biomolecular archaeology, greatly expanding our understanding of past populations. Biomolecular research has revealed insights into the ancient oral microbiome, respiratory and oral pathogens, diet, habitual practices, identity and migration, as well as medicinal use of plants. In our project, we applied palaeoproteomic approaches to characterize the complex protein composition of ancient dental calculus. Samples originated from individuals buried at sites representing diverse geographical and temporal contexts. The most relevant and unique findings included plant-derived proteins with potential dietary or medicinal significance, together with numerous bacterial taxa, including putative pathogens. These results emphasize the potential of palaeoproteomics to unlock biomolecular information from dental calculus, demonstrating its value as a unique archive for reconstructing health, diet, and cultural practices in past populations. |
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