Anthropological Science (Japanese Series)
Online ISSN : 1348-8813
Print ISSN : 1344-3992
ISSN-L : 1344-3992
Volume 128, Issue 1
Displaying 1-6 of 6 articles from this issue
Review
  • Rikai Sawafuji, Takumi Tsutaya
    Article type: Review
    2020 Volume 128 Issue 1 Pages 1-19
    Published: 2020
    Released on J-STAGE: June 23, 2020
    Advance online publication: April 07, 2020
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

    This review aims to provide an overview of recent palaeoproteomic studies for Japanese researchers. Compared to mass spectrometry-based proteomics, conventional immunological methods to detect protein suffer from lower sensitivity and specificity, and the target proteins need to be determined before the analysis. In contrast, mass spectrometry enables high-throughput sequencing of any protein residue present in femtomolar quantities, with no need to pre-define a target. Palaeoproteomics, the high-throughput analysis of protein residues in archaeological or palaeoanthropological materials, has been developed and expanded since the 2010s. Mass spectrometry-based palaeoproteomics can be divided into two methodological categories: peptide mass fingerprinting (e.g., ZooMS) and shotgun proteomics. The former mainly aims to identify the taxa of bioarchaeological materials by comparing the spectra of digested peptides of a specific protein, such as collagen and keratin, to spectra of known species. The later aims to comprehensively identify different proteins present in the analyzed sample by sequencing all digested peptides. Major topics in recent palaeoproteomic studies are taxonomic identification and phylogenetic reconstruction, estimation of genetic information, identification of unknown proteinaceous materials, reconstruction of physiological status, and dietary reconstruction. Although there are limitations and concerns, such as quantification and degradation of ancient proteins, palaeoproteomics has provided, and will continue to provide, unique and useful applications in archaeology and palaeoanthropology.

    Download PDF (1791K)
Original Article
  • Soichiro Mizushima, Kazuaki Hirata
    Article type: Original Article
    2020 Volume 128 Issue 1 Pages 21-37
    Published: 2020
    Released on J-STAGE: June 23, 2020
    Advance online publication: April 16, 2020
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

    Upper and lower limbs of prehistoric Jomon adults are known to have relatively elongated distal segments (forearm and lower leg) compared with those of modern Japanese. In the present study, we compared limb segment proportions (e.g. brachial index, crural index, intermembral index) between 118 Jomon and 311 modern Japanese skeletons from the 5th fetal month to 19 years of age. Comparisons were made separately in fetal to infant periods (< 1.5 years), toddler to preadolescent periods (1.5–10 years), and adolescent period (>10 years). Results showed that, in all three age groups, both brachial and crural indices are significantly/near-significantly greater in the Jomon than in the modern Japanese, indicating that the distally elongated intralimb characteristics of the Jomon emerge early in development probably based on genetic factors such as limb pattern formation. In Jomon and modern Japanese, both brachial and crural indices reach the adult levels at least by the age of 1.5 years and remain almost constant throughout the subsequent (toddler to adolescent) development. Results also demonstrated that, in the toddler to preadolescent periods, humeri of the Jomon become elongated at a slower rate than those of the modern Japanese, possibly contributing to the adult Jomon condition of a comparatively short upper arm.

    Download PDF (2109K)
Book Reviews
Japanese Summaries of Papers Published in Anthropological Science (English Series)
Presentation Summaries of ASN Young Scientist Oral Presentation Award
feedback
Top