Table 1. Comparison of Instruments and Approaches Used in Ancient Protein Studies.
| Immunological assays | Edman sequencing | MALDI-TOF | MALDI-TOF/TOF | LC–MS/MS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First use on ancient proteins | 1937,1,a 1980,608,b 198458,c | 199065 | 20003 | 200574 | 2006,89,d 201191,e |
| Good for complex samples? | YES | NO | To some extent | To some extent | YES |
| Good for samples without reliable composition? | To some extent | NO | NO | NO | YES |
| Can get sequence data? | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES |
| Can target specific proteins | YES | NO | NO | NO | To some extent |
| Proteins detected in one analysis | 1–5 | 1 | 1–20 | 1–20 | 100+ |
| Feasibility for ancient samples | ++ | + | +++++ | +++++ | +++++ |
| Reproducibility | + | ++ | ++++ | +++ | +++ |
| Relative price per sample | $$-$$$$ | $$$$$ | $ | $$ | $$$$f |
| Analysis time per sample | +++ | +++++ | ++ | ++++ | ++++ |
| Sample types analyzed | Any sample type | Single peptides | Sample with a few dominant proteins | Sample with a few dominant proteins | Any sample type |
| Examples | Hemoglobin, albumin, pathogens, silk | Osteocalcin | Collagen, keratins, silk, shell | Collagen, keratins, silk, shell | Proteomes of bone, enamel, dental calculus, artist materials |
a
Use of antisera.
b
Use of radioimmunoassay.
c
Use of ELISA.
d
Use of LC–MS/MS to identify individual ancient proteins.
e
Use of LC–MS/MS to characterize an ancient proteome of >100 proteins.
f
Depends on immunoassay design and whether antibodies are commercially available.