Gelatinized pleistocene collagen

Abstract

1.1. Treatment of Pleistocene bones from Rancho La Brea with hot water has solubilized most of their collagenous protein.2.2. The resulting mixture of polypeptides when hydrolyzed with strong HCl has yielded amino acids in the relative proportions characteristic of pure gelatin and collagen.3.3. This accords with the conclusion that the proteinaceous material in these fossils is collagen which time has but little changed.