@article{schweitzer_zheng_moyer_sjövall_lindgren_2018, title={Preservation potential of keratin in deep time}, volume={13}, ISSN={1932-6203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206569}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0206569}, abstractNote={Multiple fossil discoveries and taphonomic experiments have established the durability of keratin. The utility and specificity of antibodies to identify keratin peptides has also been established, both in extant feathers under varying treatment conditions, and in feathers from extinct organisms. Here, we show localization of feather-keratin antibodies to control and heat-treated feathers, testifying to the repeatability of initial data supporting the preservation potential of keratin. We then show new data at higher resolution that demonstrates the specific response of these antibodies to the feather matrix, we support the presence of protein in heat-treated feathers using ToF-SIMS, and we apply these methods to a fossil feather preserved in the unusual environment of sinter hot springs. We stress the importance of employing realistic conditions such as sediment burial when designing experiments intended as proxies for taphonomic processes occurring in the fossil record. Our data support the hypothesis that keratin, particularly the β-keratin that comprises feathers, has potential to preserve in fossil remains.}, number={11}, journal={PLOS ONE}, publisher={Public Library of Science (PLoS)}, author={Schweitzer, Mary Higby and Zheng, Wenxia and Moyer, Alison E. and Sjövall, Peter and Lindgren, Johan}, editor={Mishra, Yogendra KumarEditor}, year={2018}, month={Nov}, pages={e0206569} }
 @article{moyer_zheng_schweitzer_2016, title={Keratin durability has implications for the fossil record: Results from a 10 year feather degradation experiment}, volume={11}, number={7}, journal={PLoS One}, author={Moyer, A. E. and Zheng, W. X. and Schweitzer, M. H.}, year={2016} }
 @article{moyer_zheng_schweitzer_2016, title={Microscopic and immunohistochemical analyses of the claw of the nesting dinosaur, Citipati osmolskae}, volume={283}, number={1842}, journal={Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B}, author={Moyer, A. E. and Zheng, W. X. and Schweitzer, M. H.}, year={2016} }
 @article{pan_zheng_moyer_jingmai k. o'connor_wang_zheng_wang_schroeter_zhou_schweitzer_2016, title={Molecular evidence of keratin and melanosomes in feathers of the Early Cretaceous bird Eoconfuciusornis}, volume={113}, ISSN={["0027-8424"]}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.1617168113}, abstractNote={Significance
          
            We report fossil evidence of feather structural protein (beta-keratin) from a 130-My-old basal bird (
            Eoconfuciusornis
            ) from the famous Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, which has produced many feathered dinosaurs, early birds, and mammals. Multiple independent molecular analyses of both microbodies and associated matrix recovered from the fossil feathers confirm that these microbodies are indeed melanosomes. We use transmission electron microscopy and immunogold to show localized binding of antibodies raised against feather protein to matrix filaments within these ancient feathers. Our work sheds new light on molecular constituents of tissues preserved in fossils.
          }, number={49}, journal={PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA}, author={Pan, Yanhong and Zheng, Wenxia and Moyer, Alison E. and Jingmai K. O'Connor and Wang, Min and Zheng, Xiaoting and Wang, Xiaoli and Schroeter, Elena R. and Zhou, Zhonghe and Schweitzer, Mary H.}, year={2016}, month={Dec}, pages={E7900–E7907} }
 @article{schweitzer_moyer_zheng_2016, title={Testing the hypothesis of biofilm as a source for soft tissue and cell-like structures preserved in dinosaur bone}, volume={11}, number={2}, journal={PLoS One}, author={Schweitzer, M. H. and Moyer, A. E. and Zheng, W. X.}, year={2016} }
 @misc{lindgren_moyer_schweitzer_sjovall_uvdal_nilsson_heimdal_engdahl_gren_schultz_et al._2015, title={Interpreting melanin-based coloration through deep time: A critical review}, volume={282}, ISSN={0962-8452 1471-2954}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.0614}, DOI={10.1098/rspb.2015.0614}, abstractNote={Colour, derived primarily from melanin and/or carotenoid pigments, is integral to many aspects of behaviour in living vertebrates, including social signalling, sexual display and crypsis. Thus, identifying biochromes in extinct animals can shed light on the acquisition and evolution of these biological traits. Both eumelanin and melanin-containing cellular organelles (melanosomes) are preserved in fossils, but recognizing traces of ancient melanin-based coloration is fraught with interpretative ambiguity, especially when observations are based on morphological evidence alone. Assigning microbodies (or, more often reported, their ‘mouldic impressions’) as melanosome traces without adequately excluding a bacterial origin is also problematic because microbes are pervasive and intimately involved in organismal degradation. Additionally, some forms synthesize melanin. In this review, we survey both vertebrate and microbial melanization, and explore the conflicts influencing assessment of microbodies preserved in association with ancient animal soft tissues. We discuss the types of data used to interpret fossil melanosomes and evaluate whether these are sufficient for definitive diagnosis. Finally, we outline an integrated morphological and geochemical approach for detecting endogenous pigment remains and associated microstructures in multimillion-year-old fossils.}, number={1813}, journal={Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B}, publisher={The Royal Society}, author={Lindgren, J. and Moyer, A. and Schweitzer, M. H. and Sjovall, P. and Uvdal, P. and Nilsson, D. E. and Heimdal, J. and Engdahl, A. and Gren, J. A. and Schultz, B. P. and et al.}, year={2015}, pages={20150614} }
 @article{schweitzer_lindgren_moyer_2015, title={Melanosomes and ancient coloration re-examined: A response to Vinther 2015}, volume={37}, ISSN={["1521-1878"]}, DOI={10.1002/bies.201500061}, abstractNote={Round to elongate microbodies associated with fossil vertebrate soft tissues were interpreted as microbial traces until 2008, when they were re‐described as remnant melanosomes – intracellular, pigment‐containing eukaryotic organelles. Since then, multiple claims for melanosome preservation and inferences of organismal color, behavior, and physiology have been advanced, based upon the shape and size of these microstructures. Here, we re‐examine evidence for ancient melanosomes in light of information reviewed in Vinther (2015), and literature regarding the preservation potential of microorganisms and their exopolymeric secretions. We: (i) address statements in Vinther's recent (2015) review that are incorrect or which misrepresent published data; (ii) discuss the need for caution in interpreting “voids” and microbodies associated with degraded fossil soft tissues; (iii) present evidence that microorganisms are in many cases an equally parsimonious source for these “voids” as are remnant melanosomes; and (iv) suggest methods/criteria for differentiating melanosomes from microbial traces in the fossil record.}, number={11}, journal={BioEssays}, author={Schweitzer, M.H. and Lindgren, J. and Moyer, A.E.}, year={2015}, pages={1174–1183} }
 @article{lacovara_lamanna_ibiricu_poole_schroeter_ullmann_voegele_boles_carter_fowler_et al._2014, title={A gigantic, exceptionally complete Titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from Southern Patagonia, Argentina}, volume={4}, journal={Scientific Reports}, author={Lacovara, K. J. and Lamanna, M. C. and Ibiricu, L. M. and Poole, J. C. and Schroeter, E. R. and Ullmann, P. V. and Voegele, K. K. and Boles, Z. M. and Carter, A. M. and Fowler, E. K. and et al.}, year={2014} }
 @article{moyer_zheng_johnson_lamanna_li_lacovara_schweitzer_2014, title={Melanosomes or Microbes: Testing an Alternative Hypothesis for the Origin of Microbodies in Fossil Feathers}, volume={4}, journal={Scientific Reports}, author={Moyer, A. E. and Zheng, W. X. and Johnson, E. A. and Lamanna, M. C. and Li, D. Q. and Lacovara, K. J. and Schweitzer, M. H.}, year={2014} }