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PMID: 17431180

Asara JM et al
Science 2007 Apr 13;316(5822):280-5
Protein sequences from mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex revealed by mass spectrometry.

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Statistical, methodological, and biochemical validity questioned

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BioMed Crit Comm 2008; 1:888
Posted: Aug 22, 2008 CCID: 888
Commentator: Anonymous	Ave. score of anonymous comments: 2.4 for 548 scored comments.

Pevzner et al (Science 2008 321:1040) challenged the protein sequences of tyrannosaurus as being statistically inadequate to conclude that dinosaurs and birds were evolutionarily highly related. Pevzner et all argued that if the full data of the original authors were released, it might reveal that the published data were highly selected and not representative of the entire set. It is examination of the entire data set that would be needed to determine the likelihood that the subset of matching sequences could be identified by random chance. The original authors had already responded in part to critics with an admission of error concerning the statistical significance of one of their sequences and a reinterpretation of four of the seven reported Tyrannosaurus peptides (PMID: 17823333). Pevzner remarked, "the most likely outcome of further criticism is that Asara and colleagues will continue changing their original interpretations until the critics give up." Previously, also, Buckley et al (PMID: 18174420) used a variety of statistical, methodological, and biochemical arguments to conclude that the Tyrannosaurus sequences did not pass standard tests of authenticity. The original authors responded to both letters of critique in letters to Science. According to first author John Asara, as related by John Lauerman (Bloomberg, August 21), "In my view, we've done more than we needed to do. It's just an argument about math on the other end.''

Key authors in this publication:

Asara JM, Cantley LC, Freimark LM, Phillips M, Schweitzer MH.

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Asara JM et al Science 2007 Apr 13;316(5822):280-5 Protein sequences from mastodon and Tyrannosaurus rex revealed by mass spectrometry.