Timeless Discoveries: Rescuing Molecular Data from Formalin Fixed Specimens

Within museum collections, formalin fixed samples have long posed persistent challenges in acquiring viable nucleic acids for taxonomic and phylogenomic reconstructions. This proposal represents a vital first step in determining the presence or absence of formalin and its derivatives in the formalin fixed historic samples located at the Smithsonian Institution where the oldest can be dated back to the early 1900s. My approach, utilizing a compound called 2,4 dinitrophenylhydrazine (2-4 DNPH), aims to unlock the potential within these specimens. Preliminary investigations conducted at Queen’s University (Ontario, Canada) have already yielded promising results detecting this derivative in a formalin fixed fish. The methodology encompasses using real-time mass spectrometry and a targeted fragmentation approach to confirm the presence of 2-4 DNPH and its by-product using their molecular fingerprint. The proposed workflow will enhance the usefulness of formalin fixed specimens, and open the door to exploring their hidden secrets, previously inaccessible for molecular sequencing within the realm of natural history.

Faculty Supervisor:

Richard Oleschuk

Student:

Partner:

Smithsonian Institution

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Other

University:

Queen's University

Program: