Assessment of seven minimally sampling protocols of archaeological skeletal proteomes

Archaeological bone material is increasingly being sampled for various molecular analyses. Minimally invasive sampling protocols should therefore be utilised whenever possible. We compare the proteomic output of 10 Early Neolithic Bos sp. humeri, from two different preservation contexts, of seven sampling protocols, namely retrieving bone chips (with and without demineralisation), acid etching (FASP and chemical neutralisation), eraser, membrane box, and polishing film. We note that minimally invasive sampling methods can extract a substantial amount of protein groups and provide sufficient taxonomic identifications if preservation conditions are favorable. However, if preservation conditions are poorer more invasive sampling techniques should be considered.