palaeobiochemistrypaleobiochemistryn.
/ˌpalɪəʊˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈkɛmᵻstri/, /ˌpeɪlɪəʊˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈkɛmᵻstri/, U.S. /ˈˌpeɪlioʊˌbaɪoʊˈkɛməstri/ The study of the biochemistry of organisms and environments of the past, and of the evolution of biochemical processes, either by the direct investigation of the biochemistry of fossils, or by deduction from the biochemistry of living organisms; the biochemical properties so investigated.
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the world > life > biology > study > [noun] > biochemistry > branches of
histochemistry1853
molecular biology1884
cytochemistry1900
enzymology1900
hormonology1918
biogeochemistry1935
palaeobiochemistry1954
immunocytochemistry1961
ultracytochemistry1965
1954 Carnegie Inst. Yearbk. 1953–4 97 (heading) Paleo~biochemistry.
1966 Science 6 May 762/2 Although they may have had a nonphotosynthetic metabolism, there is insufficient information available about their paleobiochemistry to realistically evaluate such a suggestion.
1969 G. Eglinton in G. Eglinton & M. T. J. Murphy Org. Geochem. ii. 21 Two main approaches can be taken to the biochemistry of organisms in past times... The second is to examine the biochemistry of present-day living organisms and make phylogenetic comparisons. From these one can attempt to infer evolutionary sequences in the development of biochemical processes..; this approach is known variously as paleobiochemistry, evolutionary biochemistry and chemical paleogenetics.
1975 Proc. Royal Soc. B. 189 215 The second problem disclosed by palaeobiochemistry has helped to resolve the first; for many organic molecules are subject to a time-dependent diagenetic change that enables one to distinguish recent biological contaminants from geologically older material.
1993 E. N. K. Clarkson Invertebr. Palaeontol. & Evol. (ed. 3) i. 7/1 There are promising developments also in palaeobiochemistry and organic geochemistry, applicable to the fossil record.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1954