Resurrecting lost ancient myoglobin proteins to elucidate mechanisms of diving adaptation in mammals.

Data science methodologies can be applied to "molecular archeology." By statistically inferring ancestral gene or protein sequences from a molecular phylogeny, researchers can recreate ancient molecules for laboratory experiments, allowing direct examination of their properties and structures. This review summarizes studies that applied this approach to investigate how whales and seals readapted to deep-sea diving through the evolutionary modification of myoglobins.