Sequencing by avidity enables high accuracy with low reagent consumption.

We present avidity sequencing, a sequencing chemistry that separately optimizes the processes of stepping along a DNA template and that of identifying each nucleotide within the template. Nucleotide identification uses multivalent nucleotide ligands on dye-labeled cores to form polymerase-polymer-nucleotide complexes bound to clonal copies of DNA targets. These polymer-nucleotide substrates, termed avidites, decrease the required concentration of reporting nucleotides from micromolar to nanomolar and yield negligible dissociation rates.

Evolution and function of the hominin forefoot.

The primate foot functions as a grasping organ. As such, its bones, soft tissues, and joints evolved to maximize power and stability in a variety of grasping configurations. Humans are the obvious exception to this primate pattern, with feet that evolved to support the unique biomechanical demands of bipedal locomotion.

Proximal metatarsal articular surface shape and the evolution of a rigid lateral foot in hominins.

This study quantifies the proximal articular surface shape of metatarsal (MT) 4 and MT 5 using three-dimensional morphometrics. Humans and apes are compared to test whether they have significantly different shapes that are skeletal correlates to comparative lateral foot function. In addition, shod and unshod humans are compared to test for significant differences in surface shape.

A complete second metatarsal (StW 89) from Sterkfontein Member 4, South Africa.

The functional anatomy of the hominin foot has played a crucial role in studies of locomotor evolution in human ancestors and extinct relatives. However, foot fossils are rare, often isolated, and fragmentary. Here, we describe a complete hominin second metatarsal (StW 89) from the 2.

Brief Communication: Shape analysis of the MT 1 proximal articular surface in fossil hominins and shod and unshod Homo.

As a follow-up study to Proctor et al. (Am J Phys Anthropol 135 (2008) 216-224), this study quantifies the first metatarsal proximal articular surface using three-dimensional morphometrics to test for differences in articular surface shape between habitually shod and habitually unshod humans. In addition, differences in shape between Homo, Pan, Gorilla, and Hylobates are compared to the fossil hominin specimens A.

Quantitative three-dimensional shape analysis of the proximal hallucial metatarsal articular surface in Homo, Pan, Gorilla, and Hylobates.

Multidimensional morphometrics is used to compare the proximal articular surface of the first metatarsal between Homo, Pan, Gorilla, Hylobates, and the hominin fossils A.L. 333-54 (A.