Researchers in the US conducted studies to investigate the relationship between the ZooMS protein barcode and fingerprints. Investigations revealed that the slow speed of evolution of the collagen chain meant that ZooMS was to have a resolution that approximated to genus. The large size of the protein and the slow rate of evolution meant that it had sufficient variation to two conditions. It was able to discriminate between generations across animal species using the same protein and the same extraction methods. It was sufficiently similar to be able to map differences across widely-dispersed groups. The fact that collagen was selectively preserved in old bone meant that it was to be used as a molecular barcode after DNA barcodes were damaged, fragmented, and melted away.