Chemical process of decomposition during early decomposition, while others are degraded during later stages of decomposition. During the early stages of decomposition, soft tissue proteins are broken down. These include proteins that: During later stages of decomposition, more resistant tissue proteins are degraded by the effects of putrefaction. These include: Keratin is a protein which is found in skin, hair, and nails. It is most resistant to the enzymes involved in proteolysis and must be broken down by special keratinolytic microorganisms. This is the reason that hair and nails are commonly found with skeletal remains. In general, proteolysis breaks down proteins into: Continuing proteolysis
In the Skin of a Lion "I will let my hair grow long for your sake, I will wander through the wilderness in the skin of a lion," echoing the theme of converging voices re-telling history. The book was nominated for the Governor General's Award for English Language Fiction in 1987. Ondaatje's later and more famous novel "The English Patient" is, in part, a sequel to "In the Skin of a Lion", continuing the characters of Hana and Caravaggio, as well as revealing the fate of this novel's main character, Patrick Lewis. The first chapter, "Little Seeds," describes the growing years of the main character, Patrick