Alternative title: what the popular media would like to see happen in our science?
She looks at ancient biomolecules in permafrost deposits
Plan A clone a mammoth?
She explains the process of cloning in the case of Dolly the Sheep.
But this will not work. Somatic cell nuclear transfer. There are no intact cells because the cells in an organism immediately break down at the time of death. There is a race between freezing and degradation. In a large bodied mammal, there is always enough time for degradation
Conclusion: Plan A not possible
Plan B: sequence a mammoth
She explains the principle of mammoth sequencing. Currently we have 50% of mammoth genome. But the samples have a lot of DNA, but most of it is not mammoth (bacteria etc colonise). Sequences are short. More confetti DNA rather than part streamers.
But for mammoth we can map to modern elephant genomes. But the only bits we can do with confidence is where the DNA is similar to modern elephants, not where it is different
Conclusion: Plan B not possible
Plan C: paste in bits of a mammoth DNA into the elephant DNA. Modern techniques are good.
The challenge is targeting. CRIPRS are a new technology that can help with targeting
What part of the Asian elephant genome do we change (5-8 million years of separate evolution). We know one gene affects mammoth hair colour. We can make an elephant with red hair.
Another group discovered chains that distinguish mammoth haemoglobin from elephant one to improve oxygen binding. This could improve cold adaptation.
The mammoth restoration project is aiming to make these changes - luxuriant red hair and mammoth haemoglobin.
Conclusion: Plan C is in principle do-able in bits, but problems with coming up with a mammoth. A mammoth is more than the sum of its nucleotides. Epigenetics, gene expression as a result of environment.
Then there are legal and ethical questions
Article: How to permit your mammoth: some legal challenges. Is it a
Paul Ehrlich article : the case against de-extinction
It is a myth that major funding is going to de-extinction. It is not competing with conservation
Stewart Brand article: the case for de-extinction
If it looks like a mammoth and acts like a mammoth, it’s good enough for me. We should not focus on bringing back a species, we should bring back something that has properties of a mammoth.
Chris Johnson: what about mitochondrial genes?
Jacquelyn Gill: how would a mammoth act like a mammoth without learning?
She looks at ancient biomolecules in permafrost deposits
Plan A clone a mammoth?
She explains the process of cloning in the case of Dolly the Sheep.
But this will not work. Somatic cell nuclear transfer. There are no intact cells because the cells in an organism immediately break down at the time of death. There is a race between freezing and degradation. In a large bodied mammal, there is always enough time for degradation
Conclusion: Plan A not possible
Plan B: sequence a mammoth
She explains the principle of mammoth sequencing. Currently we have 50% of mammoth genome. But the samples have a lot of DNA, but most of it is not mammoth (bacteria etc colonise). Sequences are short. More confetti DNA rather than part streamers.
But for mammoth we can map to modern elephant genomes. But the only bits we can do with confidence is where the DNA is similar to modern elephants, not where it is different
Conclusion: Plan B not possible
Plan C: paste in bits of a mammoth DNA into the elephant DNA. Modern techniques are good.
The challenge is targeting. CRIPRS are a new technology that can help with targeting
What part of the Asian elephant genome do we change (5-8 million years of separate evolution). We know one gene affects mammoth hair colour. We can make an elephant with red hair.
Another group discovered chains that distinguish mammoth haemoglobin from elephant one to improve oxygen binding. This could improve cold adaptation.
The mammoth restoration project is aiming to make these changes - luxuriant red hair and mammoth haemoglobin.
Conclusion: Plan C is in principle do-able in bits, but problems with coming up with a mammoth. A mammoth is more than the sum of its nucleotides. Epigenetics, gene expression as a result of environment.
Then there are legal and ethical questions
Article: How to permit your mammoth: some legal challenges. Is it a
Paul Ehrlich article : the case against de-extinction
It is a myth that major funding is going to de-extinction. It is not competing with conservation
Stewart Brand article: the case for de-extinction
If it looks like a mammoth and acts like a mammoth, it’s good enough for me. We should not focus on bringing back a species, we should bring back something that has properties of a mammoth.
Chris Johnson: what about mitochondrial genes?
Jacquelyn Gill: how would a mammoth act like a mammoth without learning?
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