Scientists Sequence Half the Woolly Mammoth's Genome

[Mugu]

Scientific American, by Kate Wong

Thousands of years after the last woolly mammoth lumbered across the tundra, scientists have sequenced a whopping 50 percent of the beast’s nuclear genome, they report in a new study. Earlier attempts to sequence the DNA of these icons of the Ice Age produced only tiny quantities of code. The new work marks the first time that so much of the genetic material of an extinct creature has been retrieved. Not only has the feat provided insight into the evolutionary history of mammoths, but it is a step toward realizing the science-fiction dream of being able to resurrect a long-gone animal.

Researchers led by Webb Miller and Stephan C. Schuster of Pennsylvania State University extracted the DNA from hair belonging to two Siberian woolly mammoths and ran it through a machine that conducts so-called highthroughput sequencing. Previously, the largest amount of DNA from an extinct species comprised around 13 million base pairs—not even 1 percent of the genome. Now, writing in the November 20 issue of Nature, the team reports having obtained more than three billion base pairs. “It’s a technical breakthrough,” says ancient-DNA expert Hendrik N. Poinar of McMaster University in Ontario.



http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=woolly-mammoth-genome-sequenced">Complete article

[Solly Mack]

1. Neat!

(I want one)

[Ian David]

3. If I can't have a Kashyk Bantha, then I'll take a Wolly Mammoth.

[Solly Mack]

4. Seems reasonable to me

[ben_meyers]

2. Study could be a step toward resurrecting a long-extinct animal

Just in time for the coming Ice Age!

[mr_hat]

5. Front half? Back half?

[SidDithers]

6. I don't think they should clone half a Wooly Mammoth...

but if they did, would it be the top half, or bottom half?

Sid

ETA: Damn, should have read the entire thread before replying :)

[rug]

7. Any excuse to play this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajsRjMzGxpg&feature=related

[dorkulon]

8. Oh noes! Jurassic Park is prophesy!

They'll make real dinosaurs, and then build shoddy cages!

[Javaman]

9. and it has been genetically linked to sean hannity. nt