Ancient genetic materials contain millions of letters of genetic code and retain original 3D structure.
First fossil chromosomes found within mammoth's skin samples.
Researchers discovered well-preserved 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth remains in Siberia.
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have unearthed the well-preserved remains of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth in Siberia. The carcass, which was found with its fur and skin intact due to the dry and cold conditions in the region, has provided scientists with an unprecedented opportunity to study this extinct creature in great detail.
The first fossil chromosomes have been discovered within the mammoth's skin samples. These ancient genetic materials contain millions of letters of genetic code and retain their original 3D structure. This discovery marks a significant milestone in the field of paleogenetics, as it is the first time that such well-preserved chromosomes have been found in an ancient organism.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, Stockholm University, and other institutions collaborated on this study, which was published in the journal Cell. They were able to extract and sequence the mammoth's DNA using innovative techniques that allowed them to preserve the original geometry of long stretches of its genome. This discovery provides valuable insights into the woolly mammoth's biology and evolution.
Researchers have reconstructed the genetic code of the woolly mammoth in unprecedented detail after discovering fossilised chromosomes in a 52,000-year-old carcass preserved in the Siberian permafrost.
The mammoth’s skin preserved through a similar process used to make beef jerky.
Scientists were able to assemble the mammoth genome, determine that it had 28 pairs of chromosomes, and see genes that were switched on or off.
Prof Erez Lieberman Aiden called the samples a ‘new kind of fossil’ that preserved biomolecules for vast periods of time and contained far more information than those studied before.
Dr Olga Dudchenko described the discovery of fossil chromosomes as a ‘gamechanger’ because it made possible to assemble the entire DNA sequence of an extinct creature, providing insights into their biology that were previously out of reach.
The mammoth was called Chris Waddle due to its impressive mane.
The 3D structure of the mammoth’s chromosomes was preserved in the dehydrated cells after being turned into a robust glass-like material, once formed the fossil samples could endure for millions of years.
The scientists found that the arrangement of chromosomes inside the cells showed which genes were activated, including genes linked to woolliness and cold tolerance.
The researchers are hoping to find more fossil chromosomes in other extinct animals and in Egyptian mummies.
