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Woolly Mammoth & Genetic Analysis
Written by: Ain | 2/19/24
A woolly mammoth re-creation at the Shanghai Natural History Museum. Photo: Shutterstock
Advancing the genetic future of humankind and the planet's well-being by preventing extinction begins with embracing possibilities beyond conventional thinking. That is what Colossal Laboratories & Biosciences mission is. Their goals for reviving the mammoth are as such:
Declaring melting of arctic permafrost
Preventing the emission of greenhouse gasses trapped within the permafrost layer
Reverting current over-shrubbed forests back into natural arctic grasslands
Restore Mammoth Steppe
Fostering an ecosystem that can maintain its defenses against climate change
Understanding dominant traits found in the genomes of cold-adapted animals
Save modern elephants from extinction
Establishing a proven link between genetic sciences and climate change
Equipping nature with resilience against humanity’s adverse effects on vital ecosystems
Drive advancements in multiplex genome editing
It's not new news that the elephant population is declining rapidly, and certainly not unexpected. The research into resurrecting the Woolly Mammoth is set in motion to help the elephant population. Preserving elephants is crucial as they serve as keystone species, playing a pivotal role in sustaining the vitality and biodiversity of their ecosystems.
Woolly Mammoth. @Wikimedia Commons
Over the past 10,000 years, the absence of large, cold-tolerant Mammoths has led to the loss of grasslands, which were once efficient in absorbing carbon. Instead, wetlands and mossy forests have taken their place, proving less effective in mitigating rising temperatures. The restoration of the Mammoth Steppe ecosystem holds the potential to not only reverse climate warming but also urgently protect the Arctic's permafrost—a significant reservoir of carbon.
Their process, as stated on their page, goes like so:
Find well-preserved Woolly Mammoth samples
Sequence the Woolly Mammoth genome
Sequence the Asian Elephant genome
This is because the Asian Elephant is the closest living relative of the Woolly Mammoth.
Identity important cold weather genes
Derive cells and prepare multiplex edit designs
Insert gene edits and create cell lines
Test the gene edits
Nuclear transfer and fertilization
Implant embryo into a surrogate
Gestation and birth
Ultimately, the Woolly Mammoth played a role as a natural steward in maintaining a healthier planet, and the research being done can help in many different ways. Maybe we will be witness to what happens after this plan is set out.