In planet science, бурение continues around the announcement of the American biotechnology firm Colossal Biosciences, which announced that it managed to make hairy mice, which are to be 1 of the steps to recreate an extinct mammoth about 10,000 years ago. According to the Guardian, the company plans to have the mammoth born by the end of 2028.
Genome editing techniques utilized by the squad of researchers from Colossal Biosciences allowed to make changes in 9 genes related to color, texture, dimension and growth of hair or hair follicles in mice. The choice of genes was not accidental, as scientists knew that due to the distortion of them, the resulting physical features were akin to those of mammoths, including golden hair. The changes besides related to the fat metabolism gene in mice, which is associated with adaptation to winter conditions.
Although many attempts to carry out the experimentation did not consequence in offspring, these mice that came into the planet had different combinations of hair types: wool (strongly twisted), long and golden-brown. All individuals had akin mean body weight, regardless of whether the gene associated with fat metabolism was modified.
The behavioral tests to be carried out in the coming months are aimed at checking tolerability cold in mice. The survey has not yet undergone a technological review, which may rise doubts among experts. Geneticist Robin Lovell-Budge of the Francis Cricket Institute in London, who did not participate in the work, praised the method aspects of the study, but emphasized that the restoration of mammoths to life is much more complicated than a simple change of respective genes in order to get opposition to cold.
The evolutionary biologist Tori Herridge of the University of Sheffield said in a conversation with "Guardian" that "the creation of an elephant akin to a mammoth is much more challenging due to the fact that the number of genes that request to be changed is much greater and they are much little known." It seems that shortly there will be no rebirth of the mammoth, which confirms the skeptical position of many experts in this area.
According to National Geographic data, mammoths lived on Earth from about 5.5 million years ago to about 4,000 years ago. They were 1 of the largest land mammals in Earth's history, with an increase of up to 4 meters and a mass of up to 6 tons. Their hair was long and thick, which helped them last in cold conditions.
The restoration of a hairy mammoth would be a large accomplishment in the field of genetics and biotechnology, but it would require immense expenditures of time, money and knowledge. According to the BBC, only in 2020 scientists discovered preserved mammoth DNA in Siberia, which can aid to recreate this species.
According to a study published in 2020 by the United Nations, biotechnology is 1 of the most crucial areas in discipline and technology that can aid solve global problems specified as climate change, hunger and disease.
Research is besides being conducted in the field of genetics and biotechnology, which can aid to reconstruct hairy mammoth. According to discipline in Poland, in 2020 scientists from the Jagiellonian University discovered a fresh gene that can aid reconstruct the mammoth.
The restoration of a hairy mammoth would be a large accomplishment in the field of genetics and biotechnology, but it would require immense expenditures of time, money and knowledge. Will this be achieved by the end of 2028, as announced by Colossal Biosciences? Only time will tell.
Continued here:
The reconstruction of hairy mammoth: a fresh step in genetics and biotechnology
