Scientists have extracted RNA from a 39,000-year-old Ice Age woolly mammoth trapped in the Siberian permafrost
The oldest ever RNA has been found and extracted by scientists at the University of Stolkhom, thought to be from a 39,000-year-old Ice Age woolly mammoth trapped in the Siberian permafrost.
RNA, although just as essential to life as DNA, is much harder to preserve and obtain from long-dead animals. Needed to produce proteins in the body, it was thought to deteriorate within hours of death.
So far, attempts to revive mammoths have focused on finding and perfecting ancient DNA samples from frozen specimens.
However, DNA is only one part of the genetic picture necessary – where RNA is an active component making use of genetic information, DNA functions primarily as a gene database.
Researchers from Stockholm University led a project to sample 10 woolly mammoth specimens unearthed from the Siberian permafrost, with the goal of trying to extract RNA.
One specimen had such high quality RNA that the scientists were able to learn much more specific details about certain mechanisms and biological functions essential for skeletal muscle metabolism in the animals.
The mammal, referred to as Yuka, was a male that died shortly after being attacked and hunted by cave lions.
Until now, the oldest recovered RNA came from a 14,300-year-old wolf skin – making the RNA from Yuka more than twice as old.
The extraction of RNA will help scientists to understand which genes mammoths did and did not express, as well as other nuanced details that were previously unknown.
Dr Emilio Mármol Sánchez, lead author of the study, said their goal was "solely focused on obtaining a better understanding" of the biology of mammoths.
“Our methods and results could inform and help the efforts aimed at de-extincting certain renowned animals," said Dr Sanchez, adding that this will help to provide a "more comprehensive knowledge of the biology of such extinct species" that scientists are looking to revive.
“Information not only about which or where the genes are in the genome, and what mutations differ between those and their modern living relatives, but also how these genes were expressed, regulated and dynamically functioning.
“This is something that DNA alone cannot tell, and for which RNA is needed, at least if we can manage to obtain data of enough good quality.”
The breakthrough was published in Cell, the scientific journal. It is hoped by Dr Sanchez that it might also help those trying to learn more about other historical periods, including medieval research, or even modern but degraded RNA.
Co-author of the study, Prof Love Dalén, said although the RNA discovered would not be directly responsible for the bringing back woolly mammoths, the discovery surrounding this RNA lays the groundwork for future study.
