Extinction might be permanent, but salvation could be close at hand. The biotechnology firm Colossal Biosciences is working on using genetic engineering to create creatures that look like long-gone species such as the woolly mammoth.
Mammoths with their shaggy coats, which vanished around 4,000 years ago, used to wander across the frosty terrains of Europe, Asia, and North America. In 2021, Colossal unveiled an ambitious initiative aimed at bringing back both the woolly mammoth and the dodo bird from extinction. Following this announcement, the organization shifted focus towards pinpointing crucial characteristics of these extinct species through examination of old genetic material. According to Ben Lamm, who leads the firm as CEO, they aim to integrate those identified features via genetic modification into contemporary organisms.
This method has received varied feedback from scientists, with some doubting its possible advantages for conservation initiatives.
"You're not truly reviving anything; you're not restoring the ancient past," stated Christopher Preston, an environmental and wildlife specialist from the University of Montana, who was uninvolved with the study.
On Tuesday, Colossal revealed that their researchers successfully edited seven genes at once. mice Embryos were used to develop mice possessing long, dense, woolly fur. These enhanced rodents were playfully referred to as the "Colossal woolly mouse."
The findings were uploaded online; however, they haven't been published in a scholarly journal nor reviewed by fellow researchers independently.
"The achievement 'is really quite impressive from a technological standpoint,'” noted Vincent Lynch, a biologist at the University of Buffalo, who did not participate in this study.
Scientists have been modifying mice at a genetic level since the 1970s, however, recent technologies such as CRISPR “render it much more efficient and simpler,” stated Lynch.
The team at Colossal examined DNA databases containing information about mouse genes with the aim of pinpointing those associated with hair texture and fat metabolism. According to Beth Shapiro, who leads scientific efforts for Colossal, "These genetic variants already occur naturally within certain populations of living mice." However, she added, "We combine all these elements into one mouse."
They selected the two traits since these mutations probably relate to cold tolerance — an attribute that woolly mammoths needed for survival in their prehistoric environment. Arctic steppe.
Colossal mentioned that they concentrated on mice initially to verify if the procedure is effective before possibly progressing to modify the embryos of other species. Asian Elephants, which are the nearest modern cousins to woolly mammoths.
However, due to Asian elephants being an endangered species, numerous procedures and bureaucratic hurdles must be navigated before any plans can proceed, noted Lamm from Colossus, whose firm has secured more than $400 million in financing.
Independent specialists doubt the concept of "de-extinction."
"You could potentially modify the fur of an Asian elephant or adjust it for colder climates, but this wouldn’t recreate a woolly mammoth; instead, you'd just be transforming an Asian elephant," stated Preston from the University of Montana.
Nevertheless, the enhancement of precise gene editing in animals might serve other purposes for conservation efforts or agricultural practices involving livestock, according to Bhanu Telugu, an expert in animal biotechnology from the University of Missouri who did not participate in this recent study.
Telugu expressed his admiration for Colossal's technological advancements that allowed scientists to identify precisely which genes to target.
This method could potentially be used to combat illnesses in humans someday, according to Lamm. Up until now, the firm has launched two healthcare enterprises.
“This is one way we generate revenue for our company,” explained Lamm.
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