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Bits of Tassie Tiger Brought Back from Extinction

Posted by timothy on from the not-much-to-look-at-yet dept.

zerobeat writes "Scientists from Melbourne, Australia have managed to resurrect the gene responsible for the development of cartilage and bone from the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger. The gene was expressed in a mouse embryo so the full reincarnation of a full Tassie Tiger is a long way off. You can listen to an MP3 of ABC Australia's Robyn Williams discussing the results with the lead scientists. This is the first time DNA from an extinct species has been made to live again in a live animal."

7 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Brings to mind Jurassic Park by CRCulver · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park , the dinosaur DNA extracted from the stomachs of mosquitos trapped in amber is incomplete as well, but by combining it with the DNA of modern reptiles, a decent simalcrum of a dinosaur could be had. Does this Tasmanian tiger development vindicate (at least the less out there elements of) Crichton's plot?

    1. Re:Brings to mind Jurassic Park by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It should be noted as well, that when it was apparent the Tasmanian Tiger would become extinct, they started to preserve the remains in alcohol rather than formaldehyde. Alcohol does not damage DNA the way formaldehyde does.

  2. Eeek! by dreamchaser · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I for one do NOT welcome our new tasmanian mouse overlords.

    On a more serious note, it would be fascinating if they could bring back a few recently extinct species. DNA degrades quite a bit over time though, so any hopes of a real life 'Jurassic Park' are probably going to remain science fiction forever.

  3. Re:Why? by penguin_dance · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, it would depend on WHY the species dwindled down to ~100. Was it because of natural selection or because man hunted them down to extinction. The latter was certainly the case with the American Bison and with the ongoing of whaling. And there is a case that, in a large part, man caused the Thylacine demise.

    You might be able to use distant relatives to eventually create some sort of Thylacine cross. However the Thylacine is not related to either tigers or wolves though it went by the name Tasmanian Tiger or Wolf--it is closer in relation to the Tasmanian Devil. I can't think of why you want to rekindle another, LARGER carnivorous creature with a nasty temper.

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  4. Re:Why are we even defending large predators? by ChrisMaple · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Because its time for a little bit of thinning of the heard.
    Politicians, actors, newscasters and talk show hosts are the most heard. Splendid idea.
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  5. I want a quagga by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 2, Interesting

    When they get around to recreating recently extinct species I think a particularly good candidate is the Quagga. (And I'd love to have some breeding stock for it.)

    One thing that the wikipedia article doesn't mention: Zebras are essentially a striped donkey, but they (and their hybrids) are generally vicious and impossible to break and train. The Quagga was an exception: It domesticated very nicely.

    Others that would be fun to bring back:
      - Dodo.
      - Passenger Pigeon. (If only for the humor of having the eastern states paved in pigeon droppings twice a year as the sky-obscuring migration goes through.)
    Both were apparently very tasty.

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  6. Re:Why? by Xtifr · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So then if we bring them back, is that natural selection too?