![]() The potential of manipulating genes and their blueprints included curing debilitating diseases and perhaps even enhancing performance. ![]() But then the result would be a hybrid.Īside from Professor Shapiro’s team, there are other groups who are researching different approaches to producing a 100% dodo clone.Back in the days of Watson and Crick when DNA was first discovered, many believed their work would lead to incredible advances. One of the suggestions is to edit the DNA of a Nicobar pigeon, a dodo’s close relative, in order to add a dodo’s DNA. “The way we can do this is to clone it, the same approach that was used to create Dolly the Sheep, but we don’t know how to do that with birds because of the intricacies of their reproductive pathways.” “If I have a cell and it’s living in a dish in the lab and I edit it so that it has a bit of Dodo DNA, how do I then transform that cell into a whole living, breathing, actual animal?” said Shapiro. Yet it poses another challenge for the team. “We got a tiny little bit of DNA… but that particular sample didn’t have sufficiently well-preserved DNA.”īut now that they have fully sequenced a dodo’s genome, the next step is to try to bring the bird back to life. “I tried for a long time to get DNA from a specimen that’s in Oxford,” said Professor Shapiro. Well-Preserved DNA Specimen in Denmark Led to Dodo’s Successful Genome Sequencingīeth Shapiro, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California Santa Cruz, and her team finally succeeded in fully sequencing a dodo’s genome after obtaining a DNA sample from a well-preserved specimen in Denmark. Today, what remains of the dodo are skeletons and fossilized body parts, which are displayed at museums in Mauritius, the United States, and different parts of Europe. Habitat loss and food scarcity also contributed to the dodos’ disappearance after their forest homes were converted into farmlands and plantations. they were hunted to extinction by the animals that people had brought to the island, like cats, dogs, and monkeys. Photo: YouTube/GrungeĮighty years after their discovery, the dodos were gone. This was because, after living undisturbed for centuries, these birds showed no fear of humans, making them easy prey. When Portuguese sailors discovered them in the 16th century, they named these birds “doudou,” which means simpleton. These large birds stood at 3 feet, weighed more than 20 kilos, and were adorned with brownish and grayish plumage. Humans and Their Domestic Animals Caused the Extinction of Dodos in 17th centuryĭodos once inhabited the island of Mauritius. What is most important is that de-extinction is now within the reach of science, thanks to genome sequencing.Īnd with the recent full sequencing of a dodo’s genome, this extinct bird may be the first benefactor of this breakthrough. ![]() Of course, real-life scientists are careful about which species should be brought back to live on earth again. ![]() Although most of us agree that dinosaurs may not be the safest animals to start with. The blockbuster Jurassic movie series is proof of people’s fascination with de-extinction. ![]() Who would not be excited to see an extinct animal brought back to existence? ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |