First step to the resurrection of Tasmanian tiger.

The DNA of the extinct Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus ) has been resurrected in a mouse.

Tasmanian tiger Thylacinus cynocephalus is an extinct species. Last animal died at 1936 in one of the Tasmanian Zoo (Tasmania is a bg island,it  belongs to Australia). A. Pask from University of Australia and his American colleagues prepated a DNA from the 100 years old alcohol-preserved Tasmanian tiger from Museum Victoria in Melbourne.

Biologists managed to create gene-modified mice with the Tasmanian tiger gene called Col2a1 , which regulates the development of cartilage and bone. This extinct gene works even in mouse. This is the first time DNA from an extinct animal has been shown to have a  function in another animal.

However, it is so early to think about resurrection of whole animal, it is just one gene for now.

Reference:

1) Tasmanian tiger gene lives again. Functioning gene of extinct animal gives hope for studying long-lost species. Published online 20 May 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.841

 http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080520/full/news.2008.841.html

2) Original research is published at PLOS

Resurrection of DNA Function In Vivo from an Extinct Genome

Andrew J. Pask1,2, Richard R. Behringer1*, Marilyn B. Renfree2

1 Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America2 Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

PLoS ONE | www.plosone.org 1 May 2008 | Volume 3 | Issue 5 | e2240