Tasmanian Tigers used to be widespread across Australia but then fell extinct when the very last tiger died in 1936 at Hobart Zoo, Tasmania.
The very first step in de-extincting a species is to sequence the species's DNA. Researchers in Australia used a sample that had been dropped in alcohol to preserve its DNA. While the DNA was very well preserved it was not perfect because UV light and bacteria slowly break down the DNA into smaller fragments. This is partially why scientists are not able to bring back dinosaurs. The smaller bits of DNA, create a puzzle scientists are forced to solve. They must find the exact way all of the pieces fit together. Scientists are able to complete this value by using a species similar to the Tasmanian Tiger. In this case, the Dunnart, a small marsupial was used to find the similarities of the tiger's genome.
Once a blueprint is created, scientists used CRISPR-Cas 9. This genome-editing tool was used to edit changes on the genome of the Dunnart to create a similar genome to the Tasmanian Tiger. Target DNA is found in the Dunnart cell and the Cas9 (enzyme of CRISPR) binds to the target and cuts. Consequently, turning that gene off. Once the cell is edited, scientists turn it into a developing embryo that is then implanted into a living relative's womb.
It is not just the Tasmanian Tiger that is able to be brought back from extinction, scientists are even trying to bring back wooly mammoths. Researchers were able to uncover well preserved wooly mammoth DNA in the Arctic Tundra, making their extinction not seem too out of reach. The de-extinction of animals represents a new frontier in science, creating the possibility to reverse the effects of extinction and restore biodiversity.
Works Cited:
Fox-Skelly, Jasmin. How extinct animals could be brought back from the dead. 24 Jan. 2023, www.bbc.com/future/article/20230113-how-extinct-animals-could-be-brought-back-from-the-dead.
"Questions and Answers about CRISPR.” @Broadinstitute, 17 Dec. 2014, www.broadinstitute.org/what-broad/areas-focus/project-spotlight/questions-and-answers-about-crispr.
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