Advancements in Reviving Extinct Megafauna
Researchers at Colossal Biosciences are making significant progress in resurrecting a genetically modified iteration of the woolly mammoth, marking a notable step forward in scientific efforts to revive extinct giants.
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Scientists involved in a bold plan to genetically engineer a version of the woolly mammoth, the tusked ice age giant that disappeared 4,000 years ago, are making some progress.
The ultimate goal is to bring back a hybrid of an elephant and a mammoth that looks exactly like the original mammoth. This hybrid, if released in large numbers into its natural habitat, could help restore the delicate Arctic tundra ecosystem.
Harvard University geneticist George Church has been working on reviving extinct species for over ten years. In February 2021, Church teamed up with entrepreneur Ben Lamm to establish Colossal Biosciences in Dallas. This collaboration brought in funding and media attention, propelling their project forward.
Despite facing many difficult tasks, like creating an artificial womb for baby elephants, Colossal Biosciences announced a significant advancement on Wednesday.
A rendering of a dodo created by Colossal Biosciences. The US biotechnology and genetics company has entered into a partnership with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to find a suitable location for its hybrid bird.
Colossal Biosciences has designed a representation of a dodo bird. The US company, specializing in biotechnology and genetics, has teamed up with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to identify a fitting habitat for their hybrid bird project.
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Church and Eriona Hysolli from Colossal's biological sciences team have successfully reprogrammed cells from an Asian elephant, the mammoth's closest living relative, into an embryonic state. This marks the first time that stem cells have been derived from elephant cells. While the team is planning to publish their work in a scientific journal, the research has not yet undergone peer review.
These modified cells, referred to as induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs, have the potential to be further manipulated in the lab to develop into any type of elephant cell. This capability is crucial as researchers work on modeling, testing, and refining numerous genetic changes required to equip an Asian elephant with the necessary genetic traits to survive in the Arctic. These traits include a woolly coat, a layer of insulating fat, and smaller ears.
Geneticist Eriona Hysolli is head of biological sciences at Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences.
Geneticist Eriona Hysolli is head of biological sciences at Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences.
Hysolli, the lead scientist on the mammoth project, explained that the beauty of cells lies in their ability to renew indefinitely and transform into any cell type in the body.
Stem cells from Asian elephants will help conservation scientists study the animal's special biology more easily. These creatures are unusually resistant to cancer, although the reasons for this are not fully known. One challenge faced by the team was to prevent certain genes that are believed to contribute to this cancer resistance from being active.
Jean-Michel Claverie/IGS/CNRS-AM
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Resurrection biology, also known as de-extinction, is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. According to Oliver Ryder, director of conservation genetics at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the use of cellular research techniques developed by Colossal has provided a new way to potentially save the endangered elephant.
Producing iPSCs from elephants has been a long-standing goal. According to Ryder, who was not part of the study, this has been a challenging task. He believes that the potential impact on conservation lies in genetic rescue and assisted reproduction.
Studying naturally occurring elephant embryos is difficult for various reasons. Ryder points out that stem cells can provide a solution by allowing scientists to create model elephant embryos. This will provide valuable insights into the development of an elephant from embryo to fetus.
An Asian elephant stem cell line stained in different colors to highlight different elements.
An Asian elephant stem cell line stained in different colors to highlight different elements.
Courtesy Colossal
Engineering a woolly mammoth hybrid
The elephant stem cells are essential for bringing back the mammoth. By altering the genetic traits of the elephant's cells to match those of a mammoth, scientists can create eggs, sperm, and embryos that can be placed in an artificial womb. However, this process will require years of research and development.
Colossal has set a deadline of six years for this project. The team's initial plan is to use cloning techniques similar to those used in 1996 to create Dolly the sheep. This involves inserting genetically modified cells into a donor egg, which will then be carried by a surrogate elephant mother. Despite the longevity of this technology, success rates are inconsistent. Additionally, there are ethical concerns about using endangered animals as surrogates due to the potential for unsuccessful attempts.
Harvard University geneticist George Church is cofounder of Colossal Biosciences.
Harvard University geneticist George Church is cofounder of Colossal Biosciences.
Christopher P. Michel
According to Church, the first major milestone will be the creation of the first engineered elephant, which may align with Ben Lamm's prediction of within six years from 2021. The next exciting achievement would be developing an elephant that is highly resistant to cold. Lastly, the ultimate goal is to create a scalable method that does not require the use of surrogates, although this is still a distant unknown.
The team at Colossal has studied the DNA of 53 woolly mammoths found in fossils. By examining specimens from various locations and time periods, they have identified the specific genes that set mammoths apart.
Neanderthal man at the human evolution exhibit at the Natural History Museum on 27th April 2022 in London, United Kingdom. The museum exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology and zoology. The museum is a centre of research specialising in taxonomy, identification and conservation. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
Neanderthal man is featured at the human evolution exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London, United Kingdom on 27th April 2022. The museum showcases a wide variety of specimens from different aspects of natural history. It houses around 80 million items in five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology, and zoology. The museum is known for its research in taxonomy, identification, and conservation. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
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"We've made significant progress. The quality of Mammoth DNA is now comparable to that of elephants, and both are nearly on par with human DNA," Church stated.
Church and Hysolli didn't disclose the exact number of genetic modifications they plan to make to Asian elephant DNA in order to create a mammoth-like creature that can thrive in Arctic conditions. Additionally, the geneticists aim to develop a tuskless mammoth to protect the animals from poachers.
Church, a leading figure in the research on genetically engineering pigs for human organ transplants, has stated that it is feasible to make 69 edits in pigs simultaneously. He also mentioned that a comparable number of modifications would be required to make an Asian elephant cold-resistant.
The potential involvement of revived mammoths in this exciting field of genetic engineering is a topic worth exploring.
Colossal has always said that if mammoths were to come back to the northern grasslands in large numbers, they could help prevent permafrost from melting.
According to some scientists, before they went extinct, animals like mammoths, horses, and bison played a role in keeping the ground frozen by walking on the grass, knocking down trees, and packing down the snow.
A study in Siberia from 2020 found that having large mammals like horses, bison, yak, and reindeer in a protected area led to lower soil temperatures compared to the surrounding land. Some experts doubt that cold-adapted elephants could have a significant impact on a region warming rapidly.
Colossal has revealed plans to bring back the Tasmanian tiger in 2022 and the dodo in 2023, with their longest-running project being the mammoth.
Editor's P/S:
The ambitious project to revive the woolly mammoth is a testament to the advancements in genetic engineering. While the challenges are numerous, the potential benefits, such as restoring the Arctic tundra ecosystem, are significant. However, ethical concerns about using endangered animals as surrogates and the long timeline involved raise questions about the feasibility of such endeavors.
The success of Colossal Biosciences in reprogramming elephant cells into an embryonic state is a major milestone, but the ultimate goal of creating a cold-resistant mammoth hybrid remains a distant dream. The team's focus on developing a tuskless mammoth to prevent poaching is commendable, but it remains to be seen whether the genetic modifications necessary will have unintended consequences. northern grasslands, helping to prevent permafrost from melting. The project highlights the potential of genetic engineering to address environmental issues and restore lost species, while also raising important questions about the ethical implications of such advancements.
