ScienceDaily (May 20, 2008) — "Researchers from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and the University of Texas, USA, have extracted genes from the extinct Tasmanian tiger (thylacine), inserted it into a mouse and observed a biological function -- this is a world first for the use of the DNA of an extinct species to induce a functional response in another living organism."
Scientists inserted a Col2a1 gene from a Tasmanian Tiger into a mouse genome and let it develop. They found that the gene played a similar role as the original, helping to form cartliage that would later become bone. Until this discovery Scientists could only sequence extinct genes, now they can see what they do in whole organisms.
Scientists said that this may be a way for extinct populations to continue to contribute to genetic diversity, and the method could be used to increase genetic diversity of low diversity endangered organsism.
From extinction to gene expression. Functional analysis of the thylacine non-coding DNA fragment. (a) Diagram of transgene construct. 4 copies of a 264-bp fragment containing the Thylacine Col2a1 enhancer (TcyCol2a1) region was ligated to the human b-globin minimal promoter (black box) and ligated to lacZpA. (b--e) X-gal stained 14.5 dpc TcyCol2a1-lacZpA transgenic mouse embryo showing varying levels of reporter gene expression within the developing cartilage (blue). (f) Non-transgenic littermate, negative control fetus. (g) Top panel; Magnified image of forelimb from fetus in (b) black line indicates the plane of section shown in (g) bottom panel. Bottom panel; Histological section of transgenic forelimb digit, showing lacZ-expressing chondrogenic tissue (blue) counterstained with eosin (pink). (Credit: Pask AJ, Behringer RR, Renfree MB, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002240.g003)
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080520090547.htm
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