Scientists intend to recreate the thylacine, the Tasmanian marsupial wolf

Researchers plan to apply animal gene editing and sequencing technologies

Australian scientists, together with Colossal Biosciences, intend to revive the extinct Tasmanian marsupial wolf, the thylacine. The researchers plan to apply technologies for editing and sequencing the animal’s genes. According to scientists, they can get a marsupial wolf embryo in 10 years.

In 2007, scientists from the University of Melbourne identified (sequenced) all or almost the entire DNA sequence of the genome of the thylacine organism, isolating part of the DNA cells from the specimen stored in the museum.

In 2022, 50 scientists teamed up with Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company focused on wildlife and ecosystem conservation and genetic engineering to revive mammoths.

Colossal Biosciences plans to use CRISPR technology, which is based on cutting and editing DNA sequences, to create the genetic code. Scientists believe that this technology can be combined with their work on sequencing the thylacine genome.

Previously, Australian scientists were able to compile the complete genome of the marsupial wolf. Currently, using CRISPR technology, they want to implant sections of the genes of an extinct animal into the genome of the marsupial shrew as close as possible to the thylacine.

According to the scientist, for this they need to identify differences in the DNA of both animals and understand which genes should be replaced. At the next stage, scientists will change the gene and create new DNA, which they will introduce into the cell of the marsupial shrew.

“It is not very clear how the embryo itself will grow: in a test tube or in a surrogate mother. This still needs to be worked out. The animal will then need to somehow be fed and raised, and in what environment scientists plan to do this is still unknown, ”- leads RT edition commentary by paleontologist Yaroslav Popov.

In his opinion, the process of recreating the thylacine may be delayed and it is too early to talk about the birth of his cub.

“If Australian colleagues can raise a cub, they will become pioneers. However, they have been trying to clone mammoths for a long time, but so far scientists have not succeeded, ”Popov recalled.