Biologists in Texas have made significant progress in genetic engineering, aiming to bring back the extinct woolly mammoth. The team has successfully engineered mice with traits from the woolly mammoth, notably its long, wavy hair. This development is a step towards potentially resurrecting the mammoth by 2028 through gene editing.
Lei Li, Chair of the Illinois Tech Department of Biology, cautions that achieving this goal by 2028 might be "over-optimistic." Li explains that recreating a full woolly mammoth involves understanding and manipulating a vast number of genes responsible for various physical traits such as bones and muscle mass.
The scientists began their work by identifying specific genes that contributed to the mammoth's distinctive features. Using CRISPR, a gene-editing tool, they altered mouse stem cells to express these traits. After five rounds of experimentation, 38 mouse pups were born with woolly hair similar to that of a mammoth.
While creating a full-sized mammoth would require more extensive genetic modifications starting from an Asian elephant due to its close relation to the mammoth, this experiment with mice serves as proof of concept for future endeavors.
Despite the scientific excitement surrounding this achievement, there are concerns about de-extinction's ecological impact. Lei Li notes that reintroducing extinct species could disrupt existing ecosystems. "They may interrupt entire ecosystems," Li warns. He emphasizes that survival depends on more than just food and water; it requires suitable habitats and niches which may not exist for newly introduced species.