RNA Successfully Extracted from Preserved Tasmanian Tiger Specimen

• 23 Sep 2023

In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers have achieved the extraction of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) from a preserved specimen of an extinct Tasmanian tiger, marking the first-ever recovery of RNA from an extinct species.

Key Points

• RNA Extraction Milestone: The specimen, preserved since 1891 in a Stockholm Museum, has significant implications for efforts to recreate extinct species and understand the causes of past pandemics.
• The Tasmanian Tiger: Also known as the thylacine, the Tasmanian tiger was a carnivorous marsupial resembling a dog in size.
• It once inhabited the Australian continent and nearby islands as an apex predator, preying on kangaroos and other species. However, due to human activities, the species became extinct.
• Insights into Thylacine Biology: RNA sequencing from the preserved specimen provides insights into the biological and metabolic processes that occurred within the Tasmanian tigers before their extinction, shedding light on their physiology and genetics.
• Thylacine's Extinction: The arrival of European colonizers in the 18th century led to significant population declines among the Tasmanian tigers, which were concentrated on the island of Tasmania.
• The last-known Tasmanian tiger perished in a Tasmanian zoo in 1936.