Resurrection of mammoths is at hand

Scientists are sure that the opportunity to revive curly-haired mammoths has disappeared from the Earth's surface 4,000 years ago, through an ambitious project in the field of genetic engineering.

Speaking to the American Association of Science Advancement Progress (AAAS) annual conference held in Boston last week, the project team leader eradicated extinction in mammoths, said Professor George Church. Harvard University (USA) expert, because he is leading the way to create the mammoth bill about 2 years.

In fact, this embryo exists in the form of hybrid embryos, by programming mammoth characteristics into Asian elephants. This creature, with some so-called "mammophant" , is expected to look like an Asian elephant, but there will be features like small ears, thick subcutaneous fat, long, rough hairs and blood. blood is suitable for the cold. The gene group expressing these traits will be inserted into elephant DNA thanks to the powerful gene editing tool Crispr.

Mammoths are facing an opportunity to revive in the form of Asian elephants.(PHOTO: AFP).

Until now, the team of experts is about to move to the step of creating embryos."We are working on measures to assess the impact of the entire genetic modification process, and are basically trying to establish embryo development (simply making embryos) in the laboratory." , according to The Guardian newspaper quoted Professor Church. Since the launch of the project in 2015, researchers have increased the number of "cut-and-paste" patches in the DNA strands of each other in the elephant's gene sequence, from 15 to 45 points.

"We know the points needed to create miniature ears, thick fat under the skin, hair and blood , " Church pointed out, suggesting that these changes could help preserve Asian elephants, which are already listed as endangered. However, others highlight moral concerns for this project.

Matthew Cobb, professor of zoology at the University of Manchester, said that he needs to look at the problem thoroughly, because mammoths and many other species are not just a combination of genes, and they are herds animals, like modern Asian elephants."What will happen to a hybrid elephant? How will other elephants treat it?" , Professor Cobb asked questions.

In this regard, Professor Church said he was drafting plans to raise large animals within the artificial womb, rather than implanting them into female elephants like a pregnant woman. Now his lab has been able to feed mouse embryos in artificial uterus for 10 days, halfway through the pregnancy in this species."We are testing mouse growth outside the body , " Professor Church expects.

The curly-haired mammoth has set footprints throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and North America during the last Ice Age, and disappeared about 4,000 years ago, possibly due to gas change. post-influence their habitat and ultimately be exterminated by humans. Their closest relative is the Asian elephant , which is also the object to be grafted in hopes of reviving the Earth's legendary creature once.