For the first time, scientists have pieced together the complete set of genes - the genome - of the long-extinct woolly mammoth. New information may help explain why the last population of great beasts disappeared.
The team developed the genetic makeup of the two mammoths. One lived on Wrangel Island, off the coast of Siberia, Russia. Another lived much earlier on mainland Siberia. The Wrangel Island mammoths are especially interesting because they were among the last surviving representatives of their species. They became extinct just 4,000 years ago, about 6,000 years after their relatives disappeared from mainland Siberia. Finding out genetic diversity The team wanted to find out whether the Wrangel Island mammoths had less genetic diversity—fewer available genes—than their mainland Siberian ancestors. Genes are made up of DNA molecules. A molecule is a simple chemical substance made up of a group of atoms bonded together. DNA can be thought of as the set of instructions that make each species and each individual what they are. For example, DNA is what causes birds to develop wings or what causes someone to have red hair. The more diverse the DNA of a given animal population, the more likely the population is to survive. Genetic diversity allows a population to adapt to environmental changes. The team suggested that the genetic diversity of the mammoth population on Wrangel Island has likely decreased over time. If this were the case, they suspected that the lack of diversity contributed to the animals' extinction. DNA analysis of two mammoths To test their theory, the team first had to find pieces of a woolly mammoth that were well enough preserved to be studied. They ultimately chose two samples: soft tissue from a young male who lived in northeastern Siberia about 44,800 years ago, and a large tooth from a male mammoth from Wrangel Island, who lived about 4,300 years ago.
The team's results also suggest that there have been two major population declines throughout mammoth history. One of them probably occurred between 250,000 and 300,000 years ago. The other most likely occurred about 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. The research could help scientists understand why species are going extinct and whether genetic factors are involved, Palkopoulou said. In general, scientists believe that decreasing genetic diversity reduces a population's chances of survival. “Your genome is your toolkit for getting out of trouble,” said biologist Lan Barnes. For a species, having a variety of different tools is a big advantage,” Barnes explained. “Some individuals will die when the environment changes or disease appears, but there will probably be others that will be resilient and pass on those genes.” moving on to the next generation. If you don't have diversity, it's a challenge."
Bot can you make it smaller with 2 qoutes
"The Wrangel Island mammoths are especially interesting because they were among the last surviving representatives of their species. They became extinct just 4,000 years ago, about 6,000 years after their relatives disappeared from mainland Siberia." - Scientists studying the genetic makeup of the woolly mammoth hope to understand why the last population of these giant creatures vanished.
"In general, scientists believe that decreasing genetic diversity reduces a population's chances of survival. For a species, having a variety of different tools is a big advantage. Some individuals will die when the environment changes or disease appears, but there will probably be others that will be resilient and pass on those genes." - Understanding genetic factors that contribute to extinction can help scientists comprehend why species are disappearing and the role genetics plays in their survival.