Latest news with #ColossalWoollyMouse
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Dire wolves are back: Colossal says woolly mammoth, dodo and Tasmanian tiger are next
After the birth of three pups has been called the "de-extinction" of a species not seen on Earth in more than 10,000 years, the company that made it possible has it sights set on resurrecting more extinct species. Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotech company focused on bringing back extinct species, used ancient dire wolf DNA to alter common gray wolf genes. This led to Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi, the three pups each carried by separate domestic dog surrogates and raised by humans. The company said it hopes to use what it's learned to keep the red "ghost" wolf from going extinct. In addition, the company is actively working toward using a similar process to bring back the woolly mammoth, dodo and Tasmanian tiger. Next on Colossal's radar is the woolly mammoth. In its quest to bring back the ancient beasts, the company bred what it calls the Colossal Woolly Mouse to have characteristics like long, thick hair and adaptations to the cold. The company plans to rewrite 85 genes from modern Asian elephant DNA in order to match ancient woolly mammoth DNA — the same process it used for the dire wolves. So far, Time Magazine reported, it has edited 25 of those genes. Embryos should be ready for implantation by the end of 2026, and with elephant's 22-month long gestation periods, the goal is for a calf to be born in 2028. Colossal hopes what it learns from the woolly mammoth could help it engineer better-adapted modern elephants. Also, according to its website, it hopes to revive the woolly mammoth's habitat in order to reverse the warming of the Earth and protect the Arctic's permafrost. Also on Colossal's de-extinction list are the dodo bird and the Tasmanian tiger. In the late 1500s, human settlers arrived on the East Africa island of Mauritius, the only place the dodo bird is known to have lived. Humans brought with them rats, goats, pigs, deer and macaque, all of which had a taste for dodo eggs. The mysterious, flightless birds laid no more than one egg per year, and their numbers began to dwindle. It's estimated the birds final date of extinction is around 1690. Colossal plans to partner with the Mauritius government, establishing a foundation for the de-extinction of the bird and bringing it back to its home island. Meanwhile, the thylacine, or "Tasmanian tiger," went extinct in 1936 when the last captive one died. The last wild thylacine was shot in 1930. Despite the name, the thylacine is not a tiger. It's not even a feline, it is a marsupial, meaning it carries its young inside a pouch. Like many of its counterparts, it once roamed Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea until around 2,000 years ago when it died off everywhere except the island of Tasmania. European settlers saw the carnivorous animal as a threat to livestock and bounties led to the animals being hunted to extinction. Colossal wants to reverse this mistake made by humans, and use what it learns to preserve Australia's surviving marsupials. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Dire wolves are back: Could woolly mammoth, dodo be 'resurrected' next?
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New Controversial Breed of 'Woolly Mice' Just Created by Scientists Has the Internet Buzzing
Science really is incredible! There are so many things we've yet to explore and see. Take the latest discovery by scientists at Colossal Biosciences in Dallas, Texas, who recently bred 'woolly mice.' How cool! Although not everyone is jazzed about the new breed of mice and it's since sparked a huge debate online. The mice might look harmless, but it's the reason why they were bred that has people talking. Apparently, the lab is hoping to use the mice as a catalyst to bring back the woolly mammoth — a species that went extinct nearly 4,000 years ago. Video shared by ABC News shows the mice playing around with each other. They really are woolly! We've never seen mice with such long calling the new breed the 'Colossal Woolly Mouse,' which seems so fitting! Look at them play together. It's almost impossible to believe they could bring back the Woolly Mammoth! Not everyone is happy about the finding, however. Some people online weren't impressed. 'Why are we reviving Woolly Mammoths?' wondered one incredulous commenter. 'We literally don't need Woolly Mammoths,' someone else agreed. 'I'll take four of the fluffy mice you can hold off on the mammoth,' another commenter joked. 'Just because we can doesn't mean we should,' argued one person. Although a few people were excited. 'They've been talking about this since I was in elementary school. Just make a hairy elephant already,' joked one commenter. 'Replies mad for no adorable and I want one,' added someone else. 'That is so cool OMG,' chimed in another person. 'Boring. let me know when they make Saber Tooth Mouses,' one person quipped. If this seems like something out of Jurassic Park, you aren't wrong! If the lab were able to bring back Woolly Mammoths it would quite the feat! According to CNN, the last Woolly Mammoths were alive 4,000 years ago on a remote island in the Arctic Ocean. By that point, most of the species had died off because of environmental factors caused by the ending of the ice age. The Woolly Mammoths that survived were ones that were able to outlast those factors, until they too succumbed to a changing environment. In the case of the remaining Mammoths, short-term events tainted their water and drained their food supply. It's unclear if Colossal Biosciences will be able to bring the Woolly Mammoth back. But if they do, it would be truly fascinating! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mammouse: Scientists Create Woolly Mice as Step in Reviving Woolly Mammoth
Scientists in Dallas, Texas, have created mice with long fur and increased cold tolerance in what they say is a step toward bringing back the woolly mammoth. Researchers at Colossal Biosciences modified seven genes in mice that showed a physical effect, all related to hair growth. Colossal Biosciences said the mice possess mammoth-like traits that would assist life in a cold climate, including coat color, texture, and thickness reminiscent of a woolly mammoth, a species that has been extinct for thousands of years. The next step, they say, is to modify an elephant. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Cofounder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences Ben Lamm said the company is aiming for de-extinction, which he claims could stop Arctic permafrost from melting and 'revive ecosystems that are suffering the effects of mass extinction.' 'The Colossal Woolly Mouse marks a watershed moment in our de-extinction mission,' Lamm said. 'This success brings us a step closer to our goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth.' Credit: Colossal Biosciences via Storyful
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal Creates the Colossal Woolly Mouse, Showcasing Breakthroughs in Multiplex Genome Editing and Trait Engineering on the Path to a Mammoth
The Colossal Woolly Mouse expresses multiple mammoth-identified traits relevant to cold adaptation and provides a platform for validation of genome engineering targets DALLAS, March 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In an extraordinary achievement of advanced multiplexed genome engineering, Colossal Biosciences announces the birth of the Colossal Woolly Mouse—mice engineered to express multiple key mammoth-like traits that provide adaptations to life in cold climates. By successfully modifying seven genes simultaneously, Colossal's team created mice with dramatically altered coat color, texture, and thickness reminiscent of the woolly mammoth's core phenotypes. This achievement demonstrates the feasibility of expressing traits using information learned from the computational analysis of 59 woolly, Columbian, and steppe mammoth genomes ranging from 3,500 to over 1,200,000 years old confirming these pathways as the crucial targets for mammoth de-extinction. "The Colossal Woolly Mouse marks a watershed moment in our de-extinction mission," said Ben Lamm, Co-Founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences. "By engineering multiple cold-tolerant traits from mammoth evolutionary pathways into a living model species, we've proven our ability to recreate complex genetic combinations that took nature millions of years to create. This success brings us a step closer to our goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth." Colossal's mammoth team explored a data set of 121 mammoth and elephant genomes, including Colossal-created high quality reference genomes for Asian and African elephants, to identify significant genes that impact hair and other cold-adaptation traits. The team focused on a suite of genes in which mammoths had evolved fixed differences compared to their closely related Asian elephant cousins. The Colossal scientists refined the list to include ten genes related to hair length, thickness, texture, and color as well as lipid metabolism that were compatible with expression in a mouse. The team then edited the mouse genome using a streamlined strategy that combined three editing technologies: RNP-mediated knockout, multiplex precision genome editing, and precision homology directed repair (HDR) and made eight edits simultaneously, some with editing efficiencies as high as 100%, to modify seven genes. The gene editing resulted in mice with the predicted traits from the team's computational analysis and design for specific phenotypic changes. Colossal woolly mice all have an edit that causes loss of function in the gene Fibroblast growth factor 5, or FGF5, which alters hair growth cycles, leading to hair that can grow as much as three times longer than wild type. Similarly, loss of function of FAM83G, FZD6, or TGM3 leads to Colossal woolly mice demonstrating hair phenotypes with a woolly hair texture, wavy coats, and curled whiskers through changes to hair follicle development and structure. The Colossal woolly mouse is a powerful system for testing hypotheses about the link between specific DNA sequences and physical traits. Mammoths have a nonfunctional version of the gene Transforming growth factor alpha, or TGFA, as well as a mutation of the keratin gene KRT27 that encodes a valine at position 191 rather than the usual methionine. Both genes are predicted to contribute to the woolly mammoth coat. Colossal woolly mice have been engineered with both a non-functional TGFA and a valine at position 191 of KRT27, just like the woolly mammoth, and display a wavy coat phenotype. Colossal woolly mice also express several engineered traits other than hair length and texture. To re-create the lighter coat colors observed in woolly mammoth mummies, Colossal woolly mice have a modified version of the gene MC1R, which regulates melanin production, that produces mice with golden hair rather than the black/agouti wild type coat color. Colossal woolly mice also express a truncated version of fatty acid binding protein 2, or FABP2, reflecting a similar change in mammoths. FABP2 is associated with lipid metabolism and fatty acid absorption. In mice, truncated versions of this gene that are similar to that which evolved in mammoths leads to changes in body weight. "The Colossal Woolly Mouse showcases our ability to use the latest genome editing tools and approaches to drive predictable phenotypes," said Dr. Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal. "It is an important step toward validating our approach to resurrecting traits that have been lost to extinction and that our goal is to restore." "I'm incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished here in the lab in such a short period of time," said Dr. Michael Abrams, who co-leads Colossal's Mammoth Team. "We've pushed the boundaries of genetic engineering by coordinating multiple complex trait modifications in living animals with exceptionally high efficiency. This achievement showcases both the technical expertise of our scientists and the power of our genetic engineering platform to deliver predictable phenotypes." The implications of this breakthrough extend beyond the laboratory. Not only is the Colossal Woolly Mouse the first living animal engineered to express multiple cold-adapted traits using mammoth gene orthologs, but it is also a living model for studying cold-climate adaptations in mammals. Additional future analyses of the Colossal Woolly mice will also improve our understanding of how multiple genes work together to manifest physical traits. "The Colossal Woolly Mouse demonstrates remarkable progress we've made in precise genome engineering, including optimized delivery methods, innovative multiplexing and combinations of gene targeting strategies." said George Church, Professor of Genetics at the Wyss Institute and Harvard Medical School and Co-founder of Colossal. "We are showing that we can now rationally design and construct complex genetic adaptations, with profound implications for the future of multi-gene de-extinction and engineering." Lamm and Actor and Producer Joe Manganiello will be conducting a keynote at SXSW on Sunday, March 9 at 2 pm CT to discuss the implications of the Woolly Mouse to Colossal's overall de-extinction efforts. ABOUT COLOSSAL Colossal was founded by emerging technology and software entrepreneur Ben Lamm and world-renowned geneticist and serial biotech entrepreneur George Church, Ph.D., and is the first to apply CRISPR technology for the purposes of species de-extinction. Colossal creates innovative technologies for species restoration, critically endangered species protection and the repopulation of critical ecosystems that support the continuation of life on Earth. Colossal is accepting humanity's duty to restore Earth to a healthier state, while also solving for the future economies and biological necessities of the human condition through cutting-edge science and technologies. To follow along, please visit: WEBSITE & SOCIALS Websites: Twitter: Instagram: LinkedIn: Facebook: Hashtag: #itiscolossal View source version on Contacts COLOSSAL PRESS CONTACTS: R&CPMK / Zeno / Colossal@ The 10 Group / colossal@ Thinkerbell / colossal@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
These Woolly Mice Bring The Mammoth's De-Extinction a Step Closer
After an intense study of the mammoth's genetic code, scientists have engineered 'woolly' mice with altered fur thickness, color, and texture to recreate the extinct elephant's adaptations to the cold. According to researchers at the US biotechnology and genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences, the mouse's creation is a key step towards the de-extinction of the woolly mammoth – not a revival of an extinct species, but the engineering of a woolly elephant that could thrive on the world's tundras. The controversial work has been described in a preprint article that awaits peer review. But the floof somewhat speaks for itself. "The Colossal Woolly Mouse marks a watershed moment in our de-extinction mission," says Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences. "By engineering multiple cold-tolerant traits from mammoth evolutionary pathways into a living model species, we've proven our ability to recreate complex genetic combinations that took nature millions of years to create. This success brings us a step closer to our goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth." An extinct species is a bit like Humpty Dumpty. There are a lot – a hell of a lot – of very small pieces, and working out where they go and what they do is no small task. But you can start small; like, mouse small. Led by geneticist Rui Chen of Colossal Biosciences, an international team of scientists made a painstaking study of several species of extinct mammoths and modern-day elephants. They analyzed 59 genomes from mammoths that lived anywhere between 3,500 and over 1,200,000 years ago, including woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius), steppe mammoths (Mammuthus trogontherii) and Columbian mammoths (Mammuthus columbi). They also studied the genome of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), for a total of 121 genomes. These analyses allowed the researchers to identify mammoth genes that were distinctly different from those of the Asian elephant. From there, they were able to home in on seven genes associated with the luxurious hair of the woolly mammoth, as well as other adaptations suited for colder environments such as fat retention and distribution for warmth. The team used three different gene editing techniques – RNP-mediated knockout, multiplex precision genome editing, and precision homology directed repair – to make eight simultaneous edits to these seven genes in mouse embryos, resulting in several marked changes from the parent mice. The engineered mice had hair that is up to three times longer than that of wild mice, in addition to being woollier and wavier, with a curl to their whiskers. Those coats are also lighter, like the coats of mammoths, appearing more golden in color, compared to the darker hued fur of wild mice. The hope, one day, is that similar genetic modification of Asian elephants – closely related to extinct mammoths – will restore mammoths to the world. That may in the end prove unattainable, but some argue the work is still worth doing. The lessons learnt along the way could be a powerful tool for saving other species that are facing extinction today. "In addition to the immense scientific challenge that still lies ahead for the Colossal team, the threats that caused the demise of the woolly mammoth have only worsened in recent years. Therefore, it is somewhat fanciful to believe that one day we will again have self-sustaining populations of mammoths roaming Siberia," says conservation biologist Damien Fordham of the University of Adelaide in Australia, who was not involved in the research. "Nevertheless, the technology could potentially rescue living species from extinction through engineering of their phenotypes. For example, it could be used to reestablish warm tolerant traits lost in dwindling populations of species who are at risk of extinction from human-driven climate change." Colossal has been working on a way to restore mammoths to Earth for some years in what they claim to be a bid to save our planet from the ongoing deleterious effects of human activity. "Never before has humanity been able to harness the power of this technology to rebuild ecosystems, heal our Earth, and preserve its future through the repopulation of extinct animals," Lamm explained in 2021. "In addition to bringing back ancient extinct species like the woolly mammoth, we will be able to leverage our technologies to help preserve critically endangered species that are on the verge of extinction and restore animals where humankind had a hand in their demise." So let's sit back, and appreciate the glorious floof and the hope it represents. New Evidence Reveals Evolution Itself May Actually Be Evolving Study Reveals How Earth's Orbit Triggers Ice Ages, And There's One in The Next 11,000 Years First-Ever Detailed Footage Shows Polar Bear Cubs Emerging From Dens
