Monday, May 1, 2017

Dinosaur Proteins Can Teach Us A lot

As we all know, scientist can pull DNA from bones- just the older the bona and the DNA get, the more unstable it becomes. But, recent studies have shown that researcher were able to confirm that it is possible to still pull DNA from 80-million-year-old. In hopes this is successful, this could give researchers a better understanding of evolution and environmental changes. Researcher also think if they can pull DNA from these bones, now drug discoveries could be made and more information on extraterrestrial life can be discovered. Mary Schweitzer, PhD, and her team have shown it is possible to remove DNA. With the help of removing this DNA, she plans on focusing on accents proteins, and learning different ways to get more information with out damaging what they are studying as much.  She would also like to study the origin of proteins and how they have changed- as she believes DNA only changes when proteins change. I think extracting DNA from million year old organisms is a gateway to many ideas and opportunities in genetics. We still have so much to discover about DNA and if we can learn from aged organisms and related the changes between DNA, it would give great intel on evolution and how organism have changed and adapted.

2 comments:

  1. If this DNA remains in tact, the dinosaur's genes could help make major discoveries about these amazing creatures, their evolution, and uses for new medical treatments from gene combinations that may not be around on today's earth. You are right as well that there is so much still to learn through genes and DNA that these dinosaur discoveries could hold very important knowledge.

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  2. I can't wait to see how this goes. Extinct animals and the history of life are my favorite scientific interests, I would love to understand even a part of their DNA or the proteins in their bodies.

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