The Creation of the Woolly Mouse and What It Means For the Future

 On March 5, 2025, CNN Health published an article about the development of mice that have several woolly mammoth traits. The article explains that in a study conducted by Colossal Biosciences, mice were genetically modified to have specific traits that differed between woolly mammoths and their closest living relative, the Asian elephant. The goal of this research is to, eventually, genetically modify Asian elephants into woolly mammoths and release them into their previously natural habitat. Traits relating to “hair length, thickness, texture, color, and body fat” were targeted. Eight genetic edits were made to the lab mice for seven different genes. One limitation of the study is that there is no evidence that the modified mice are cold-tolerant, which would be necessary for any modified elephant to live in the Arctic. More research will need to be done in order to translate the mice results to elephants. 

While the research conducted and ideas behind it are extremely interesting, I am not sure about the plausibility of returning woolly mammoths back into an environment they haven’t inhabited for thousands of years. I think there could be really disastrous consequences to introducing an essentially new species to an environment. The Colossal claims that the introduction of woolly mammoths would pack down the snow and slow the permafrost thaw and carbon release. Not to mention the ethical dilemma of breeding Asian elephants, which are endangered, in order to make genetic changes to form them into woolly mammoth-like animals. 

Woolly Mammoth Chromoglass DNA

Woolly Mammoth Chromoglass DNA

    Researchers have discovered that ancient DNA can enter a glass-like molecular state, called chromoglass. When DNA is in this state it becomes stable, slows degradation and lets the DNA withstand harsh conditions. The DNA enters this state when it goes through rapid drying due to exposure to the cold.

    A woolly mammoth from 52000 years ago was discovered to have chromoglass DNA which has led researchers to discover much more about the woolly mammoth. Researchers have discovered its chromosome organization and what genes were active before its death. This information was then used to the woolly mammoth and to modern elephant DNA. The researchers identified 425 genes active in mammoths and 395 unique to elephants. One gene called EGFR is the gene that regulates hair and skin growth which is what gives woolly mammoths their long fur.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/drying-woolly-mammoth-dna-3d-glass

https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)00642-1

Bringing Back the Woolly Mammoth?

 Scientists are studying ways and reasons they will create a giant de-extinction project that will bring back the Wooly Mammoth. It is important to preface that many people have mixed opinions about “playing with nature's course” Will the Wooly Mammoth experiment succeed and if it does will it be allowed into nature is another topic in question at the moment. As mentioned in the Colossal Laboratories & Biosciences article there are 5 core goals. 

1. Increase resilience of habitats to climate change and environmental upheaval.

2. Develop new tools and techniques that will contribute to the global effort to save modern elephants from extinction.

3. Understand the genetic basis traits of cold adaptation in animals.

4. Drive advancements in multiplex genome editing.

5. Demonstrate that it is possible to bring back an extinct megafauna species.

Scientists will carry out this process by comparing the DNA of current day elephants and well preserved Wooly Mammoth DNA. They will have to also take into consideration the specific genes that give the Wooly Mammoth the ability to perfectly adapt to cold temperatures. They must then create a cell line and test it multiple times in order to make sure the cells can reproduce properly. Once that is done they then must perform a nuclear transfusion and fertilization. The embryo will then be inserted into a surrogate which is currently the Asian elephant.

Sources:

Link 1: https://colossal.com/mammoth/

Link 2: https://reviverestore.org/projects/woolly-mammoth/why-bring-it-back/