Identifying Species through Swabbing eDNA

A study was done by swabbing two dozen leaves in a tropical forest in Uganda, and it turned out to result in identifying 52 animals in that area. The swab picked up DNA from the environment shed from 52 animals. DNA is not just found inside a cell, it is found all over. So by analyzing environmental DNA, or eDNA, the species can be revealed. Another study was done at the University of Greifswald in Germany with flies. The eDNA is picked up from flies that contains DNA from dead animals and feces. This study was done with another biologist who collected eDNA from the air. Both of the results were compared. The eDNA resulted in many birds and mammals that were known to live in the park. Another researcher has been working on the same type of study and mentioned that he had bird species found in the eDNA that he hadn’t seen before. Sampling eDNA is crucial especially with biodiversity declining and seeing many more species becoming extinct. 

These studies are the answer to a new way to monitor biodiversity in any ecosystem. More than 99% of all species that have lived on Earth have gone extinct. The number of species will degrade as time goes on due to the human population. If scientists can use this information and use this type of study on a larger scale, there can be new results and findings on any species in any area. And with these results, scientists and researchers can find a way to act accordingly and help species and the ecosystem as a whole. The tools required for this study are definitely more convenient since they are only swabs compared to other devices which is another good reason why this is a more approachable technique.

Sources:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/summer-2022/articles/how-scientists-use-edna-to-monitor-biodiversity#:~:text=Water—like%20soil%2C%20air%2C,an%20ecosystem%20and%20its%20species.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/environmental-dna-leaf-swab-technique-biodiversity

Artist Creates 3-D Faces from DNA Left in Public

3-D faces created from DNA samples found in public. 

                A New York Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg picks up things people leave in public, extracts their DNA from it and creates a 3-D face that looks like the DNA owner. This project is called “Stranger Visions”, where portrait sculptures are completed from the bits of genetic material that are collected in public. Heather got the idea for this project from the appeal of a single hair; it was then turned into a research project to discover as much as she could from someone by an artifact they left behind.

                The process begins with finding a sample in a public place. These samples could be a strand of hair, a chewed piece of gum, and even a cigarette butt; it has to be something that contains cells from a person’s body.  Heather then takes this sample to a community biotechnology, called Genspace. At this lab a standard DNA extraction protocol is used to mine the DNA, purify it, and use it in polymerase chain reactions. After the sequencing information is obtained, the traits form the individual’s DNA and deposits it into a computer program that generates a 3-D model of a face. This process takes about 8 hours to print one of the faces in NYU’s Advanced Media Studio. The print looks like a block of powder; the face is then dug out, baked, and hardened with a superglue-like structure.

                

                There are limitations behind these masterpieces. These faces are not exact replicas of the strangers DNA that has been found. Heather insists that it is more of a family resemblance. Also, the age of the DNA’s unknown donor cannot be determined from the DNA samples. This project was started from Dewey-Hagborg’s own DNA self-portrait two years ago. People have had different opinions of how the DNA is found for these portraits; some people feel that this is unethical. People feel that you should not be able to just take some ones DNA from things just because it is in public. They feel that their privacy is being taken advantage of. This art project is the connection between art, technology, and science. 

               I found this absolutely amazing. If is extraordinary that just from a piece of gum or strand of hair someone can make a 3-D image of what you would look like. In a way I do find it to be a little creepy. It makes you think twice what you will spit out or leave behind. The persons DNA that you are using did not give you permission to use it, though it is left in a public place. I feel that this could cause a lot of controversy with people. But, in all I think this is brilliant and I would love to have it done to me, with my permission.   

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/04/tech/innovation/dna-face-sculptures/index.html?iref=allsearch

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/artist-creates-3d-models-faces-discarded-dna-article-1.1384149