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

Freeze-Dried Woolly Mammoth DNA Reveals Ancient Genetic Secrets

Recently, a team of geneticist researchers discovered that freeze-drying a specimen turns its genetic material into a glassy 3D structure called "chromoglass." More specifically, the team gained samples from a woolly mammoth from 52,000 years ago in Siberia that was freeze-dried and preserved in permafrost. The discovery was made using a method called "Hi-C", which allows researchers to closely examine the 3D structure of ancient mammoth's DNA. On top of seeing the DNA's chromoglass structure, the team was also able to unveil other remarkable findings in the DNA, such as genes that were turned on and off before death. Knowing data like this allows researchers to further understand how the woolly mammoth functioned.

This advancement opens new possibilities for genetic research on a molecular level. Using the chromoglass structure, the research team was able to uncover that the woolly mammoth had 28 pairs of chromosomes, which is very similar to modern elephants. There were also specific genes found in the mammoth's DNA like Egfr, which is known for regulation of skin and hair growth. When this gene is turned off it is linked to excessive hair growth. In the woolly mammoth, the gene was found to be turned off, while in elephants the gene is activated. This is likely a sign of adaptation where when the long fur of the woolly mammoth was no longer required due to the environmental conditions of the ice age, the gene likely activated leading to what we see in modern elephants.

As a whole using the Hi-C technique after freeze-drying a specimen to obtain a well-preserved chromoglass is likely a revolution in how geneticists will approach studying ancient DNA. Since using this technique allows for a deeper examination of the genes and DNA of ancient species, it is only a matter of time before the technique becomes common practice on all ancient species, not just woolly mammoths.

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

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22652625/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/1956