3D genome extracted from ‘freeze-dried’ woolly mammoth

Scientists have reconstructed the 3D genome of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth from exceptionally well-preserved skin found in Siberia. The sample’s DNA was “freeze-dried” due to extreme cold, preserving its chromosomal structure. This breakthrough allows researchers to study extinct species’ genetics in unprecedented detail, revealing that mammoths had 28 chromosome pairs like modern elephants. The study also identified genes potentially responsible for mammoth-specific traits. This discovery could aid de-extinction efforts and open new possibilities in paleogenetics research. AFP