#gene sequencing

The Tasmanian Tiger: Also known as the Tasmanian wolf or thylacine.  

Before I get into these amazing animals' details let me talk about my personal discovery of this carnivorous marsupial. I was actually looking up cryptids on the world wide web as a teen when I came across a video of this creature.  For those that do not know a cryptid is “an animal (such as Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster) that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist” [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptid]. This video allegedly shown the last male thylacine, Benjamin, in captivity. He died September 7, 1936. I will provide a link to a similar combination of the footage that I came across [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gt0X-27GXM]. The fact that is living thing was so unusual that it gained the label of cryptid but still had tangible proof that it did in fact exist sparked a healthy interest in these beings.  

The Tasmanian tiger is “largest carnivorous marsupial of recent times, presumed extinct soon after the last captive individual died in 1936” in the private zoo in Hobert. “The thylacine was 100 to 130 cm (39 to 51 inches) long, including its 50- to 65-cm (20- to 26-inch) tail. Weight ranged from 15 to 30 kg (33 to 66 pounds), but about 25 kg (about 55 pounds) was average. The fur was yellowish brown, with 13 to 19 dark bars on the back and rump. The hind legs were longer than the forelegs, and the tail was very thick at the base, tapering evenly to a point. The skull was remarkably similar to that of a dog but had characteristics diagnostic of a marsupial. Other differences include a smaller braincase and jaws with an enormous, almost 90-degree gape. In a shallow pouch that opened rearward, the female carried two to four young at a time.” [https://www.britannica.com/animal/thylacine].  The male also had a partial pouch interestingly enough and the impressive beast had 46 teeth in its snout. [https://australian.museum/learn/australia-over-time/extinct-animals/the-thylacine/].

They were said to be mostly “nocturnal or simi-nocturnal" because they were active during the day as well. “The animal moved at a slow pace, generally stiff in its movements. The Thylacine hunted singly or in pairs and mainly at night”.  The animal “preferred kangaroos and other marsupials, small rodents and birds. They were reported to have preyed on sheep and poultry after European colonization, although the extent of this was almost certainly exaggerated”. This exaggeration may have led to the animal's persecution and its eventual demise. This along with the interdiction of the dog and competition with the native dingo [https://australian.museum/learn/australia-over-time/extinct-animals/the-thylacine/].

“During the late 1990s and early 2000s, DNA sequencing technologies made significant advancements. In 2009 an international team of geneticists announced that they had successfully sequenced the genome (that is, the complete set of DNA) of the thylacine. This development spawned discussions about the possibility of cloning the thylacine, possibly through the process of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). SCNT involves the transplanting of the nucleus of a somatic (body) cell from a thylacine into the cytoplasm of a donor egg—perhaps from the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) or the native cat (Dasyurus)—whose nucleus has been removed” [https://www.britannica.com/animal/thylacine]. This poses the question on whether or not this as well as other endangered or extinct species have a chance to be brought back.  

This odd marsupial inspired curiosity and interest in endangered, extinct, as well as cryptic creatures. I have hope for this animals' continued existence fueled by countless sightings documented throughout the internet. This magnificent being may give hope to those animals that have been labeled as long gone as well as the more mythical beings. They may be out there surviving on the fringes avoiding humanity.

Sources:  

ttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gt0X-27GXM

https://australian.museum/learn/australia-over-time/extinct-animals/the-thylacine/

TomaTech, Ltd., announces a major advancement in the fight against the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV), which has caused significant economic damage estimated as much as billions of USD in the last few years globally. Lead by Assaf Eybishitz PhD, the company furthered the fight against this pandemic of the tomato world by filing for a provisional patent for identifying the DNA markers…

Sequencing of green alga genome provides blueprint to advance clean energy, bioproducts

Plant biologists have sequenced the genome of a particularly promising species of green alga, providing a blueprint for new discoveries in producing sustainable biofuels, antioxidants, and other valuable bioproducts.                                

The researchers targeted Chromochloris zofingiensis, a single-celled green alga that has drawn commercial interest as one of the highest producers of the best lipids for biofuel production.

The team of scientists, led by researchers at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) in collaboration with the University of California, Los Angeles, recently published their work in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The work was conceived of and developed at Berkeley Lab by Krishna Niyogi, faculty scientist and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

"This genome will be an important resource to develop renewable and sustainable microalgal biofuels to facilitate clean energy and a cleaner environment," said study lead author Melissa Roth, a postdoctoral researcher in Niyogi's lab. "Algae absorb carbon dioxide and are intrinsically solar-powered by photosynthesis, but C. zofingiensis has an added benefit in that it can be cultivated on non-arable land and in wastewater."

The Journey of Cellular Development Shortly after conception, a fertilized egg embarks on a remarkable journey of division, first becoming two cells. Each of those cells continues to split, leading to a total of four, and this process continues exponentially. Over time, these lineage branches of cells differentiate, eventually giving rise to the multitude of organs and tissues that make up the…

An international team of scientists led by University College London announced Friday that they had successfully sequenced the genomes of two species of hornet, the European hornet (Vespa crabro) and yellow-legged or Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) as part of a larger project on invasive wasps and their ability to adapt to new habitats.

They compared these genomes to that of the giant northern hornet (Vespa mandarinia), sequenced in 2020, and found that the hornet genes that had mutated the most rapidly were those related to communication and sense of smell. The team took samples from workers, gynes (queens who have not yet mated), male adults, and queens.

Among invertebrates, hornets tend to be superpredators, preying on everything from caterpillars to other stinging insects. In their natural ranges, they keep other insects in balance. However, when introduced to new areas, they can kill off pollinators, which has implications for humans and our crops. In recent years, the Asian hornet has reached Europe, and the giant northern hornet, also native to Asia, has reached North America.

According to study co-author Dr. Alessandro Cini, “Hornets are carried to different parts of the world accidentally by humans. All that is needed is a small number of mated queens to be transported, hidden in cargo perhaps. The genomes suggest that hornets have lots of genes involved in detecting and responding to chemical cues – these may make them especially good at adapting to hunt different types of prey in non-native regions.”

The Natural Environment Research Council provided funding for this work.

Read the full study at Nature.com.