In the realm of biological sciences, scientists have made significant strides in understanding species dating back over 2 million years. This has been possible through successfully retrieving DNA from ancient animals and plants. A groundbreaking study recently has now been able to extract RNA from extinct species, including the Tasmanian Tiger. This marks the first instance of its kind, considering the lesser stability of RNA compared to DNA.
Significance of Extracting and Analyzing Old RNA
The ability to extract and sequence old RNA has potential to revolutionize scientific efforts aimed at recreating extinct species. Moreover, recovery of RNA from ancient viruses could provide valuable insights into the origins of past pandemics. Hence, this development holds promise for a clearer understanding of our biological history and potential for future scientific advances.
DNA Versus RNA: Key Differences
Both DNA and RNA play crucial roles in genetic information storage and protein synthesis. The fundamental differences between them include their sugar components, nitrogenous bases, strand numbers, structures, base pairings, functions, locations, stability levels, and roles in protein synthesis.
DNA, or DeoxyriboNucleic Acid has deoxyribose as its sugar component with Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Thymine as its nitrogenous bases. It’s typically double-stranded forming a double helix structure. DNA pairs Adenine with Thymine and Cytosine with Guanine. Primarily DNA stores genetic information and is found in the nucleus of cells, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. It’s stable and less prone to degradation and serves as a template for mRNA synthesis. It exists mainly as genomic DNA and mitochondrial DNA.
On the other hand, RNA or Ribonucleic Acid has ribose as its sugar component with Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Uracil as its nitrogenous bases. It’s generally single-stranded and pairs Adenine with Uracil, Cytosine with Guanine. RNA is found in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and ribosomes and is generally less stable, more susceptible to degradation. It carries genetic information, synthesizes protein, and serves as a template for protein synthesis. There are several types of RNA, including messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA).
Understanding the Tasmanian Tiger
The Tasmanian tiger, also known as thylacine or the dog headed pouched dog, was a carnivorous marsupial now considered extinct. Remarkable for its resemblance to a dog, it had distinguishing features such as dark stripes beginning at the rear of its body, extending into its stiff tail and abdominal pouch. While it was confined to Tasmania in recent times, evidence shows that it disappeared from mainland Australia over 2000 years ago. The causes of its extinction main include over-hunting by humans, diseases, and competition from the Dingo, a wild dog native to Australia.
DNA Barcoding: A Revolutionary Tool
DNA barcoding is emerging as an indispensable tool in biological sciences. Among other things, it can help distinguish species that look alike and identify undesirable animal or plant materials in processed foods. Although it cannot directly assess the age of a plant or animal, its potential benefits make it an essential resource for scientists.