Scientists Extract RNA From Extinct Tasmanian Tiger for First Time

Breaking New Ground in Extinction Research

Scientists have achieved what was once thought impossible: extracting RNA from a 130-year-old Tasmanian tiger specimen and tracing which genes were active in its tissues . This breakthrough represents the first successful attempt to obtain transcriptional profiles from an extinct animal species , opening an entirely new window into understanding how long-dead creatures lived and functioned at the cellular level.

The study was led by Dr. Marc R. Friedländer at Stockholm University in Sweden , working with a desiccated specimen preserved at room temperature in the Swedish Museum of Natural History . While DNA reveals what genes an organism possesses, RNA shows which genes are active in living tissue , providing crucial insights into how extinct animals actually functioned when alive.

The implications extend far beyond academic curiosity. Researchers note their findings have relevant implications for international efforts to resurrect extinct species, including both the Tasmanian tiger and the woolly mammoth , as understanding gene expression patterns will be essential for any de-extinction efforts.

Overcoming Scientific Obstacles

RNA usually breaks apart faster than DNA, so most old samples lose their transcriptome , making this achievement particularly remarkable. The team overcame this challenge by working with dry storage conditions that can slow the chemical reactions that destroy RNA , proving that museum specimens can preserve more biological information than previously thought.

The researchers extracted tissue samples from both muscle and skin, discovering that the strongest signals in muscle came from genes tied to contraction and energy use, with RNA profiles pointing to slow muscle fibers that matched the location near the shoulder blade where tissue was collected . This tissue-specific gene activity matched what scientists would expect to find in living animals.

To ensure authenticity, the team used multiple verification methods. Most RNA sequences matched the thylacine genome, and they used metatranscriptomics to separate genuine thylacine fragments from contaminants , confirming the ancient origin of their samples.

Expanding Scientific Possibilities

The research revealed unexpected bonuses beyond basic gene expression. RNA sequences helped improve protein-coding and noncoding annotations, increasing the number of annotated thylacine microRNAs from 62 to 325 . The team even discovered a thylacine-specific microRNA isoform that could not have been confirmed without RNA evidence .

Perhaps most intriguingly, the team detected traces of RNA viruses in the thylacine material, though the signals were thin and require caution . If confirmed by future research, this could enable scientists to study viral evolution across time periods, potentially offering insights into pandemic viruses and their historical development.

"In the future, we may be able to recover RNA not only from extinct animals, but also RNA virus genomes such as SARS-CoV2 and their evolutionary precursors from the skins of bats and other host organisms held in museum collections" , explains Love Dalén, Professor of evolutionary genomics at Stockholm University.

A New Era in Museum Science

This breakthrough transforms how scientists view museum collections worldwide. The study opens up new exciting opportunities for exploring the vast collections of specimens and tissues stored at museums across the globe, where RNA molecules might await to be uncovered and sequenced . Countless preserved specimens that were previously considered useful only for DNA analysis may now hold keys to understanding extinct biology in unprecedented detail.

The research establishes paleotranscriptomics as a field that pushes beyond permafrost preservation into dry museum drawers . While challenges remain—including short RNA fragments and the need for careful contamination controls—this work proves that RNA profiles can reveal cell types, damage, and even signs of disease, giving extinct species a more detailed record .

As scientists continue refining these techniques and testing them on other museum specimens, we may soon gain insights into the inner workings of creatures that vanished long before modern biology could study them. The extinct Tasmanian tiger has become the first ambassador from the past to share not just its genetic blueprint, but the story of how its cells actually lived and breathed over a century ago.