Could we soon clone a woolly mammoth? Scientists extract DNA from

extinct creature to bring the species back from the dead

Perfectly-preserved remains were found in the Sakha Republic permafrost The extinct animals was said to have been frozen for about 28,000 years

Experts took samples of bone marrow from the creature in Siberia

Samples will be examined in Yakutsk and by scientists in South Korea

Team hopes to clone the prehistoric animal and create artificial living cells By Will Stewart In Moscow for MailOnline and Victoria Woollaston for MailOnline Published: 12:41 EST, 16 March 2015 | Updated: 00:12 EST, 17 March 2015

In a bid to potentially bring the woolly mammoth back from the dead scientists have begun extracting DNA

from the remains of a beast found in Siberia.

A team of experts took samples of bone marrow from the extinct creature's front left leg during a special

symposium at a university in Siberia on Monday.

The samples will be examined at a laboratory in Yakutsk and by scientists in South Korea with the hope of

being able to clone one of the prehistoric animals.

A team of experts took samples of bone marrow from the extinct creature's front left leg during a symposium at a university in Siberia on Monday (pictured). The samples will be examined at a laboratory in Yakutsk and by scientists in South Korea with the hope of being able to clone one of the prehistoric animals

At the very least, the Russians hope to decipher the mammoth's complete DNA structure by 2017.

The perfectly-preserved remains were discovered two years ago in the Sakha Republic permafrost region,

having been frozen for about 28,000 years.

Dr Semyon Grigoriev, the director of the Mammoth Museum in Yakutsk, told The Siberian Times: 'If the

samples are good then our coordinated work, I think, will allow in a year or two to decipher the world's first

nuclear genome of the mammoth.

'Today the technology allows it. We're doing all this as part of 'the Revival of Mammoth' project, which is being

implemented in two ways.

The perfectly-preserved remains (pictured) were discovered two years ago in the Sakha Republic permafrost region, having been frozen for about 28,000 years. It is thought the carcass belonged to a female woolly mammoth aged between 50 and 60 when she died

Mammoth blood (shown) was also found in the permafrost close to the perfectly-preserved trunk. Experts will use modern methods to analyse samples taken from the creature and the facility, which will specialise in molecular palaeontology, will also study the remains of other dinosaurs found in the region

'Firstly by searching for live cells, culturing them and creating a clone, then secondly by creating artificial living

cells based on artificial nucleus DNA.'

The remains, complete with the creature's famous hair, were discovered in May 2013 on an Arctic island off the

diamond-rich Sakha Republic, the largest region in Russia.

Mammoth blood was also found in the permafrost close to the perfectly-preserved trunk.

It is thought the carcass belonged to a female aged between 50 and 60 when she perished.

The team was led by the Dr Hwang Woo Sul, a professor of the Korean Foundation of Biotechnology Research in Seoul (pictured above the carcass). The work forms part of 'the Revival of Mammoth' project, which plans to search for live cells, culture them and create a clone before creating

artificial living cells

The mammoth (remains pictured) was roughly the size as a modern African elephant, standing up to 11ft (3.3 metres) tall and weighing about seven tonnes. Its fur and long hair protected it from the harsh winters. The remains found in Yakutia are the best-preserved ever found

Samples of bone tissue were taken on Monday during a

gathering at the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk,

as part of a special International Scientific Workshop on the

modern methods of working with fossilised remains.

The team was led by the Dr Hwang Woo Sul, a professor of the

Korean Foundation of Biotechnology Research in Seoul.

A new laboratory opening in Yakutsk on Tuesday will use

modern methods to analyse samples taken from the creature.

The facility, which will specialise in molecular palaeontology,

is the only one of its kind in Russia and will also study the

remains of other dinosaurs found in the region.

Dr Semyon Grigoriev said: 'We are taking samples of bone

marrow - it is one of the best materials for DNA analysis.

'While no one knows exactly, presumably a mammoth nuclear

DNA is made up of 40 to 45 million nucleotides.

'If we set this whole sequence, it will be very great progress for

the project of the study and cloning of mammoths.'

This knowledge would enable the synthesis of artificial DNA

molecules.

Woolly mammoths co-existed with early humans who hunted

them for food.

They are the best studied of all the prehistoric animals because

of the discovery of frozen carcasses in Siberia and Alaska, as well as dung and skeletons.

The mammoth was roughly the size as a modern African elephant, standing up to 11ft tall and weighing about

seven tonnes, and its fur and long hair protected it from the harsh winters.

The woolly mammoth (stock image) is related to the elephant. The creatures lived on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean until 4,000 years ago. They also co-existed with early humans who hunted them for food

REAL LIFE JURASSIC PARK 'NOT

AN OPTION', SCIENTISTS SAY

In the 1993 film, scientists use dinosaur DNA

taken from a mosquito preserved in amber to

clone the animals and create a theme park.

Last year a controversial Australian billionaire

was believed to be drawing up secret plans for a

real life Jurassic Park.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer, who has already

embarked on a project to rebuild the Titanic,

was rumoured to be working with the team who

created Dolly the sheep.

It was said the park would be based at Palmer's

super resort in Coolum.

But the research has shown that their DNA is

just too old to be able to use for de-extinction.

However, Korean scientists are hoping that the

samples found on the Siberian woolly

mammoth aren't too old.

They plan to take the DNA samples and

reassemble them into a full genome.

This could then be injected into embryonic cells

which have had their own DNA taken out, and

a suitable living surrogate would be found.

In 2013, a group of scientists discussed the possibility of bringing 24 animals back from extinction, also known as 'de-extinction'. For example, the dodo (pictured) evolved without any natural predators, but it was forced into extinction by humans who killed them all for food

Another animal considered for 'de-extinction' at the recent conference was the Quagga - a species of plains Zebra that once lived in South Africa. The last wild one was shot in 1870 and the last in captivity died in 1883

The remains found in Yakutia, also known as the Sakha Republic, were the best-preserved ever found and

scientists believe there is a good chance of being able to clone the animal.

The eventual plan is to plant an implanted egg into a live elephant for a 22-month pregnancy. In 2013, a group of scientists from around the world met for TEDx conference in Washington, sponsored by

National Geographic.

The group were

discussing the

possibility of

bringing 24 animals

back from

extinction, also

known as 'de-

extinction'.

The animals

included the dodo

bird, the Carolina

Parakeet, last seen

in 1904 in Florida,

and the Quagga, a

plains zebra which

once lived in South

Africa but died out

in 1883.

However, a real life

Jurassic Park is not

an option, it is said,

because dinosaur

DNA is just too

old.

The remains, complete with the creature's famous hair, were discovered in May 2013 on an Arctic island off the diamond-rich Sakha Republic, the largest region in Russia (pictured)

FIRST EVER BABY WOOLLY RHINO UNEARTHED IN SIBERIA

As if he was sleeping: The remains of a baby woolly rhinoceros, (pictured) who has been named Sasha and still has its wool, has been discovered in the ice of Siberia. It is the first juvenile of the species to be found

The remains of a baby woolly rhinoceros, which still has its fleece, was discovered in the ice of Siberia last

month.

Named Sasha, the extinct creature - which must be at least 10,000 years old and is the first juvenile woolly

rhino to be found - was well preserved by permafrost and experts are hopeful of extracting its DNA.

A local hunter found the infant woolly rhino in a ravine by a stream in Russia's largest and coldest region, the

Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, in September.

Initially, he thought the carcass was a reindeer, until he saw the horn growths and realised he had made the

historic discovery of the world's first baby woolly rhino.

Scientists will first try to extract DNA from the remains, which was kept frozen to increase the chances of this

being possible. They hope to get results in a ‘week or two’.

The calf’s remains weigh 132lbs (60kg) and were found by Alexander Banderov, a hunter and businessman

from Abyysky district.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2997433/Could-soon-CLONE-woolly-mammoth-Scientists-extract-DNA-extinct-creature-bring-species-dead.html