Re: RNA sequenced from a Tasmanian tiger specimen

On 9/16/2024 10:57 PM, Pro Plyd wrote:

 https://www.earth.com/news/rna-recovered-from-an-extinct-species- tasmanian-tiger-for-first-time-ever/
 In a momentous scientific leap, researchers have
successfully sequenced RNA from an extinct
Tasmanian tiger specimen that is over a century
old. This achievement marks a significant
milestone in the field of genetics and
paleogenomics.
 For the first time, transcriptomes — essentially
the complete sets of RNA transcripts from an
organism — have been reconstructed for an extinct
species, providing unprecedented insights into the
biology of the Tasmanian tiger.
...
  https://genome.cshlp.org/content/early/2023/07/18/gr.277663.123.abstract
Historical RNA expression profiles from the
extinct Tasmanian tiger
 

It is amazing that they got RNA.  The claim is that the specimen was embalmed and desiccated, but they do not say how it was embalmed or what chemicals were used.  At this time the best way to preserve RNA in tissue is to slice it up into a solution of RNAlater (an RNA preservative) and flash freeze the sample.  We would do this at the site of collection of the tissue.  RNA is constantly degrading in the living animal.  RNA turnover is very high in the living animal, and continues after RNA stops being made.  So somehow the embalming process preserved enough RNA to sequence using the short read sequencing technology.
Ron Okimoto