MadSci Network: Molecular Biology |
Gail, You're question is an interesting one, and brings to mind great big parks full of dinosaurs, with guided tours, and escaped velociraptors, and....wait, that was a movie! But seriously, what you propose to do would, in theory, be along the same lines as the methods that have been employed in the recent clonings that you gave as examples. Currently, as far as i know, our technical abilities are no where near a level which would allow for the recreation of extinct species via this method. Clonings carried out recently are done via nuclear transplantation, using intact nuclei. These nuclei contain all of the correct regulatory mechanisms, transcriptional machinery, and other assorted goodies required for division and replication. Extinct and preserved species will not have functioning nuclei, so the only conceivable way to do what you suggest would be by transplantation of DNA directly; certainly a massive technical feat. Perhaps, someday, when technology has advanced it will be possible, but don't count on taking a tour of jurassic park anytime in our lifetimes. -Josh McElwee, Dinosaur hunter.
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