# Woolly Bully! Mammoth DNA Sequenced! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 19, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541 "2008-11-19T22:51:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/1 "2008-11-19T22:51:40Z")
[Its not complete, but its pretty close.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7738062.stm) > [@](#): > > A US-Russian team of researchers has pieced together the genome of a woolly mammoth, the journal Nature reports. > > The experts extracted DNA from samples of mammoth hair to reconstruct the genetic sequence of this Ice Age beast. > > There are still stretches missing, but the researchers estimate that the genome is roughly 80% complete. This tidbit is interesting, however. > [@](#): > > Once the researchers had extracted the DNA, they had to estimate how much of it actually came from the mammoth. So they mapped their genome sequence on to that of an African elephant - the mammoth’s close relative. > > Analysis of the draft sequence revealed that the genome of a mammoth differs from that of an African elephant by just 0.6%. No hope for cloning. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/2 "2008-11-19T23:13:19Z")
Is there a reason we’d want to clone a woolly mammoth back into existence? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/3 "2008-11-19T23:15:36Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Is there a reason we’d want to clone a woolly mammoth back into existence? To see how well they go with mashed potatoes! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/4 "2008-11-20T00:58:14Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > To see how well they go with mashed potatoes! 😃 Such an **American** answer. The real answer is : to find out which wine to serve with mammoth, of course 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/5 "2008-11-20T01:42:38Z")
This is my daily “goddamn I went to horrible schools with dumb teachers” moment. My 10th grade science teacher told us we had the means and technology to clone a woolly mammoth today. “Today” being . . . 1996. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/6 "2008-11-20T01:47:46Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Is there a reason we’d want to clone a woolly mammoth back into existence? Two of the best reasons of all- Because we can, and because it might be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/7 "2008-11-20T02:40:01Z")
IIRC, we could use an elephant embryo the first time, and could end up with 100% woolly mammoth in 5 generations… I think. So, 100 years… ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/8 "2008-11-20T02:55:55Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Such an **American** answer. The real answer is : to find out which wine to serve with mammoth, of course 😃 Ah, but you see, this American knows that it is best to let the **French** select the wine! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/9 "2008-11-20T09:09:05Z")
Not true. Could be anybody who comes from a wine culture :Italians, Spaniards, Californians, etc … ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/10 "2008-11-20T09:43:03Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Not true. Could be anybody who comes from a wine culture :Italians, Spaniards, Californians, etc … Dude, you’re pissing the French off! Stop it! They were _just_ starting to like us again! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/11 "2008-11-20T10:51:04Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Is there a reason we’d want to clone a woolly mammoth back into existence? Mammoth porn! ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/12 "2008-11-20T12:32:33Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Dude, you’re pissing the French off! Stop it! They were _just_ starting to like us again! Then ask them how to properly **cook** and serve the beastie. And the first one who suggests mammoth haggis, will be made sushi of 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/13 "2008-11-20T13:03:34Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > IIRC, we could use an elephant embryo the first time, and could end up with 100% woolly mammoth in 5 generations… I think. So, 100 years… Can Mammoths (or elephants) not reproduce until they’re 20? Honest question. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/14 "2008-11-20T14:38:44Z")
I think they mature quite slowly, yes. Lemme see… Here’s something about Asian elephants in the wild- not quite as long s I thought… > [@](#): > > Female Asian elephants attain sexual maturity when 9-12 years old. Males are capable of reproduction at 10-17 years, but they are still too young to dominate older females and do not significantly contribute to reproduction. Also, it looks like a long gestation peiod (22 months) and a female will only produce one calf every 3-4 years. From [here](http://www.animalinfo.org/species/elepmaxi.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/15 "2008-11-20T23:34:06Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Then ask them how to properly **cook** and serve the beastie. > > And the first one who suggests mammoth haggis, will be made sushi of 😛 No, no, no, no. For _huge_ slabs of meat, you want either a Texan or an Argentinian. Those guys _know_ how to BBQ! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/16 "2008-11-21T00:45:54Z")
Dude. You should be terrified. Mammoths are just the side show. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/388618\_mammoth20.html](http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/388618_mammoth20.html) “\ The other method involves synthetic biology in which scientists would create life forms from scratch. Once this technique is developed – and leaders in the field say it is just 3 to 10 years away – scientists would follow the mammoth recipe to build a mammoth cell.” We’re talking about directly building viruses and simple bacteria from a computer file. Think fancy printer, more or less. The ability to construct designer bugs from relatively cheap raw materials should be keeping you awake at night. :: cough - military applications - cough :: We live in interesting times. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/17 "2008-11-21T19:14:12Z")
[NYT sez: clone a mammoth for $10 million.](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/science/20mammoth.html?_r=2&ref=science) > [@](#): > > Dr. Schuster and Dr. Miller said there was no technical obstacle to decoding the full mammoth genome, which they believe could be achieved for a further $2 million. They have already been able to calculate that the mammoth’s genes differ at some 400,000 sites on its genome from that of the African elephant. > > There is no present way to synthesize a genome-size chunk of mammoth DNA, let alone to develop it into a whole animal. But Dr. Schuster said a shortcut would be to modify the genome of an elephant’s cell at the 400,000 or more sites necessary to make it resemble a mammoth’s genome. The cell could be converted into an embryo and brought to term by an elephant, a project he estimated would cost some $10 million. “This is something that could work, though it will be tedious and expensive,” he said. Some years ago, I saw a program about a Texas oil millionaire (who’s probably a billionaire by now) who was actively hunting for mammoth DNA for cloning purposes. He wanted to open a park filled with clones of extinct animals. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/18 "2008-11-21T20:25:55Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Some years ago, I saw a program about a Texas oil millionaire (who’s probably a billionaire by now) who was actively hunting for mammoth DNA for cloning purposes. He wanted to open a park filled with clones of extinct animals. Oh, I think I’ve seen that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woolly-bully-mammoth-dna-sequenced/473541/19 "2008-11-22T01:26:27Z")
> [@Madd\_Maxx](#): > > Oh, I think I’ve seen that movie. _Billy and the Clonasaurs_? Based on the book by Seymour Skinner?