Mining museums’ genomic treasures

Alpine chipmunks collected by pioneering naturalist Joseph Grinnell in the early 20th century are still preserved at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at the University of California, Berkeley. Recently, geneticists used DNA extracted from them to trace how the chipmunks have evolved. Museum collections like this can give researchers at time machine to the past. (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">CC BY-NC 2.0</a>)

Enlarge / Alpine chipmunks collected by pioneering naturalist Joseph Grinnell within the early 20th century are nonetheless preserved on the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology on the College of California, Berkeley. Not too long ago, geneticists used DNA extracted from them to hint how the chipmunks have advanced. Museum collections like this may give researchers at time machine to the previous. (CC BY-NC 2.0) (credit score: KQED Quest)

Pure historical past’s golden age, when Charles Darwin and like-minded scientists contemplated connections between creatures and their environments, largely revolved round accumulating stuff. Explorers fanned out internationally and picked up as many vegetation and animals as they may, drying them or stuffing them or storing them in alcohol in small glass jars. They carried them residence to grand museums the place the general public would possibly get a peek at them and be amazed.

These venerable collections can seem to be relics at present—musty storehouses, shrines to imperial plunder. However with billions of samples catalogued amongst them, museum collections are a treasure for contemporary evolutionary biologists finding out DNA, RNA, proteins and different biomolecules. Sampling decades- and even centuries-old tissues permits scientists to seize snippets of genetic code from vegetation and animals—together with extinct ones—and monitor molecular modifications that occurred lengthy earlier than biologists even understood what DNA was. Youthful specimens are beneficial too, offering a big sampling to assist scientists evaluate traits inside a species or between associated ones.

All of this makes working with museum samples a tantalizing prospect for researchers, says Harvard evolutionary geneticist Daren Card, who has sequenced specimens from Australian museums for his personal work on limb growth in reptiles. Museum genomics is delivering essential insights into evolutionary historical past, the consequences of local weather change and extra, Card and colleagues write within the 2021 Annual Overview of Genetics. Knowable spoke with Card about a few of these initiatives—and a few challenges the sector faces.

Learn 30 remaining paragraphs | Feedback

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *