The dire wolf has been extinct for over 10,000 years. These two wolves were brought back from extinction:
The dire wolf, an animal that has been extinct for over 10,000 years has nearly come back after scientists at Colossal Biosciences were able to edit the DNA of a more modern wolf to appear and have the features of the dire wolf, a type of wolf that was made famous by "Game of Thrones."
Colossal Biosciences posted to X with a video clip of two small wolf cubs barking, "You're hearing the first howl of a dire wolf in over 10,000 years. Meet Romulus and Remus—the world's first de-extinct animals, born on October 1, 2024."
[...] The Dallas-based company, which has put on challenges to bring back the dodo bird as well as the woolly mammoth, was able to obtain DNA from fossils of dire wolves in 2021 and then edit the DNA of grey wolves in order to weave the key features of the dire wolf in with the grey wolf cubs. The embryos were edited and placed into a surrogate wolf-mother. Three wolves were born as a result, two male and one female, the New York Times reported.
From the AP News report:
Colossal scientists learned about specific traits that dire wolves possessed by examining ancient DNA from fossils. The researchers studied a 13,000 year-old dire wolf tooth unearthed in Ohio and a 72,000 year-old skull fragment found in Idaho, both part of natural history museum collections.
Then the scientists took blood cells from a living gray wolf and used CRISPR to genetically modify them in 20 different sites, said Colossal's chief scientist Beth Shapiro. They transferred that genetic material to an egg cell from a domestic dog. When ready, embryos were transferred to surrogates, also domestic dogs, and 62 days later the genetically engineered pups were born.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Thursday April 10, @02:37AM
So -- did the mitochondrial DNA come from a dog?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by driverless on Thursday April 10, @03:01AM (3 children)
The scientists took standard wolves and modified them slightly (via CRISPR) to look more like dire wolves. That is all.
(Score: 5, Funny) by krishnoid on Thursday April 10, @03:19AM
So it's sort of a wolf in wolf's clothing? Neat.
(Score: 2) by OrugTor on Thursday April 10, @02:52PM
They changed 20 sites. That sounds like a trivial number compared to the number of sites that differ between the two species. The claim that you are hearing a dire wolf in the video rings false - did they really locate the relevant genes (laryngeal structure?) in the recovered DNA fragments and CRISPR them in? As to the white coat, shut down the Xmelanin-producing sites. No pigment = white coat.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by OrugTor on Thursday April 10, @02:59PM
I have to say, while we're all bashing Colossal for not really making a dire wolf (incuding me) let's not fail to recognize the extraordinary feat of genetic manipulation via CRISPR. I was born before DNA was understood. That's some progress in an insanely complicated field. Terran science rocks!
(Score: 5, Insightful) by PinkyGigglebrain on Thursday April 10, @03:53AM
from the the article even the companies CSO says :
"functional copies".
So NO, not a dire wolf. Not even close. These pups are about as much Dire Wolfs as Ocicats are Ocelots. They may look related but they aren't even close.
The company must need another round of funding.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 10, @09:33AM
That reminds me of a dire old joke.
Q: What do you get if you cross Dire Straits with Chris Rhea?
A: Dire Rhea.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Thursday April 10, @09:35AM
I'm not sure if larger wolves, dire or not, was something anyone wanted. Unless they are made larger so they'll be easier to hit. I assume these three "dire wolfs" are sterile and/or put in an enclosure where they'll never get out. More like a "neat" science experiment then something they plan on putting out into the forest ever again.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 10, @11:32AM
When I awoke, the dire wolf
600 pounds of sin
Was grinning at my window
All I said was, "Come on in"
Don't murder me
I beg of you, don't murder me
Please, don't murder me
--
Dire Wolf
Lyrics By: Robert Hunter
Music By: Jerry Garcia