Scientists Extract 6,000-Year-Old DNA from Ancient Penguins, Uncovering Significant Genetic Differences with Modern Species…
 |
Molecular Biologist David Lambert |
After nearly a decade of research on the DNA of Adélie penguins in Antarctica, a research team led by molecular biologist David Lambert from Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand, successfully extracted the nuclear DNA of these penguins. Their goal is to understand why there are such significant genetic differences between modern penguins and their ancestors from 6,000 years ago.
Every summer, Adélie penguins gather in a specific location to breed. Among the chicks, one in four does not survive, leading to a large accumulation of penguin bones over the ages. Antarctica’s climate, akin to a natural refrigerator, provides optimal conditions for preserving DNA within penguin bones. The nuclear DNA, derived from both parents, offers a more accurate reflection of their evolutionary pace.
The study revealed a surprising accumulation of mutated genes in penguins from 6,000 years ago. Researchers extracted nuclear DNA from 15 ancient penguins and compared it with the nuclear DNA of 48 living penguins in the breeding area. The results showed that in the short repetitive sequences of 9 DNA fragments, 4 fragments had elongated, while 2 had shortened.
In the context of evolutionary history, 6,000 years is not a long time. Penguins are a species that has remained isolated from the outside world, and such significant changes in such a short duration are an unprecedented finding in any other animal species.
According to the researchers, the rapid evolutionary rate of penguins may be linked to the melting of ancient icebergs thousands of years ago, which disrupted their normal migration routes. This separation led to penguins reproducing in new locations, integrating the local penguin gene pool with a new genetic lineage, thereby accelerating the evolutionary process of this species.
Tuyết Nhung
