Overview
- Researchers analyzed muscle from the permafrost-preserved juvenile known as Yuka, identifying tissue-specific expression including stress-related genes near the time of death.
- Screening of skin and muscle from 10 mammoths found detectable RNA in three specimens, but only Yuka provided material robust enough for detailed transcriptomic analysis.
- The team cataloged 342 protein-coding mRNAs and 902 noncoding RNAs in Yuka’s tissue and reported two previously unknown mammoth microRNAs.
- Sequencing confirmed Yuka carried a Y chromosome, establishing the specimen as male and overturning an earlier visual assessment.
- The authors validated authenticity against elephant and mammoth references and say the approach could be integrated with DNA and protein data and used to search for preserved ancient RNA viruses.