Overview
- A study in Cell reports authentic RNA sequenced from Yuka, a permafrost-preserved juvenile woolly mammoth dated to roughly 39,000–40,000 years ago.
- Researchers identified more than 300 protein-coding transcripts and about 60 microRNAs that point to muscle-specific expression and stress-related activity near death.
- RNA reads from the Y chromosome indicate Yuka was genetically male, overturning prior accounts based on external anatomy.
- Chemical damage patterns, sequence matches to mammoth and elephant, and very low human contamination supported the authenticity of the ancient molecules.
- The work suggests possibilities for studying ancient RNA viruses and enriching paleogenomic reconstructions, though preservation appears rare and the recovered data are fragmentary.