Works Cited
"DNA banks for endangered animals." World of Forensic Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth
DNA banks for endangered animals
World of Forensic Science, 2006 Updated: May 09, 2012
Content Level = Intermediate
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DNA banks for endangered animals consist of samples of sperm, ova, embryos, tissue samples, and serum. These biological materials are frozen in liquid nitrogen at -196°C or -373°F, where they can be maintained indefinitely. Many zoos and conservation groups around the world have begun collecting genetic material from endangered animals and preserving it. The goal of this type of collection is to preserve information stored in the genetic material of animals that
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Because animal cells are mainly composed of water, when they are frozen, ice crystals destroy much of the cell. Therefore, the water in the cells must be removed and replaced with a cryoprotectant fluid, which protects the cellular structures and molecules. Scientists must develop special protocols to infuse the cells with this cryoprotectant, and these protocols vary from species to species. In addition, the rate at which genetic material is frozen and thawed may vary from species to species. In some species, special treatments may be needed after thawing occurs. Development of these sensitive procedures requires careful …show more content…
A major use for the genetic material stored in these banks is to increase the genetic diversity of species at risk of becoming extinct. As populations of endangered animals shrink, the gene pool of the animals becomes more limited. This leads to inbreeding, which increases the population's risk of disease, birth defects, and the inability to survive natural disaster. Material from DNA banks can be used to infuse small populations with new genetic material, increasing their chances of survival. Another goal of DNA banks is to increase the population size of endangered species by producing new individuals. In 1999 at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, a domestic housecat gave birth to an African wildcat kitten that had been frozen as an embryo in a DNA bank. This was the first example of interspecies birth. In 2000, the Center produced test-tube Caracal cats from sperm that had been stored in their DNA bank. Material stored in DNA banks for endangered animals can also be used to understand animal physiology by analyzing the blood serum and tissue samples for hormones and other biochemical indicators. Information regarding the environment in which the animal lived may also be understood from biochemical markers, trace metals, and compounds from the environment found in tissue
Levis, N. A., Yi, S. X., & Lee, R. E. (2012). Mild desiccation rapidly increases freeze tolerance of the goldenrod gall fly, eurosta solidaginis: evidence for drought-induced rapid cold-hardening. Manuscript submitted for publication, Available from Journal of Experimental Biology. (215, 3768-3773)Retrieved from http://jeb.biologists.org/content/215/21/3768.full
in the sample in to many identical samples. The DNA retrieved from the reaction can then be
New technologies and advancement in the area of field research has allowed biologist and primatologist to analyze information more effectively and efficiently. Through the non-invasive collection of fecal samples, researchers are able to extract and analyze DNA to help determine individual attribute, as well as population dynamics. In addition to DNA, fecal samples also contain hormones and parasites that help in determining the overall health of the depositor (Newton-Fisher NE, 2010). Other technologies include the use of Geographic Information Systems allows for mapping the ranges of chimpanzees, and satellite imagery is used to view the deforestation of select areas (Goodall, 2002).
Florida Panther Genetic Restoration and Management. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. 4. Taylor, Sharon K. 1997. Florida Panther Biomedical Investigations.
The next step after scientists have identified and studied adult DNA would be to copy it.
Some readers would accept that zoos and aquariums conduct a lot of research, but for those who are skeptical, the argument discusses that the “Zoological Society of London, for instance, is developing innovative methods to assess the risks of animals contracting disease when they are reintroduced into the wild” (2016, p. 2, para. 1). This is smart because most associate animals with their own pets living at home, as they feel more for animals that are in bad situations than if they were their own. In order to pull at the heartstrings, Ganzert mentions “the species was hunted to extinction in the wild nearly four decades ago, when the last wild Arabian Oryx was shot and killed in 1972” (2016, p. 2, para. 4.
Works Cited Bates, D. (1957, December 17). Letter from Roy Wilkins. Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America. Beals, M. P. (1994). The Species of the World.
Another trend in this table which demonstrates this phenomenon is the decreasing FPV of the CHO cells after cooling and freezing/thawing which shows the increasing membrane fluidity. However, compared to the control cells (at 0 mg) the CLC treated cells still showed considerably less membrane fluidity after being cooled.
Paabo’s team, from Leipzig, Germany, used a method of amino acid content as a way of measuring extractible DNA from the bones. The amino acid method was a...
V6. N1:140-143. Netscape Web Sites - "The Web" Biology 65: Biological Conservation (lecture 1-Introduction). http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/pjbryant/bio65/lec01/b65/lec01.htm EDF Letter: Moratorium Ends, but Wildlife Needs a Better Law? http://www.edf.org/pubs/EDF-Letter/1996/Jul/l_mbean.html. Endangered Species Act:.
Spearmann thought of cloning as a way to study cell differentiation. Briggs and King used the technique of nuclear transfer on amphibians and it was successful (Campbell). “Subsequently John Gurdon demonstrated the potential to reprogram differentiated cells by producing adult Xenopus using epithelial cells from developing tadpole intestine as nuclear donors,” says Alberio Campbell. Unfortunately, later studies show that this method of cloning tadpoles didn’t allow them to develop to the adult stage of life (Campbell). “The use of enucleated metaphase II oocytes as recipient cytoplasts proved more successful and in 1986 resulted in the production of live lambs using blastomeres from 8 to 16-cell stage embryos as nuclear donors,” says Campbell. This success in sheep was also used on other mammals such as cattle and swine. There were limitations to the technology. First, the “frequency development was very low”...
were rapidly frozen can be stored in “banks” for later use. Then skin can be
Retrieved December 30, 2013, from http://www.benbest.com/cryonics/CryoFAQ.html#_VD_.
However, there is a lot of damage done to the body during this freezing, says Dr. Ralph Merkle, a professional in the field of cryonics. First there are fractures that form in the frozen tissues caused by thermal strain, if you were warmed up you’d fall into pieces as if cut by thousands of sharp knives. And Second, the Cryotransport is used as a last resort because legally the Cryotransport can’t even begin until the patient is legally dead. So when the patient comes out he is already sick and may have a hard time coming back from the injuries of being frozen. Even after knowing all this Dr. Merkle says Cryotransport will almost surely work. Why? He says because basically people are made up of molecules and if they are arranged right then the person is healthy, if not the person is either sick or dead. With technological advances he thinks we will be able to make and rearrange the molecular structure of the frozen tissue. In the future, we will be able to stack and unstack these molecules like Lego blocks. Once the molecules are arranged correctly the person is healthy.
Sikes, Roberts. and William L. Gannon. "Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the Use of Wild Mammals in Research." Journal of Mammalogy 92.1 (Feb. 2011): 235-253. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 5 Oct. 2011.