Oldest RNA Found in 39,000-Year-Old Mammoth
- Discovery offers new insights into Ice Age biology
Scientists have successfully recovered the oldest-known RNA from a woolly mammoth that lived in Siberia about 39,000 years ago. The molecule, essential for most biological functions, was extracted from muscle tissue in the left front leg of a juvenile male mammoth. This specimen, named Yuka (pictured), was discovered in 2010 in the Siberian permafrost along the Oyogos Yar coast near the Laptev Sea. The achievement shows RNA can survive far longer than previously believed, opening new possibilities for studying ancient organisms.
Unlocking Cellular Activity at Death
Yuka’s RNA revealed which genes were active in its tissue at the time of death, showing signs of cellular stress. Unlike skeletal fossils, which provide limited biological information, biomolecules such as RNA offer direct insight into how cells functioned. The study complements earlier advances in recovering ancient DNA and proteins, which have already reshaped understanding of extinct species. Emilio Mármol of the University of Copenhagen explained that RNA provides access to the functional landscape of cell metabolism in real time.
RNA, short for ribonucleic acid, acts as a messenger between the genome and cellular machinery. It regulates which proteins are produced and when, making it crucial for understanding biological processes. The fragility of RNA had long led scientists to believe it degraded within minutes or hours after death. This discovery demonstrates that under the right conditions, such as Siberia’s extreme cold, RNA can endure for tens of thousands of years.
Comparing Ancient Biomolecules
The oldest DNA recovered to date comes from animals, plants, and microbes preserved in Greenland sediments about 2 million years old. Proteins have been found in dental remains of a rhinoceros that lived 23 million years ago in the Canadian Arctic. Until now, the oldest RNA was from a Siberian wolf cub dating back 14,000 years. Geneticist Love Dalén of Stockholm University said the mammoth finding proves RNA can be recovered from much older samples, enabling detailed studies of gene expression in Ice Age megafauna.
Yuka’s carcass showed evidence of trauma, with cuts suggesting an attack by a cave lion, a now-extinct relative of modern lions adapted to cold climates. None of the injuries appeared fatal, leaving the cause of death uncertain. RNA molecules detected in Yuka coded for proteins linked to muscle contraction and stress-related metabolic regulation. These findings may reflect the animal’s final moments but do not conclusively explain its death.
Future Potential of Ancient RNA
Yuka’s DNA had already been sequenced, revealing the mammoth was male despite earlier assumptions it was female. Standing about 1.6 meters at the shoulder, Yuka is considered one of the best-preserved mammoth specimens ever found. Researchers believe RNA could be recovered from even older remains if preservation conditions are favorable. Mármol expressed hope that the study will encourage exploration of RNA not only in Ice Age species but also in medieval or historical remains.
The mammoth Yuka was discovered so well preserved that parts of its hide, hair, and internal organs remained intact. This exceptional state of preservation has made Yuka a central figure in multiple genetic studies, including efforts to better understand mammoth biology and the environmental conditions of the Ice Age.
