On Jul. 18, 2023, scientists reported that they had extracted, sequenced, and analyzed historical RNA from muscle and skin tissue of a ~130-year-old Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) preserved in desiccation at room temperature in the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm.

Pioneering studies have shown that useful RNA can be extracted from ancient specimens preserved in permafrost and historical skins from extant canids, but no attempts have been made so far on extinct species. They extract, sequence, and analyze historical RNA from muscle and skin tissue of a ∼130-year-old Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) preserved in desiccation at room temperature in a museum collection.

The results represent the first successful attempt to obtain transcriptional profiles from an extinct animal species, providing thought-to-be-lost information on gene expression dynamics.