Q.104 Theoretically, it is possible to resurrect the extinct woolly mammoth by which ONE of the
following methods?
(A) Transferring cell nuclei from the frozen tissue into enucleated unfertilized eggs of a suitable
mammal
(B) Introducing sequenced mammoth genome into donor eggs of a suitable mammal
(C) Transferring mammoth nuclear material into stem cells
(D) Collection of oocytes from ovaries of the frozen mammoth for in vitro fertilization and transfer
of fertilized eggs into animals such as elephants

Reviving the Woolly Mammoth: Cloning Method Explained

Theoretically resurrecting the woolly mammoth relies on advanced cloning techniques using well-preserved frozen remains. The correct method matches proven somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) processes like Dolly the sheep.

Correct Answer

Option (A): Transferring cell nuclei from the frozen tissue into enucleated unfertilized eggs of a suitable mammal.
This is somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the standard cloning approach for extinct species revival. Scientists remove the nucleus from a mammoth cell in frozen tissue and insert it into an enucleated egg from a close relative like the Asian elephant, then stimulate development.

Option Breakdown

Option (A): Nuclear Transfer Cloning

In SCNT, intact nuclei from mammoth somatic cells are transplanted into enucleated eggs of elephants. The egg’s cytoplasm reprograms the nucleus to develop into an embryo, implanted into a surrogate. This method succeeded briefly with the Pyrenean ibex and is planned for mammoths despite DNA degradation challenges.

Option (B): Sequenced Genome Introduction

Introducing a fully sequenced mammoth genome into donor eggs skips intact nuclei, relying on synthetic DNA assembly. While mammoth genomes are sequenced, no intact cells exist for direct cloning, making this gene-editing or synthetic biology—not pure cloning—and currently unfeasible for full resurrection.

Option (C): Nuclear Material to Stem Cells

Transferring mammoth nuclear material into stem cells aims at induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for hybrid creation. This is experimental for de-extinction and lacks surrogate implantation steps; it’s not the primary theoretical cloning route proposed for mammoths.

Option (D): Oocyte Collection for IVF

Collecting oocytes from frozen mammoth ovaries for IVF assumes recoverable intact eggs, which is impossible after thousands of years due to tissue degradation. No viable mammoth gametes exist, ruling out standard IVF and embryo transfer to elephants.

SCNT (A) remains the most direct theoretical path, leveraging frozen tissues directly. Ongoing projects like Colossal Biosciences explore hybrids via editing, but pure cloning fits the question.