A 110-year-old pickled tiger head could help bring back a long lost species

The most complete genome of the extinct Tasmanian tiger has been sequenced by DNA from a 110-year-old pickled head.

Thanks to DNA technology, experts are able to sequence the genome of some of planet Earth’s most iconic yet extinct species, with the hope of resurrecting them in the future.

In 1936, Tasmanian tigers, also known as thylacines (Thylacinus cynocephalus) went extinct as the last known Tasmanian tiger died at Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart, Tasmania.

The carnivorous marsupial was an apex predator that was critical to the ecosystem of Tasmania and there is some hope it could be brought back to life after experts were able to formulate the most complete genome of the species yet.

The success was made possible thanks to DNA gathered from a 110-year-old head that has been skinned and preserved in a jar of ethanol.

Using samples from the specimen, experts have been able to sequence most of its DNA along with strands of RNA.

The genome is similar in size to that of a human and has 3 billion base pairs of nucleotides, which form the iconic “rungs” seen in the DNA ladder.

There are just 45 gaps left in the sequence and experts hope to fill them as they continue to sequence the DNA in the coming months.

The results have changed some scientists’ beliefs, as it was not previously thought possible to recreate a full genome from old samples.

Andrew Pask, professor of genetics and developmental biology at Australia’s University of Melbourne and part of the team behind the project, told Live Science, “You absolutely can get a phenomenal genome from old samples”.

Pask added: “The genome provides the full blueprint for deextincting this species, so having it complete and very high quality is a huge help to these efforts.”

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