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and his staff a few years ago. It should have been the museum's hour in the sun, but it turned out to be more like being caught in an eclipse. My staff and I endured a great deal of criticism after that fiasco. Animal rights groups had a field day. The museum almost went broke. We threw all our financial support, as well as our reputation, behind it and our reward? It nearly destroyed us. And as for Dr. Whiting, well... I'm sure you know what happened to him."
Carlson nodded. "Yes, unfortunately I do." He was familiar with the museum's doomed effort to bring the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction. It began in 1999 when the museum's main scientist, Dr. Alan Whiting, extracted DNA from an ethanol-preserved female pup in its collection. A year later, they extracted further DNA from two other preserved pups; the tissue source was bone, tooth, bone marrow, and dried muscle. Dr. Whiting announced that the preserved female pup's DNA gave the scientists the Tasmanian tiger's X chromosome and the other male samples produced the male Y chromosome.
Then in 2002, Whiting announced a breakthrough in his efforts to clone the Tasmanian tiger, saying they had replicated some of the genes using a process called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. The PCR's showed short fragments of undamaged Tasmanian tiger DNA, and there was no reason these couldn't work in a living cell. The next stage was to make large quantity copies of all the genes of the tiger so they could be used to construct synthetic chromosomes. Whiting said he hoped to clone a Tasmanian tiger in 10 years, provided they were successful in constructing sufficient quantities of all the genes of the tiger and sequencing sections of the genome, thus creating a genetic library of Tasmanian tiger DNA.
Unfortunately, hope and reality rarely occupy the same space. In February 2005, they announced the sad news; the project to resurrect the Tasmanian tiger was to be suspended indefinitely. After five years trying to extract DNA from preserved Tasmanian tigers in an effort to bring the lost creature back to life, the Australian Museum abandoned the ambitious project, announcing its supply of Tasmanian tiger DNA had become too degraded. In truth, the museum lacked the skills, facilities and finances to continue the project.
Six months later, Whiting killed himself.
"At any rate," Elkstrom continued, "we now find ourselves in a similar situation. This time we are forced into it because of the financial backing behind it."
"That would seem to eliminate the risk for you," Carlson said.
"It eliminates the financial risk. We still have our considerable reputation on the line. And, lest you think me blinded by loyalty to the Museum, there is even more at stake. If the cloning fails and we waste that Thylacine fetus in the process, we will have lost one of the greatest exhibits in history. That fetal Thylacine is the last one of its kind in the world, period."
Seven
----
A HALF HOUR LATER , P ETER C ARLSON sat at a huge bamboo conference table staring at the image on the screen as Colin Elkstrom tore open a manila envelope and passed some documents around. Seated across from Carlson were the Prince of Dunali and his assistants. Introductions were informal and the Prince was smiling at Carlson in a friendly way. But there was nothing in his smile that suggested pleasure.
"I'm glad we finally get to meet, Dr. Carlson."
"The pleasure is mine, Your Highness."
"No need for formalities. Please, call me Habib."
Carlson relaxed a little. He was surprised that the Prince had virtually no middle-eastern accent. He spoke more like a mid-westerner. Carlson attributed this to the Prince's education at the University of Michigan, before going on to Oxford. The Prince was obviously well refined. Everything about him said money. "Fine, Habib it is."
"Good." The prince shot the cuffs of his jacket, nearly blinding Carlson with the brilliant ruby cufflinks he wore. "Now, shall we get down to business?
Carlson nodded. "Yes, unfortunately I do." He was familiar with the museum's doomed effort to bring the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction. It began in 1999 when the museum's main scientist, Dr. Alan Whiting, extracted DNA from an ethanol-preserved female pup in its collection. A year later, they extracted further DNA from two other preserved pups; the tissue source was bone, tooth, bone marrow, and dried muscle. Dr. Whiting announced that the preserved female pup's DNA gave the scientists the Tasmanian tiger's X chromosome and the other male samples produced the male Y chromosome.
Then in 2002, Whiting announced a breakthrough in his efforts to clone the Tasmanian tiger, saying they had replicated some of the genes using a process called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. The PCR's showed short fragments of undamaged Tasmanian tiger DNA, and there was no reason these couldn't work in a living cell. The next stage was to make large quantity copies of all the genes of the tiger so they could be used to construct synthetic chromosomes. Whiting said he hoped to clone a Tasmanian tiger in 10 years, provided they were successful in constructing sufficient quantities of all the genes of the tiger and sequencing sections of the genome, thus creating a genetic library of Tasmanian tiger DNA.
Unfortunately, hope and reality rarely occupy the same space. In February 2005, they announced the sad news; the project to resurrect the Tasmanian tiger was to be suspended indefinitely. After five years trying to extract DNA from preserved Tasmanian tigers in an effort to bring the lost creature back to life, the Australian Museum abandoned the ambitious project, announcing its supply of Tasmanian tiger DNA had become too degraded. In truth, the museum lacked the skills, facilities and finances to continue the project.
Six months later, Whiting killed himself.
"At any rate," Elkstrom continued, "we now find ourselves in a similar situation. This time we are forced into it because of the financial backing behind it."
"That would seem to eliminate the risk for you," Carlson said.
"It eliminates the financial risk. We still have our considerable reputation on the line. And, lest you think me blinded by loyalty to the Museum, there is even more at stake. If the cloning fails and we waste that Thylacine fetus in the process, we will have lost one of the greatest exhibits in history. That fetal Thylacine is the last one of its kind in the world, period."
Seven
----
A HALF HOUR LATER , P ETER C ARLSON sat at a huge bamboo conference table staring at the image on the screen as Colin Elkstrom tore open a manila envelope and passed some documents around. Seated across from Carlson were the Prince of Dunali and his assistants. Introductions were informal and the Prince was smiling at Carlson in a friendly way. But there was nothing in his smile that suggested pleasure.
"I'm glad we finally get to meet, Dr. Carlson."
"The pleasure is mine, Your Highness."
"No need for formalities. Please, call me Habib."
Carlson relaxed a little. He was surprised that the Prince had virtually no middle-eastern accent. He spoke more like a mid-westerner. Carlson attributed this to the Prince's education at the University of Michigan, before going on to Oxford. The Prince was obviously well refined. Everything about him said money. "Fine, Habib it is."
"Good." The prince shot the cuffs of his jacket, nearly blinding Carlson with the brilliant ruby cufflinks he wore. "Now, shall we get down to business?
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