AI Identifies Genetic Switches Crucial for Dodo De-extinction Efforts

US biotech firm Colossal Biosciences has achieved a significant advancement in the quest to revive the dodo, identifying thousands of genetic switches associated with the extinct bird's unique appearance using artificial intelligence. The AI platform pinpointed over 2,300 pieces of regulatory DNA believed to be linked to the dodo's characteristic skull and beak.

This discovery provides a crucial genetic roadmap for potentially recreating some of the dodo's most recognizable traits in its closest living relative, the Nicobar pigeon. The identified genetic targets can now undergo experimental testing and possible editing in living birds.

Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal, stated that de-extinction presents both biological and data challenges. He explained that due to the limited number of surviving dodo genomes, traditional population-level comparisons are not feasible. Colossal's platform addresses this by learning how regulatory DNA influences living birds and then identifying specific genetic switches that may have contributed to the dodo's anatomy. This approach is seen as a repeatable method for resurrecting other extinct species with similarly limited genomic records.

Regulatory DNA, distinct from genes that instruct an animal's construction, functions like a series of switches controlling the timing and location of gene activation during development. Colossal's AI system, named GenoMorph, analyzed genetic information from various living bird species, comparing it with detailed measurements of their skulls and beaks. The research team constructed an avian regulatory atlas using hundreds of samples from chickens, quail, ducks, and pigeons across multiple embryonic developmental stages. This data was combined with scans and genomic information from over 70 bird species, including the Nicobar pigeon.

The AI identified 653 potential regulatory elements linked to beak size and an additional 1,698 associated with beak thickness and breadth.

While scientists emphasize that these findings do not definitively prove causality, they provide a prioritized list of genetic targets for experimental validation and potential editing into living birds.

This development is the latest in Colossal's ongoing dodo de-extinction program. The company has increased its Nicobar pigeon colony in Texas to 36 birds and has developed a novel gene-editing delivery system capable of introducing DNA, RNA, and CRISPR-based tools into developing bird embryos. These combined advancements establish the technological foundation necessary for the eventual recreation of key dodo traits.