Colossal Biosciences has utilized an AI platform to identify over 2,300 genetic switches that shaped the dodo's unique beak and skull. This discovery provides a roadmap for editing the Nicobar pigeon to mirror the extinct bird's anatomy.
GenoMorph's 2,300 Genetic Switches for the Dodo
The US-based biotech firm Colossal Biosciences has deployed a specialized AI system called GenoMorph to solve a critical gap in de-extinction: the lack of surviving dodo genomes. According to the report, the GenoMorph platform pinpointed more than 2,300 pieces of regulatory DNA that act as switches, controlling the timing and location of genetic insttructions during the bird's development.
These findings are specifically divided by anatomical traits. The AI identified 653 candidate regulatory elements associated with the size of the beak, while another 1,698 elements were linked to the thickness and breadth of the dodo's beak. by targeting these specific switches, Colossal Biosciences aims to recreate the most recognizable physical features of the extinct species in a living host.
The Avian Regulatory Atlas and 70 Bird Species
To achieve these results, Colossal Biosciences did not rely on dodo DNA alone, but instead built what they describe as an "avian regulatory atlas." This atlas was constructed using hundreds of samples from living birds, including ducks, quail, chickens, and pigeons, across various stages of embryonic growth. As the report says, the team combined this data with genome information and scans from more than 70 different bird species, including the Nicobar pigeon.
This approach reflects a broader shift in synthetic biology where AI is used to infer missing genetic data from living relatives . Ben Lamm, the CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences, noted that de-extinction is as much a "data problem as a biology problem." By learning how regulatory DNA shapes existing birds, the GenoMorph system can predict the switches that likely contributed to the dodo's distinctive anatomy, creating a repeatable model for other extinct species with limited genomic records.
36 Nicobar Pigeons in Texas and the CRISPR Delivery System
The theoretical mapping is now moving into a physical testing phase at Colossal Biosciences' facilities. The company has expanded its colony of Nicobar pigeons in Texas, which now consists of 36 birds.. These pigeons serve as the primary biological canvas for the genetic edits identified by the AI.
To facilitate these changes, Colossal Biosciences has developed a new gene-editing delivery system. This technology is capable of inserting CRISPR-based tools, RNA, and DNA directly into developing bird embryos. This infrastructure provides the necessary technological foundation to transition from a digital roadmap of 2,300 switches to the actual biological manifestation of dodo-like traits in a living avian embryo.
The Gap Between 653 Candidate Elements and Proven Traits
Despite the technical progress, significant scientific hurdles remain regarding the actual causality of these genetic switches. Colossal Biosciences has stressed that the identification of 653 elements for beak size and 1,698 for thickness does not yet prove that these specific switches caused those traits in the original dodo population.
Because the findings currently exist as a "shortlist" of targets, it remains unknown how many of these edits will actually produce the intended physical results when applied to the Nicobar pigeon. Furthermore, the report does not mention independent peer review of the GenoMorph findings, leaving the scientific community to wait for experimental verification to see if these AI-predicted switches translate into real-world anatomy.
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