I am the lead researcher conducting work on pigeon genomes for Revive and Restore, of the Longnow Foundation. The goal of this project is to recreate the extinct passenger pigeon. To do this we need to sequence the genome of the band-tailed pigeon, the closest living relative of the passenger pigeon (confirmed by DNA sequences already obtained). Funding for this work is already secured, and passenger pigeon DNA sequences obtained, but to assemble the sequences in order we need band-tailed pigeon DNA.
A blood sample is all that is required, either in the form of blood blots for standard DNA sexing tests, or preferably blood in liquid form in a small test tube (microcentrifuge tube). Any breeder contributing to this work will be fully recognized as a member of our team.
The following are requested:
1) blood sample - from a female
2) paperwork history of the bird being sampled
3) multiple photograp
hs of the bird, at least one with a ruler as reference to size
4) if the bird already has a name, great, if not, we need to give it one for press purposes.
Feel free to check out the following:
http://rare.longnow.org/http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120229-can-we-resurrect-extinct-species
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/JQ692598.2Thank you, please respond as soon as possible. Delivery costs can be covered by our project, and given current constraints on time, and difficulties obtaining tissue we are desiring tissue "in hand" for prep preferably by next week or earlier.