Hybrid “Planimal” Cells Retain Nearly Complete Algal Genome After Fusion Test

Researchers have managed to generate hybrid cells, termed “planimals,” through the fusion of animal and algal cells, and their analysis indicates that these hybrids retain nearly the whole algal genome. Reported in a recent pre‑print, the result shows that DNA from a photosynthetic partner can survive within a non‑photosynthetic host to a far greater extent than earlier assumptions suggested.

The procedure combined the cytoplasm of cultured animal cells with that of a green alga using the conventional polyethylene glycol‑mediated fusion method. Once the cells were fused, the team extracted the hybrid nuclei and carried out whole‑genome sequencing, uncovering that most algal genes stayed intact inside the planimal cells.

These findings dispute the traditional notion that, during cell fusion, the nuclear genome of one participant usually prevails while the other's is eliminated or repressed. Rather, the planimal cells seem to preserve an almost complete complement of algal chromosomes, indicating a more equitable genetic input than conventional vertical inheritance models would anticipate.

Vertical inheritance—DNA transmitted directly from parent to progeny—has traditionally underpinned genetics. The planimal study offers a lab‑based illustration of a non‑vertical transfer route, reminiscent of natural events like endosymbiosis that produced mitochondria and chloroplasts eons ago.

In addition to its theoretical significance, retaining algal DNA within animal cells creates opportunities for synthetic‑biology initiatives. Scientists imagine engineered life forms that merge animal metabolic routes with photosynthetic functions, possibly yielding innovative bio‑fuel production methods or fresh approaches to carbon capture.

Upcoming research will aim to ascertain if the preserved algal genes remain functionally expressed across successive cell divisions and to evaluate the hybrid genome’s stability. Ethical and biosafety issues are also being considered as the discipline advances toward more intricate inter‑kingdom cellular engineering.