A Japanese team said that it has become the first in the world to create hybrid plant-animal cells, dubbed “planimal” cells, by fusing a unicellular alga called Cyanidioschyzon merolae into cultured animal cells.According to the team from the University of Tokyo, the Institute of Science Tokyo, Kindai University and others, all of C. merolae’s DNA was integrated into the animal cells’ chromosomes.But the hybrid cells were, in terms of function, animal cells because C. merolae’s DNA was suppressed and chloroplasts, which conduct photosynthesis, were degraded during fusion.
Japan team creates ‘planimal’ hybrid plant-animal cells in world first
Cells that produce useful animal and plant proteins and can be cultured using photosynthesis could offer new methods of producing drugs and meat.
In brief
A Japanese team said that it has become the first in the world to create hybrid plant-animal cells, dubbed “planimal” cells, by fusing a unicellular alga called Cyanidioschyzon merolae into cultured animal cells.According to the team from the University of Tokyo, the Institute of Science Tokyo, Kindai University and others, all of C. merolae’s DNA was integrated into the animal cells’ chromosomes.But the hybrid cells were, in terms of function, animal cells because C. merolae’s DNA was suppressed and chloroplasts, which conduct photosynthesis, were degraded during fusion.
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