Nature Podcast Briefing Chat: ‘Zombie cells’ resurrected with new genes
6 snips
Mar 27, 2026 Researchers revive ‘zombie’ Mycoplasma cells by swapping in new genomes and unpack why that proves the method works. They trace the roots of synthetic-cell work and explain why inactivating recipient DNA matters. The team explores adapting the transplant technique to other bacteria and CRISPR tests. A decades-long mouse cloning study reveals a cloning limit after many generations.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Genome Transplants Can Resurrect Dead Bacteria
- Researchers revived bacteria by transplanting a whole genome into cells whose original genomes were inactivated, proving genome-swapping can restore cellular function.
- They used Mycoplasma species and killed recipients first to avoid false positives from DNA uptake mechanisms.
Synthetic Mycoplasma Genome Verified With Antibiotic Marker
- Fifteen years after the first synthetic cell, researchers chemically synthesized a 1.1 million base-pair Mycoplasma genome and transplanted it into a related species.
- The synthetic genome included an antibiotic resistance marker to confirm successful transplantation by survival in antibiotics.
Kill Recipients To Avoid False Positives In Genome Swaps
- Use dead or genome-inactivated recipient cells to eliminate false positives from natural DNA uptake when testing whole-genome transfers.
- Inactivating recipients ensures any recovered function must come from the transplanted genome, strengthening proof-of-concept.