Scientists have created a hybrid mouse by replacing a gene from an ancient single-celled ancestor with one found in modern mice. The researchers used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and swapped out the Sox2 gene for the corresponding Sox gene from choanoflagellates, which are the closest relatives of animal life. The “hybrid” iPSCs were then injected into a developing mouse embryo, resulting in a healthy mouse with distinct physical traits.
The study shows that modern stem cell functions originated long before the development of stem cells themselves, suggesting key genes may have emerged early in evolution to enable multicellular life. This breakthrough could inform new regenerative medicine therapies.
Source: https://newatlas.com/biology/ancient-gene-older-animal-life-mouse-engineer