Copulating cancer cells

Abstract

Cancer cells are notoriously tricky; despite treatments designed to kill them, they can keep returning by quickly evolving or diversifying their genetics. Mutation is one way that cancer cells can switch up their genetics. Now, a group led by Andriy Marusyk of the University of South Florida has found another mechanism, one that looks a lot like sex. In in vivo and in vitro tests, Marusyk’s team found that a small number of cancer cells can combine their DNA by fusing together, taking on characteristics of both parent cells ( Nat. Ecol. Evol. 2021, DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01367-y ). Researchers have seen cancer cells fuse before, but it wasn’t clear if there was a benefit to the cells. Marusyk’s team wondered if parasexual recombination—combining two cells to create one new one—might be happening. To find out, the researchers made two populations of breast cancer cells, each modified to produce a different fluorescent