Biologists from the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, with the participation of American colleagues from Rutgers University, have found that 23 species of golden and brown algae borrowed genes from bacteria during their evolution in order to use their beneficial properties. This was reported in the journal Science Advances.

DNA analysis showed that from 0.16% to 1.44% of the genes of the studied organisms were acquired. 

Genetic "theft," known as horizontal gene transfer, has provided algae with the ability to resist stress factors and break down carbohydrates necessary for nutrition. Thanks to these properties, algae successfully survive hundreds of millions of years.

As scientists noted, the studied group of brown and golden algae is part of the basis of the food chain of the oceans, emitting about 70% of terrestrial oxygen. Diatoms alone are the most important component of marine plankton and produce up to 45% of all organic matter on the planet.

“An extensive group of species of golden and brown algae ... creates and consumes a huge amount of organic substances. There are hundreds of thousands of representatives of this group, and they have been flourishing on the Earth for more than a billion years, ”said the author, Honored Professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology of the Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences of Ratger University Debashish Bhattacharya.

Recall that earlier researchers at Rutgers University have already carried out similar work to identify acquired genes in the DNA of red algae. Then scientists were able to find out that ten species of red algae also “stole” about 1% of their genes from bacteria, including to cope with the effects of toxic metals and to combat an excess of salt in hot springs.

  • Diatoms are the most important component of marine plankton and produce up to 45% of all organic matter on the planet.
  • © Julia Van Etten

According to researchers, the discovery of such phenomena in nature can be used for the benefit of mankind. Understanding the transfer mechanism of useful properties is useful for developing new methods in genetic engineering, including for the artificial creation of new types of algae that can produce fuel or substances for cleaning water from pollution.