Very happy to see this work out as a preprint! 🌽🌱 How are shoot stem cells specified in the maize embryo? We uncover a small RNA-driven morphogenic circuit linking positional information with auxin, cell wall mechanics & cell division patterning. Check it out 👇 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Specification of embryonic shoot stem cells via a small RNA-driven morphogenic circuit

The specification of embryonic stem cells capable of self-renewing and differentiation into virtually any cell type, is one of the most consequential events in the development of a multicellular organ...

biorxiv.org

If I were an Early Career Researcher (#ECR) today, I wouldn’t join a lab that doesn’t #preprint (the PI agreed to keep paying me until my paper is finally published). It now takes ages to get papers through peer review, and without preprints you’re putting your future in someone else’s hands.

Tek et al. report chromosome-scale genome assemblies for four duckweed species, the smallest and fastest-growing angiosperms, which exhibit extreme morphological reduction yet retain remarkable genomic plasticity. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evag163 #societyjournal #genome

Chromosome-Scale Genome Assemblies of Duckweeds Provide Insights Into Genomic Plasticity, Aquatic Adaptation, and Morphological Reduction

Abstract. Duckweeds (Lemnaceae) present a striking example of convergent genome evolution following the return from land to water. As the smallest and fast

doi.org

J. Craig Venter 1946–2026 | Nature Biotechnology

J. Craig Venter 1946–2026 - Nature Biotechnology

nature.com

Preprint! How do "friendly" rhizobia build a legume nodule? @albinteulet.bsky.social found that some may carry hidden transcription factors - proteins that mimic DNA-binding folds to enter the plant nucleus and rewrite its developmental program. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... (1/6)

@therealpdogue.bsky.social , Salzberg & Wolfe find evidence that virus-like elements were present in the common ancestor of all terrestrial fungi, and that they were already subdivided into killer and helper types by this time. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/... #societyjournal #genome #evolution

Evidence that Zymocin-Like Killer Plasmids Were Present in the Common Ancestor of Terrestrial Fungi

Abstract. Some budding yeasts secrete killer toxins made by linear dsDNA plasmids located in the cytosol. The best-known example is the Kluyveromyces lacti

doi.org

The 'heart' of the #Mycorrhiza #fungi #symbiosis is the arbuscule where plant and fungus exchange nutrients and carbon. Try the arbuscule growth simulator. Let me know how you adjust parameters to get the most beautiful arbuscules. schornacklabslcu.github.io/Arbuscule-Sim/

NEW BLOG FOR YOU Google's energy consumption numbers in their new climate report are mind-blowing. 2 years ago they flipped from linear to exponential growth, and their climate impact is blowing out, too. A WILD testament to the obscene bloat and waste of GenAI: ketanjoshi.co/2026/07/01/g...

What if one organism could copy itself and merge with others, weaving vast living networks? Meet the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi 🦠 Cambridge researcher Dr Jennifer McGaley from @camplantsci has filmed these fungi in action for the very first time. Find out more 👉 https://bit.ly/4ghAynD

my kind of Jubilee, the Japanese national team vs. 100 kids

Very happy this is now published in full! Symbiotic phosphate transporter dynamics in rice expose functional plasticity of the arbuscules www.nature.com/articles/s41... A thread of some of our findings (and timelapses) below 🧵🔬🎥

Nous cherchons un ou une collègue au département de Biologie de l'Université Laval, à Québec: Professeure ou professeur en biologie cellulaire, biologie moléculaire ou génétique. Partagez dans vos réseaux! www.rh.ulaval.ca/emplois-disp...

Awesome! 👏 Finally, science has convinced sufficient politicians to approve the new NGT-rules to enable CRISPR-based plant breeding! Time to celebrate!🎉🎊🥂🧬✂️🌱 www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

New genomic techniques for plants to boost innovation in sustainable agriculture | News | European Parliament

Parliament has adopted new rules facilitating access to new plants that are climate and pest resistant, give higher yields and require fewer pesticides.

europarl.europa.eu

Japan reforested with Japanese cedar (sugi) and cypress (hinoki) in the 1950s to rebuild post-war forests. Now the pollen gives 40%+ of its population hay fever. Climate change extends pollen seasons further. Today’s decisions shape tomorrow’s reality. Short-term fixes can become long-term crises.

Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame

A decision made 70 years ago to reforest vast swathes of Japan with just two kinds of tree has come back to haunt the country.

bbc.co.uk

We just published our new paper about an active Helitron transposon in wheat 🌾🧬 We found that it can be mobilised by heat stress when DNA methylation is reduced. We document its full lifecycle: RNA -> circular DNA -> integration www.nature.com/articles/s41... #TEsky

An active Helitron transposon family in wheat - Nature Plants

Helitrons are a recently identified category of transposons. This study reveals that heat stress combined with reduced DNA methylation can mobilize a Helitron family in wheat. Its mobilization is gene...

nature.com

World map of antimicrobial resistance @DTUtweet www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

New and more detailed world map of antimicrobial resistance

There are large geographical differences in both how frequently resistant genes occur and in which types of bacteria the genes are found. This is shown by analyses of sewage from throughout the globe,...

eurekalert.org

#TEsky Transposons drove the evolution of a male sex-determining gene from a female gene with deep introgression across cichlids doi.org/10.1126/scia...

Transposons drove the evolution of a male sex-determining gene from a female gene with deep introgression across cichlids

A gene from the female pathway was repurposed to determine male sex in tilapia, revealing an unusual evolutionary mechanism.

doi.org

Please take the time to review and sign this petition in support of the U.S. National Fungus Collections, which are being threatened in the face of the USDA reorganization efforts. c.org/KQWY7fNhGw 🍄

Sign the Petition

Preserve and support the U​.​S. National Fungus Collections

c.org

Making Connections...🖇️ Koh Aoki & Ayako Tsushima offer a compelling insight into interspecific secondary #plasmodesmata and their importance in establishing symplastic connections between #ParasiticPlants and their hosts #OpenAccess: doi.org/10.1093/pcp/... #PlantScience

Interspecific secondary plasmodesmata at the parasitic interface

Abstract. Obligate parasitic plants often establish symplastic connections with their hosts. This symplastic continuity is mediated by plasma membrane-line

doi.org

Huge congratulations to Beverley Glover & Uta Paszkowski on being elected Fellows of the @royalsociety.org - a wonderful recognition of their significant contributions to plant sciences! 🎉 Read more: tinyurl.com/3vetucr4 @beverleycubg.bsky.social @paszkowskilab.bsky.social 🧪

ICYMI: New online! The long reach of the Red Queen

'We find that the Ty3-like giant transposon Burro1 is an ancient element that retains its mobility. Burro1 has incorporated a host-derived anti-apoptotic protein that upregulates upon stress and improves stem cell resilience, resulting in enhanced regenerative abilities in its host.'

Host-transposon mutualism supports regeneration in planarians

Lee et al. find that the planarian transposon Burro1 bolsters stem cell resilience by producing a functional host-derived caspase inhibitor during physiological stress. By suppressing apoptosis, activ...

cell.com

RNA from herbarium samples is more stable than previously thought and can be extracted for different uses genome.cshlp.org/content/earl.... Study led by @atyszka.org and in collaboration with @philcarella.bsky.social @khongsamchia.bsky.social @phylonatworks.bsky.social @sciencedrew.bsky.social

#Viewpoint: Status of mycorrhiza research in 2026 @alexdallaire.bsky.social & Hiromu Kameoka 👇 📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #LatestIssue #PlantScience

Submit your abstract for the New Phytologist Editor-in-Chief Symposium 'Collections through time: legacy and innovation' Deadline: 15 May Join us in Tartu, Estonia on 3 July 2026 👇 www.newphytologist.org/events/eics-... #PlantScience

Collections through time: legacy and innovation

Our annual New Phytologist Editor-in-Chief Symposium will be held on Friday, 3 July 2026, at the University of Tartu, home institution of New Phytologist’s Editor-in-Chief Maarja Öpik.

newphytologist.org

A quick reminder that the #GGFungi2026 Call For Projects closes on 21st April — just a few days away!  If you’re considering applying, now is the time: getgenome.net/callforproje...

GetGenome@getgenome.bsky.social · 7mo ago

#GGFungi2026 Call For Projects is now open for applications getgenome.net/callforproje... We will be holding an information session today 3rd March at 14:00 CET (08:00 Eastern US; 18:00 PKT). To sign up please complete this short form - forms.office.com/e/DssYYkkY9Z

Our work on chromatin evolution in brown algae is finally out! This is also my first "co-first author" paper!! I’m excited to share what we found 👇

Nature Ecology & Evolution@natecoevo.nature.com · 6mo ago

Chromatin plays a central role in gene regulation, but chromatin systems are only known for a few model species. This study analyses chromatin regulatory landscapes in brown algal lineages to elucidate their structural organization and evolution 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

✨ Paper spotlight ✨ (🧵 1/6) Status of mycorrhiza research in 2026 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

How much protein diversity can Life on Earth actually generate? With DIAMOND DeepClust, we show how billions of proteins across the tree of life can be clustered at low-identity for downstream analytics tasks. 📚Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41... 💻Code: github.com/bbuchfink/di...

Advances in #mycorrhizal symbiosis research, including highlights from ##iMMM2025 📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #Viewpoint by Dallaire and Kameoka @alexdallaire.bsky.social