Marco Castellani
@holocastellani.bsky.social
Chromosome biology, meiotic recombination, holocentric plants ☘️❤️
Nature ersearch paper: Sex without crossovers mimics clonal reproduction in Rhynchospora tenuis go.nature.com/3UXKc6g
Sex without crossovers mimics clonal reproduction in Rhynchospora tenuis - Nature
Rhynchospora tenuis undergoes obligate, genome-wide achiasmy in both male and female meiosis.
go.nature.com
Nature research paper: The mutational dynamics of the Arabidopsis centromeres go.nature.com/4d3lLKH
The mutational dynamics of the Arabidopsis centromeres - Nature
Centromeres in Arabidopsis thaliana evolve through frequent insertions and deletions of repeat units and increased rates of point mutations driven by homology-directed repair, a mutation spectrum that is sufficient to generate and maintain large homogenized tandem-repeat blocks.
go.nature.com
Brazilian beak-sedge reproduces through pollen, fertilization and seeds, but its surviving offspring are genetic clones of their mothers. More than 10,000 pollen nuclei showed no DNA crossovers. doi.org/hcjqf3
Brazilian sedge reproduces sexually but without DNA reshuffling, producing genetic clones
Sexual reproduction usually reshuffles genetic information, creating offspring that differ from their parents. But one small plant takes an unexpected route.
phys.org
Brazilian sedge reproduces sexually but without DNA reshuffling, producing genetic clones phys.org/news/2026-09... via @phys.org.web.brid.gy
Brazilian sedge reproduces sexually but without DNA reshuffling, producing genetic clones
Sexual reproduction usually reshuffles genetic information, creating offspring that differ from their parents. But one small plant takes an unexpected route. In a new study published in Nature, an int...
phys.org
📣📣Paper Alert! New paper @nature.com from the Marques group @amarques.bsky.social and colleagues on Rhynchospora tenuis - 🌿a plant that reproduces sexually but has completely lost the reshuffling of DNA🧬 Congratulations! 👏 🥳 Read more👉 www.mpipz.mpg.de/pr-marques-2... www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Sex without crossovers mimics clonal reproduction in Rhynchospora tenuis - Nature
Rhynchospora tenuis undergoes obligate, genome-wide achiasmy in both male and female meiosis.
nature.com
So proud of this! Once again great teamwork and a great story from a very unusual model!!! Check it out!!!!
André Marques@amarques.bsky.social · 4w agoOut today in Nature: sex without crossovers. Rhynchospora tenuis makes pollen, fertilises and sets seed, yet 0 crossovers in 10,997 pollen nuclei. Chromosome drive and ~87% seed abortion rebuild the mother's genotype, so the offspring are clones. doi.org/10.1038/s415...
For farmers and consumers to reap the benefits, guidelines for farming gene-edited plants must be implemented with careful thought, says plant geneticist and agronomist Nico De Storme. go.nature.com/4gUoqsD
CRISPR crops are coming to Europe — why bolder would be better
For farmers and consumers to reap the benefits, guidelines for farming gene-edited plants must be implemented with careful thought.
go.nature.com
Extra caffeinated. Writing emails and grants
Jim Carrey Typing Intensely
ALT: Jim Carrey Typing Intensely
static.klipy.com
Feedback must be filtered. Too much positive feedback (e.g. from your closest circle) will make you overconfident and hyped. But pure negative feedback will make you question your basics, without giving you space to elaborate. Find the balance and don't get overwhelmed!
Meiosis alert! Last few days to register for #BMM2026. Calling all postdocs/PhD students: your chance to meet the community, give a talk, present your poster! Hosted at the beautiful Royal Society HQ in London this year! www.rothamsted.ac.uk/event/xvi-br...
We are hiring POSTDOC now!🚨please repost! Fully-funded 5-year position 👩🏻🔬👨🔬🧬Looking forward to your application!✉️
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... Very nice work from Holger Puchta & colleagues
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis
The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana consists of 10 chromosomes. By inducing CRISPR-Cas–mediated breaks at subcentromeric and subtelomeric sequences, we fused entire chromosome arms, obtaining two eight...
science.org
Last week was a great experience to participate at the MBP2026 in Hennef. Great talks (mostly trainees!) and posters, and great networking. I got to know a lot of supportive professors, willing to provide opportunities, explore ideas and give great feedback. So cool! #MBP2026
📣We’re excited to announce that registration for the Plant Meiosis Meeting is now open‼️ The website and preliminary program are live, and abstract submission will open soon. Book accommodation early due to major trade fairs in Poznań! See you in Poznań! 🌱 pmm.amu.edu.pl
Navigating the transition to academic independence is challenging for sure. But also exciting!
I recently worked with @amarques.bsky.social to make illustrations and finalize figures for three scientific publications focusing on the evolution and function of holocentric chromosomes I can also help you illustrate your research with effective figures, graphical abstracts, and infographics 🧪🐡
André Marques@amarques.bsky.social · 9mo ago📢 Three new #bioRxiv preprints from our team on holocentric chromosomes. Together, they connect centromere repeat evolution, karyotype dynamics, and meiotic recombination outcomes, revealing how holocentric genomes evolve and function. 🧬👇
A new extreme of meiotic evolution: ✔️ 𝗻𝗼 crossovers ✔️ 𝗻𝗼 gene conversion ✔️ 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 meiosis & fertility Sex mimics clonality without becoming asexual, in the holocentric multicellular eukaryote 𝘙𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴. more about it: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Another beauty from our recent study! 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 thousands of holocentromeres' synteny across 40 MY of evolution Turns out holocentromeres can be stable in identity but wildly dynamic in structure. 🧬 If you want to read more about it, here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... #Centromeres #Pangenome
@amarques.bsky.social really knows how to tell a story graphically. Maybe the most information dense but visually appealing figure I've seen recently!
André Marques@amarques.bsky.social · 9mo ago2️⃣ A holocentric pangenome links karyotype evolution to meiotic recombination 🔄 Structural variation and recombination landscapes are tightly intertwined in holocentric systems. 🔗 doi.org/10.64898/202...
Pangenome analysis reveals the evolutionary dynamics of repeat-based holocentromeres https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.17.700053v1
📣Plant Meiosis Meeting is back for its second edition‼️ Save the date: 9–11 September 2026, Poznań, Poland🌱 More details coming soon🤩
📢 Three new #bioRxiv preprints from our team on holocentric chromosomes. Together, they connect centromere repeat evolution, karyotype dynamics, and meiotic recombination outcomes, revealing how holocentric genomes evolve and function. 🧬👇
2️⃣ A holocentric pangenome links karyotype evolution to meiotic recombination 🔄 Structural variation and recombination landscapes are tightly intertwined in holocentric systems. 🔗 doi.org/10.64898/202...
doi.org
I recently underwent LASIK surgery to correct my myopia. I asked if i could have implants to help me with STED microscopy or deconvolution. Not an option, unfortunately.
Our 1st PlantEd Training School is underway now in Düsseldorf! 🌱🧬 With early career scientists attending from all over the world to train up on targeted plant mutagenesis, we're happy to see them out enjoying the sights yesterday evening after a packed first day! #plantscience #earlycareer
Still digesting the EMBO Meiosis meeting. Scientific content was so high and networking too. Gathered great feedback about my project so now I'm extra motivated to carry on the good work. Until next time! #meiosis4eva
Talks were soooo good, and it was only the first session! Can't wait for more 🤤 #embomeiosis2025
On my way to EMBO Meiosis 2025 in Engelberg!! I'm packing some crazy results, get ready 🙏
