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Jessica Thomas Thorpe

@jessthorpemas.bsky.social

Janet Thornton Post-Doc Fellow @darwintreelife @wellcomesangergenome, Cambridge; Phylogenomics of Isopoda; also mammoth, caddisflies, molecular evolution

16 Posts995 Follower 1053 Folgt

Lewis Stevens @phylewgenetics.bsky.social · 9mo ago

New preprint! We unexpectedly discovered that some Caenorhabditis species delete parts of their somatic genome early in development, which fragments their chromosomes and eliminates key germline genes. Multiple lines of evidence suggest this bizarre process was present in the ancestors of C. elegans

Figure with three panels. Left: phylogenetic tree of Caenorhabditis species, highlighting those with programmed DNA elimination. Middle: plot showing chromosomal locations of eliminated DNA. Right: Images showing DNA fragments being eliminated during early development.

bioRxivpreprint@biorxivpreprint.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Programmed DNA elimination was present in the last common ancestor of Caenorhabditis nematodes https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.23.681605v1

Amjad Khalaf 🇵🇸@amjadkhalaf.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Really, really happy that our work on microsporidian genomes is now out in @plosbiology.org! A huge thank you to my coauthors, my supervisors @mblaxter.bsky.social & @marakat.bsky.social, the editors @roliroberts.bsky.social & Joseph Heitman, and the reviewers ❤️ plos.io/48HsAQJ

Forty new genomes shed light on sexual reproduction and the origin of tetraploidy in Microsporidia

Microsporidia are single-celled, intracellular parasites of growing public health, agricultural, and economic importance. This study presents 40 new microsporidian genomes derived collaterally from Da...

plos.io

PLOS Biology@plosbiology.org · 10mo ago

#Microsporidia are #parasites of growing importance. ‪@amjadkhalaf.bsky.social‬ ‪@mblaxter.bsky.social @marakat.bsky.social &co present 40 new genomes from #DarwinTreeofLife sequencing of their arthropod hosts, revealing insights into #tetraploidy & #reproduction @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/48HsAQJ

Top: Prevalence of Microsporidia in DToL insect genomes. Microsporidian genomes recovered from insect hosts, split by taxonomic order. F: female, M: male, U: unspecified sex. Bottom: Simplified proposed generalized lifecycle for Microsporidia. This proposed model posits that each nucleus is a diploid, and that microsporidian reproduction mirrors reproduction in Fungi with stages similar to karyogamy, plasmogamy, and a stable “heterokaryon” (known as a diplokaryon in Microsporidia). Importantly, both the diplokaryotic and monokaryotic phases are parasitic, and species may spend most of their lifecycle in one or the other phase, giving rise to “diploid” and “tetraploid” lineages.

Filippo Nicolini 🧬@filonico.bsky.social · 10mo ago

I praise animals hiding legs beneath their body, especially if those legs are of the arthropod-type 🙏 Also... I am in charge here, & I decide how you pose for me. Day16 of #invertober2025 spotlights the giant isopod 🫶 dont know why, but I imagine it to be very much stompy down there 🥹 #MarineLife

A vectorial digital drawing of a Bathynomus giganteus, or Giant Isopod, set against a pale blue background. The isopod is viewed from directly above, showing its highly segmented, oval body. Its exoskeleton is colored in shades of light purple-gray and pale pink/tan, with a dark outline emphasizing the segmentation. The animal's head and small antennae are visible at the top, and its tail is visible at the bottom. The text "invertobter2025 - Day 16" is in the bottom right corner.

Jessica Thomas Thorpe @jessthorpemas.bsky.social · last yr.

Yay mammoth! And nice work Camilo!

J. Camilo Chacón-Duque@jcchacond.bsky.social · last yr.

For my first-ever bsky post, I’m thrilled to share our latest #ancientDNA research, which I co-led with @jessthorpemas.bsky.social OA: doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf065 We recovered and analysed mitochondrial genomes from many #mammoths spanning the last million years 🦣🧬⌛ Check this 🧵 we wrote ⬇️

Jessica Thomas Thorpe @jessthorpemas.bsky.social · last yr.

And if anyone is kicking themselves for missing it, here is the recording for my #ProcB seminar yesterday on #isopod #phylogenomics. cassyni.com/events/VVbok...

Cassyni | Science starts with a seminar

Seamlessly organise, run and publish academic research seminars. Get started in minutes.

cassyni.com

Jessica Thomas Thorpe @jessthorpemas.bsky.social · last yr.

I'll be talking about my #ProcB isopod phylogenomics paper in the Royal Society Publishing Ecology & Evolution Online Seminar Series, live (with Q&A) next Weds 26th Feb 2pm (UK). Please reshare to reach all the lovers of #isopods (& #phylogenomics), who might be interested in their #evolution! 🧪

Royal Society Publishing@royalsocietypublishing.org · last yr.

Adaptation to life on land evolved multiple times in arthropods, but what about isopods? Join us on Weds 26 Feb at 2pm (UK) to hear #ProcB author @jessthorpemas.bsky.social discuss her work on this key ecological transition. Find out more & sign up: cassyni.com/events/VVbok...

Joana Meier @joanameier.bsky.social · last yr.

Do you use Darwin Tree of Life (DToL) genomes for your work or grant applications? If so, can you please fill out this form? docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... We are gathering info on how DToL genomes are used. It will help us raise money to continue producing publicly available high-quality genomes.

Darwin Tree of Life Impact Assessment

This form is used to share information within DToL about case studies, ongoing research, and funding awards that demonstrate the impact the Darwin Tree of Life consortium project has had on Global and...

docs.google.com

Jessica Thomas Thorpe @jessthorpemas.bsky.social · last yr.

Royal Society Publishing@royalsocietypublishing.org · last yr.

Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · last yr.

Jessica Thomas Thorpe @jessthorpemas.bsky.social · last yr.

I recently shared my journey into #isopod #science 🧪 with The Marine Biologist magazine! 🦐 From Jurassic Park sparking my curiosity in DNA, to studying isopod genomics with #sanger #darwintreeoflife - read it here: mymba.mba.ac.uk/resource/unf... Thanks @thembauk.bsky.social for the opportunity!

Unfurling isopod evolution

<b>From underneath plant pots to the deep sea, genomic studies reveal the intricate world of isopods.</b>

mymba.mba.ac.uk

Priyantha Wijesinghe @elaphrornis.bsky.social · 2y ago

For #Crustmas one of my favorite woodlouse (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) species: Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii . 29 April 2024, Marine Park area, Brooklyn, NYC. On @inaturalist.bsky.social www.inaturalist.org/observations...

Ant Woodlouse (Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii)

Ant Woodlouse from Long Island, New York, NY, US on April 29, 2024 at 03:08 PM by Priyantha Wijesinghe. Marine Park, Brooklyn. Path from Nature Center trail to Lenape Playground. Under log. With host...

inaturalist.org

Ryan Howard @abyssalaquanaut.bsky.social · 2y ago

I believe this species is part of the cirolanidae family that likely feeds on the carcasses of dead animals. The oldest isopod fossils date back around 300 million years, so they’ve been around a long time! 🧪 #MarineLife #Inverts

Keiichi Kakui @tanaidologist.bsky.social · 2y ago

(in September) Shiraki & Kakui ab digenean parasitic in anthuroid isopod published online ウミナナフシを利用する吸虫に関する成果がオンライン公開されました． article link: doi.org/10.1016/j.pa...

Squidpastry @squidpastry.bsky.social · 2y ago

Ancinus depressus, the flat pillbug, for day 16 of #crustmas! This is a wonderfully rectangular, flat isopod that likes the sandy, shelly substrates of nearshore marine habitats, particularly beaches. When threatened, it rolls into a ball. It's flat, broad shape means it can only try it's best.

Close-up photograph of Ancinus depressus, a white, rectangular-shaped, flattened isopod in the palm of my hand. It's eyes are tiny, and on either side of it's head at the front of it's body. It's telson is triangular and large, taking up a considerable portion of the animal's length (about a quarter). It's shell is pale, white and subtly mottled greyish tones.

Close-up photograph of Ancinus depressus, a white, rectangular-shaped, flattened isopod in the palm of my hand. It is now attempting to roll into a ball, but due to it's shape, it can only manage a wide, oblong form. It's telson, being so large, juts out prominently from underneath it's head.

Spidermax @spidermax3000.bsky.social · 2y ago

It’s the 19th day of #crustmas and earlier this month I went out in the cold 40° weather to find this wild #isopod for this celebration. (Shot near Cincinnati 12-4-24) #photography #invert #macrophotography #crustacean

Mike Kelly @mikesidkelly.bsky.social · 2y ago

For #Crustmas - a long isopod on the stipe of a kelp that was washed up on the beach and taken into the lab. I believe it is the kelp isopod Pentidotea.

A very long and thin isopod crustacean on a kelp stem. The isopod has the look of a centipede. It is on top of and parallel to the stem and is facing toward the left. The view is side-on. The isopod is gripping the stem with six of its apparently seven pairs of legs. It has long antennae that are pointing forward and appear to be a little over half the length of the body. The overall color of the isopod is tan, but it has a dark line across the body where each of its seven body segments meet. It also has five or six fainter lines that run from head to tail evenly spread across the upper body. Its legs are transparent. A small eye is visible. The kelp stem is dark brown, and there is a second stem above this one and the isopod. The background is the tangled root-like holdfast of the kelp, and it is a much lighter yellowish brown.

KamilSJaron.bsky.social @kamilsjaron.bsky.social · 2y ago

Tree of Life at Sanger released 2,000 genomes! All beautiful, (close to) chromosomally complete references free to be used by anyone. www.linkedin.com/posts/sanger...

Tree of Life Programme on LinkedIn: We are celebrating 2,000 published genomes made public. 🎀 We're asking:…

We are celebrating 2,000 published genomes made public. 🎀 We're asking: Have you used Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life reference genomes in your…

linkedin.com

Jessica Thomas Thorpe @jessthorpemas.bsky.social · 2y ago

Excited to share that my isopod evolution paper is now out: Phylogenomics supports a single origin of terrestriality in in isopods Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

Phylogenomics supports a single origin of terrestriality in isopods | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Terrestriality, the adaptation to life on land, is one of the key evolutionary transitions, occurring numerous times across the tree of life. Within Arthropoda, there have been several independent tra...

doi.org

Jessica Thomas Thorpe @jessthorpemas.bsky.social · 2y ago

New preprint! Phylogenomics supports a single origin of terrestriality in isopods. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...