Loss of SETDB1-mediated H3K9me3 in human neural progenitor cells leads to transcriptional activation of L1 retrotransposons Abstract. Heterochromatin is characterized by an inaccessibility to the transcriptional machinery and is associated with the histone mark H3K9me3. However,

New paper from my lab out in NAR. We found that young L1 elements are controlled by SETDB1 and H3K9me3 in human neural progenitor cells via a mechanism independent of HUSH and TRIM28/KZNFs.

academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

Viral DNA in chimps silences brain gene humans still use The retroviral insert appears to inadvertently switch off a gene involved in brain development.

www.thetransmitter.org/evolution/vi...

International Genome Dynamics course in Institut Curie-Paris (April 8-15), experimental and computational methods in multiomics,with a #TE centered session.
Free registration, until Jan 15th
Don’t miss it!
👉training.institut-curie.org/courses/Genome-Dynamics-...
@institutcurie.bsky.social

Retroviral insertions contributed to the divergence of human and chimpanzee brains Over the past 5 to 7 million years, humans and chimpanzees have diverged in brain size, structural complexity, and cognitive abilities despite high conservation of protein-coding genes. Notably, the e...

New preprint from our lab: ‘Retroviral insertions contributed to the divergence of human and chimpanzee brains’. Very proud of this piece which took almost a decade to finish.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Our work provides a new genetic mechanism that influenced potentially both speciation and development of the human and chimpanzee brains. Big shoutout to all our collaborators! This project was truly a fantastic collaborative effort.

In this manuscript we describe how an ancient retroviral pandemic likely played a significant role in primate evolution, potentially through a population bottleneck early in ape evolution.

Retroviral insertions contributed to the divergence of human and chimpanzee brains Over the past 5 to 7 million years, humans and chimpanzees have diverged in brain size, structural complexity, and cognitive abilities despite high conservation of protein-coding genes. Notably, the e...

New preprint from our lab: ‘Retroviral insertions contributed to the divergence of human and chimpanzee brains’. Very proud of this piece which took almost a decade to finish.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

LINE-1 retrotransposons mediate cis-acting transcriptional control in human pluripotent stem cells and regulate early brain development.

Activation of transposable elements is linked to a region- and cell-type-specific interferon response in Parkinson’s disease.

New #publication and #preprint from @jakobssonasap.bsky.social!

⬅️ L1 retrotransposons in stem cells & organoids link L1s to CNS development 🔗 bit.ly/3XyLvGz

➡️ Transposable elements activate in the #Parkinsons brain, tied to interferon responses & a new pathological process 🔗 bit.ly/3LKC5Fo

Have a look at two of the latest outputs from CRN Team Jakobsson, examples of true team effort and collaboration 🧠 💫
We are grateful to @asapresearch.parkinsonsroadmap.org for making this research possible!

@jakobssonlab.bsky.social @kirkebylab.bsky.social @mollygale.bsky.social #RogerBarkerLab

Always a joy to join #EMBOMobileGenome -A week full of cool nature’s quirks and science along the friendliest crowd 🧬 Happy to have shared our work on ERVs in human brain evolution (talk by @jakobssonlab.bsky.social) and Parkinson’s disease (poster by yours truly) 🧠
#ASAP @jakobssonasap.bsky.social

Loss of SETDB1-mediated H3K9me3 in human neural progenitor cells leads to transcriptional activation of L1 retrotransposons Heterochromatin is characterised by an inaccessibility to the transcriptional machinery and is associated with the histone mark H3K9me3. However, studying the functional consequences of heterochromati...

Updated version of our preprint on how SETDB1-mediated H3K9me3 controls the expression of L1 elements in human neural progenitor cells. The new analysis in this revised version supports a role for active DNA demethylation of L1s in the absence of H3K9me3.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Loss of SETDB1-mediated H3K9me3 in human neural progenitor cells leads to transcriptional activation of L1 retrotransposons Heterochromatin is characterised by an inaccessibility to the transcriptional machinery and is associated with the histone mark H3K9me3. However, studying the functional consequences of heterochromati...

Updated version of our preprint on how SETDB1-mediated H3K9me3 controls the expression of L1 elements in human neural progenitor cells. The new analysis in this revised version supports a role for active DNA demethylation of L1s in the absence of H3K9me3.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Wonderful highlight of our work! 🧬

It was fun to write this preview with Larisa Okorokova. Congrats to @jakobssonlab.bsky.social and all coauthors for this nice piece of work !

🇸🇪

Promotional graphic for an EMBO Workshop titled "The mobile genome: genetic and physiological impacts of transposable elements," scheduled for 4-7 November 2025, at EMBL Heidelberg and virtually. The background features abstract DNA strands and a stylized graphic of a fruit fly in orange and green tones.

Join @embl.org for this conference exploring genetic and physiological impacts of transposable elements. Virtual registration is open until October 28. Learn more at plos.io/4nuqeZA.

Todays labmeeting became a tribute to Jane Goodall. Such an outstanding role model. 🙊

Activation of transposable elements is linked to a region- and cell-type-specific interferon response in Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disorder involving a neuroinflammatory response, the cause of which remains unclear. Transposable elements (TE) have been linked to i...

New preprint from my lab! We describe how transposable elements are activated in Parkinson’s disease, which is linked to an interferon response. We believe this study significantly advances our understanding of transposons and their role in human brains.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Activation of transposable elements is linked to a region- and cell-type-specific interferon response in Parkinson's disease www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09....

Fantastic collaboration with labs of @kirkebylab.bsky.social @mollygale.bsky.social and Roger Barker. Outstanding support from @asapresearch.parkinsonsroadmap.org

Activation of transposable elements is linked to a region- and cell-type-specific interferon response in Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disorder involving a neuroinflammatory response, the cause of which remains unclear. Transposable elements (TE) have been linked to i...

New preprint from my lab! We describe how transposable elements are activated in Parkinson’s disease, which is linked to an interferon response. We believe this study significantly advances our understanding of transposons and their role in human brains.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Human Brain Cell‐Type‐Specific Aging Clocks Based on Single‐Nuclei Transcriptomics Muralidharan and colleagues develop cell-type-specific transcriptomic aging clocks using single-nucleus RNA sequencing of human post mortem prefrontal cortex samples. These clocks accurately predict ....

New collaborative paper from our lab! We developed cell-type specific transcriptional ageing clocks using snRNA-seq data from human brain.

doi.org/10.1002/advs...

Team Jakobsson gathered in southern Sweden for a few inspiring days discussing PD, transposable elements and future plans. We even squeezed in a hike and enjoyed some beautiful views ☀️🌊 @jakobssonlab.bsky.social @kirkebylab.bsky.social @mollygale.bsky.social @asapresearch.parkinsonsroadmap.org

www.stemcellcenter.lu.se/article/why-...

LINE-1 retrotransposons mediate cis-acting transcriptional control in human pluripotent stem cells and regulate early brain development Adami et al. demonstrate that evolutionarily young L1s are expressed in human pluripotent stem cells and are dynamically regulated throughout neural differentiation. The study examines the role of L1s...

New paper from our lab! We found that LINE-1 transposons contribute to early human brain development.

Funded by @asapresearch.parkinsonsroadmap.org

www.cell.com/cell-genomic...

Anxa1+ dopamine neuron vulnerability defines prodromal Parkinson's disease bradykinesia and procedural motor learning impairment Progressive degeneration of dopamine neurons (DANs) defines Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the identity and function of the most vulnerable DAN populations in prodromal PD remain undefined. Here, ...

first thing to share here!

excited to share lab’s first study in Parkinson’s disease revealing the prodromal vulnerability and function of the dopamine neuron subtype defined by Anxa1 expression - a specialized system controlling procedural motor learning

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

MORC2 directs transcription-dependent CpG methylation of human LINE-1 transposons in early neurodevelopment Methylation of CpG dinucleotides is essential for silencing genomic repeats such as LINE-1 retrotransposons (L1s) in the germline and soma. Evolutionarily-young L1s are transcribed in human pluripoten...

Very proud of this work where we define how the MORC2 ATPase directs CpG methylation of active human L1 transposons in early development.

Thanks to co-authors, funders & wonderful environment @lundstem.bsky.social

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Brief thread below (do people still do that?) 1/X

#TransposonDay2025 New manuscript from our center to which we contributed. Great work led by @chdouse.bsky.social ! Provides a mechanistic explanation for how L1s are silenced during early human development.

doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Barbara McClintock portrait

🧬🌽 Happy Transposon Day! 🌽🧬

Today we celebrate the birthday of Barbara McClintock - scientist extraordinaire and discoverer of jumping genes. Still the only woman to have an unshared Nobel Prize in the biomedical sciences #TransposonDay2025

#TransposonDay2025 New manuscript from our center to which we contributed. Great work led by @chdouse.bsky.social ! Provides a mechanistic explanation for how L1s are silenced during early human development.

doi.org/10.1101/2025...