You dig your own hole

Special Issue announcement for Annals of Botany titled “C4 60 – From Kranz to Crops: Celebrating 60 Years of C4 Discovery and Innovation.” AoB editor Rowan Sage and guest editors Marjorie Lundgren, Robert Sharwood, and Luke Dunning are listed. Submission deadline: November 1, 2026. Background features a colorful microscopic image of plant tissue.

🍃 Join @annbot.bsky.social Special Issue celebrating 60 years of discovery in C4 photosynthesis, edited by Rowan Sage & guest editors Marj Lundgren, Robert Sharwood & Luke Dunning. (1/4)

@marjorielundgren.bsky.social
@luketdunning.bsky.social

#C4Photosynthesis #PlantScience #CropScience

What a nice surprise from @ahmedalenazi.bsky.social returning to work after the holidays!

We also have his final
PhD chapter now out - so all data chapters are now published.. amazing effort!

doi.org/10.1002/ppp3...

Research Associate - Plant Phylogenomics at University of Sheffield Apply for the Research Associate - Plant Phylogenomics role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details and apply now.

Come and join us!!

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQZ547/r...

An unconventional Rubisco small subunit underpins the CO2-concentrating organelle in land plants In many algae, photosynthesis is boosted by biophysical CO2-concentrating mechanisms, which pack the CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco into liquid-like organelles called pyrenoids. Engineering C3 crops with a...

Our work on #hornwort #pyrenoids is finally out in @science.org! 🎉 We uncovered how hornworts pack their Rubisco into pyrenoids and successfully recreated them in Arabidopsis. A key step toward engineering more efficient photosynthesis in crops @btiscience.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Regulatory features determine the evolutionary fate of laterally acquired genes in plants Abstract. Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is widespread in eukaryotes, including in animals and plants where it can fuel adaptive evolution and innovation. How

Ecstatic to see the first chapter of my PhD published in MBE!
Most laterally acquired genes in plants are degenerating - the retained genes may to be more successful because they bring over their own regulatory machinery
academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...

Regulatory features determine the evolutionary fate of laterally acquired genes in plants Abstract. Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is widespread in eukaryotes, including in animals and plants where it can fuel adaptive evolution and innovation. How

Collins et al. combined expression, methylation, and genomic data to investigate long-term persistence of laterally acquired genes in the grass Alloteropsis, showing that those capable of regulating their own expression are more likely to persist.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msag042

#evobio #molbio

Regulatory features determine the evolutionary fate of laterally acquired genes in plants Abstract. Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is widespread in eukaryotes, including in animals and plants where it can fuel adaptive evolution and innovation. How

Awesome to see @cfcollins.bsky.social first paper out from her PhD - a huge amount of work!!

Regulatory features determine the evolutionary fate of laterally acquired genes in plants url: academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...

Apply to be a Rising Star in Plant Science!
Organized by Molecular Plant and Plant Communications.
www.cell.com/cemps/rsps-a...
Applications close March 31, 2026
#PlantScience

This is who runs this account

Congratulations!!

Special Issue: CONSERVATION GENOMICS ‐ MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Molecular Ecology: Vol 34, No 23 Molecular Ecology is an international journal for research using molecular genetic techniques to address questions in ecology, evolution, behavior and conservation.

New special issue in Molecular Ecology on Conservation Genomics #popGen #evolution 🧪🧬🖥️ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/1365294x...

Research Associate: Horizontal Gene Transfer at University of Sheffield Searching for an academic job? Explore this Research Associate: Horizontal Gene Transfer opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.

Come work with us!! 2.5 year postdoc on HGT in plants.

Please share and get in touch if interested

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPQ418/r...

Research Associate: Horizontal Gene Transfer at University of Sheffield Searching for an academic job? Explore this Research Associate: Horizontal Gene Transfer opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.

Come work with us!! 2.5 year postdoc on HGT in plants.

Please share and get in touch if interested

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPQ418/r...

Research Associate-Fixed Term - East Lansing, Michigan, United States Position Summary The Lowry Lab at Michigan State University is searching for a postdoctoral research associate to conduct molecular and physiological experiments to understand the causes of genetic va...

I am currently searching for a new postdoctoral researcher to study the evolution, genetics, and physiology of cold acclimation and freezing tolerance in switchgrass at Michigan State University. This work will be funded by a newly funded five-year DOE grant. careers.msu.edu/jobs/researc...

Two PhD positions available to come and work with us - please share!

[1] Detecting rapid evolutionary responses to climate change in UK plants

tinyurl.com/ye262pk2

[2] Natural GM: The role of horizontal gene transfer in crop adaptation and evolution

tinyurl.com/32tkce2w

A fluorescent confocal microscopy image of a butterfly wing scale showing the surface and internal structures

We are looking for a physics/maths graduate with an interest in biology, or a biology graduate with strong computational/mathematical skills/interests, to join us as a PhD student working on biomechanical modelling of butterfly wing scale structure formation www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

A group of 23 people standing with their backs to a forested valley. They are a mixture of students and staff, many wearing binoculars. There is also a spotting scope at the right hand side of the image.

We’d like to say a big thank you to our visitors from @sheffielduni.bsky.social. We had a great time hosting you all this week, and were impressed by everybody’s enthusiasm and dedication to their field projects. We wish you the best of luck with the rest of your studies! @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of ecology students stood in a rugged upland area of short grasses. They have binoculars and telescopes and are having something pointed out to them by a member of staff.

A Chalk Burnet moth sat on a dried grass stem. It is black with red spots surrounded by yellow borders.

A Bearded Vulture in flight against a cliff.

Staff and students at a lookout point. A member of staff is taking photos with a telephoto lens. In the background there are rising limestone crags.

With staff and students from @sheffielduni.bsky.social, we explored the Causse Méjean, an upland area famous for its rugged habitats, surrounded by deep gorges frequented by #vultures. We were lucky enough to spot Bearded Vultures, plus shrikes and some great #lepidoptera. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of staff and students looking into a white sampling tray next to a river.

A Spinycheek Crayfish.

A female Western Saddle Bush-cricket on the edge of a sweep net.

Students holding up a sweep net and looking at a bush cricket.

Day two with @sheffielduni.bsky.social, and we’ve been exploring field techniques. Kick sampling, GPS use, plus plant and terrestrial invertebrate surveys. Highlights were more mantises, Saddle-backed Bush Crickets, plus spotting crayfish in the river. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A Mediterranean Conehead Mantis sitting on a dried plant stem

A member of staff showing a mantis to a group of excited students

Three people close to the ground, taking photos of invertebrates with their phones

A Colchicum autumn crocus. The flower is pale purple with yellow stamens.

A great first afternoon with our visitors from the University of Sheffield. We explored the local habitats, seeing some fantastic autum wildlife including the Mediterranean Conehead Mantis. Other highlights were large Orthoptera, butterflies, and Colchicum autumn Crocuses. @luketdunning.bsky.social

Great collaboration with
@lara-pereira.bsky.social
@metallophyte.bsky.social
@paulineraim.bsky.social
@emilyrbaker.bsky.social
And many more not on bsky

Regulatory features determine the evolutionary fate of laterally acquired genes in plants Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is widespread in eukaryotes, including in animals and plants where it can fuel adaptive evolution and innovation. However, the factors that influence the integration and lo...

Awesome work led by @cfcollins.bsky.social looking at the factors that influence the long term retention of laterally transferred genes! A huge amount of work and awesome first PhD chapter

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

Very excited to be awarded a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant to continue our work on grass LGT, recruiting soon! 🥳

With @lara-pereira.bsky.social @jurriaanton.bsky.social @metallophyte.bsky.social & Roger Butlin

Know an Evolutionary Genomicist looking for a faculty position? Join us in EEB @utknoxville.bsky.social Position is open for studying any organism, but personally I have some botany bias. 🌱 Apply before Sept 19 for full consideration. apply.interfolio.com/170735 Please share widely. Thanks!

Gene turnover and contingency facilitated the repeated evolution of C4 photosynthesis in grasses In grasses, almost all species belong to two evenly sized clades (BOP and PACMAD), yet the >20 independent origins of C4 photosynthesis in this family only occur in the PACMAD lineage. Here, we identi...

New preprint using Aristidoideae genomes to identify genetic precursors to C4 photosynthesis at the base of the PACMAD clade - where all the C4 fun happens in grasses 🌾

Led by @lara-pereira.bsky.social & Ahmed

@colinplants.bsky.social
@biggenomes.bsky.social

www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...

Latest preprint. We tested the idea that dietary restriction (DR) is an ancient response.

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

Across Drosophila the lifespan phenotype and the transcriptomic response to DR are conserved. Yet, many genes were Diptera (fly) specific. Mechanisms may not be conserved…

Extinction of experience among ecologists Fieldwork-based research and education in ecology are under multiple threats and are progressively declining. We call for greater attention to this ongoing loss of direct field experience within the e...

Great article highlighting the "ongoing loss of direct field experience within the ecology community" & why field work is so crucial for education & our ability to address the biodiversity crisis.
Extinction of experience among ecologists: Trends in Ecology & Evolution www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

🙏

Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com

Looking for a PhD?

Come work with us on Horizontal Gene Transfer in crops!

Deadline 14th March

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...