Genome expansions and regulatory contact entanglement help preserve ancestral metazoan synteny www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04...

Congrats, Can!

🚨 Why can’t mammals regenerate limbs like frog tadpoles or salamanders?
In our new paper in @science.org , we show that species-specific oxygen sensing acts as a gatekeeper for initiating limb regeneration 🐭🐸
🔗 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #EvoDevo

I'm hiring! I have 2 open positions:

🔬 Postdoc
🧪 Research associate

We study how animal multicellularity evolved by exploring the molecular logic of cell adhesion using cell biology, 'omics, and tool-building in non-model organisms.

Come join us!

Details and application links 👇

Please repost

Proud to share this work with @kevinchalut.bsky.social and Byron Mui. Why do some injuries scar while others regenerate? Using digit tip models, we show the ECM is a key driver. HA-rich ECM promotes regeneration, and boosting it can shift healing away from fibrosis. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Hands up if you love chromatin & structural biology 🙋‍♂️

On Friday April 24th we will be joined by @kjarmache.bsky.social from NYU for his webinar 'Chromatin-Modifying Complexes in Gene Activation and Silencing'.

Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

@activemotifusa.bsky.social

Our study on shape diversity in cnidarians is now published. The final version includes extensive new data that substantially extend the original bioRxiv preprint. Congrats to everyone who contributed to this work! www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
@embl.org

A chromosome-level genome assembly of the cnidarian Podocoryna is just out. Well done @pcart.bsky.social , @baxevanislab.bsky.social and the other authors
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

What does green mark?

We are delighted to launch the (free!) registration for our 5th AICC symposium, hosted this year in @ucddublin.bsky.social on May 27th.

If you are interested in chromatin, gene regulation or the nucleus please join us!

allirelandchromatinconsortium.ie/annual-meeti...

Who is joining the event tomorrow?👀 Don't forget to register here: bit.ly/45T8mRR

We are thrilled that our study on the evolution of gene regulation in mammalian cerebellum development – led by @ioansarr.bsky.social, @marisepp.bsky.social and @tyamadat.bsky.social, in collaboration with @steinaerts.bsky.social – is now out in @ScienceMagazine! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

X chromosome dosage in respiratory stem cells is critical for post-embryonic development and survival Tournière et al. uncover the biological roles of sex chromosome dosage compensation, showing it is broadly dispensable except in the respiratory system during metamorphosis, where X chromosome dose de...

Have you ever wondered what difference it makes to have 1 or 2 X chromosomes in your cells?

✨ I’m excited to share that our paper is now out!

Looking for some X-mas content featuring an actual X? 🎄 Here’s the paper: 👉 www.cell.com/current-biol...

Adenine DNA methylation associated with transcriptionally permissive chromatin is widespread across eukaryotes - Nature Genetics Long-read sequencing in 18 unicellular eukaryotes reveals that 6mA is widespread across eukaryotes and is enriched at transcriptionally permissive regions, which are also marked by H3K4me3.

Out today, our take on 6-methyladenine #6mA evolution in Eukaryotes @natgenet.nature.com. We asked a simple question, is really DNA 6mA common across the eukaryotes? The answer is "yes" if you're a unicellular eukaryote 🦠, not so if you're multicellular 🐝🌱🍄. www.nature.com/articles/s41... 1/9

I am delighted to receive one of the nine FFP Awards from @researchireland.ie . We @uniofgalway.bsky.social will be studying sexual development in the #cnidarian #Hydractinia , an animal that continuously generates gonads and germ cells in adult life.

Dr Aamir Hameed, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine (awardee); Dr Ciara Murphy, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine (awardee); Minister Lawless; and Dr Jennifer Dowling, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (awardee)

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, TD, has today announced €34.5 million in funding to support 39 cutting-edge research projects under the Frontiers for the Future Programme. Read here: www.researchireland.ie/news/frontiers-for-the-future/

Nature suggests you use their "Manuscript Adviser" bot to get advice before submitting

I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:

Great News, Alex!

Congrats Can!

Good to see this out—congrats Uli at al.

Chaetognaths have lost gene body methylation and shifted #5mC back to Transposable Elements. This reversion to the ancestral state is coupled with a simplification of DNMT3 architecture. We posit that trans-splicing might compensate.

It is an honour to have contributed to this 20y struggle ⛰️.

We are excited to highlight our Rising Star Awardee, Dr. Can Aztekin @canaztekin.bsky.social whose work highlighting the importance of oxygen in regulating regeneration is inspiring. #Onetowatch

Announcing this year's Life Time Achievement Award. The one and only amazing Professor Brigette Galliot. Our inspiration with both her research and her service.

Cnidarian-Microbe Interactions
Fully-funded postdoctoral position is available in the Gibson Lab at the Stowers Institute to investigate any aspect of cnidarian-microbe interactions. Strong background in coral symbiosis or eukaryotic microbiology preferred.
Contact Matt Gibson: mg2@stowers.org

Repressive cytosine methylation is a marker of viral gene transfer across divergent eukaryotes Abstract. Cytosine DNA methylation patterns vary widely across eukaryotes, with its ancestral roles being understood to have included both transposable ele

Happy to see our latest work out in @molbioevol.bsky.social. We revisit the evolution of 5-methylcytosine across neglected eukaryotic supergroups, establishing an ancestral repressive role silencing genome invaders, both transposons and viral elements👾: academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-... 🧵 1/7

תנחומי

A male-essential miRNA is key for avian sex chromosome dosage compensation - Nature Birds have evolved a unique sex chromosome dosage compensation mechanism involving the male-biased microRNA (miR-2954), which is essential for male survival by regulating the expression of dosage-sens...

Our study on a male-essential microRNA and the evolution of other dosage compensation mechanisms in birds is now out in Nature! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Lovely work!! @kaessmannlab.bsky.social @danafrank.bsky.social

't was lovely to host @julianolab.bsky.social here @uniofgalway.bsky.social. Great presentation and lots of fun later on a pint with @jgahan.bsky.social @rmacgabhann.bsky.social @hrhorkan.bsky.social and friends.

I am looking for a new postdoc to join the lab. Interested in pluripotency, germ cells, and in investigating these in a genetically tractable cnidarian? Get in touch! We offer a long-term contract, excellent research environment, and a lovely city #Galway. www.urifranklab.org