Project Leader at MPI for Biology - Department of Algal Development and Evolution
Available online: explore the evolutionary leap from simple to complex multicellularity through the lens of brown algae. In this Review, we discuss recent breakthroughs in genetic and genomic technologies that are uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind pattern formation, sexual differentiation, and developmental plasticity in brown Read More…
Available online: our new study sheds light on the role of maternal tissue in shaping apical–basal patterning in kelp embryos. By investigating Undaria pinnatifida, we show how attachment to the maternal oogonial cell wall influences embryogenesis in early development. Our findings reveal that when a Read More…
Available online: a critical synthesis of non-indigenous seaweeds across the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Macaronesia. In this paper, we provide an in-depth analysis of 140 confirmed non-indigenous species, alongside cryptogenic and data-deficient species. Our dataset of over 19,000 distribution records revealed striking patterns Read More…
Available online: all you want to know about apical-basal patterning in brown algae, how propagules develop their attachment structures and how they highlight three different symmetry breaking mechanisms, complementary to the intrinsic vs extrinsic divide. Click for the full paper in Semin Cell & Developmental Read More…
Available online: “Auxin’s origin: do PILS hold the key?”! We find that PINs and PILS form two eukaryotic subfamilies within a larger bacterial malate transporter family warranting functional characterisation of algal PILS. Click for the full paper in Trends in Plant Science:https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/fulltext/S1360-1385(21)00257-0
The genome of Ostreobium is out! The endolithic green alga Ostreobium is a key member of the coral holobiont. Iha et al. present an analysis of its nuclear genome and metatranscriptomes of healthy and bleached corals, providing insight into how Ostreobium thrives in the stressful Read More…
We wrote a review summarizing old and recent knowledge on our favorite algal genus concentrating on applications and economic potential of Dictyota and its metabolites. We summarized taxonomy, anatomy, cytology, available genetic data, life history, chemical composition, nutritional value, ecological and economic importance. Click for Read More…
We described the effect of the plant hormone auxin and the auxin transport inhibitor BUM on the early development of the brown alga Dictyota dichotoma. pH and stability of the polarizing cue influences the effect size, placing the controversy on auxin function in fucoid algae Read More…
We implemented set ratios (SR) in surprisal analysis to describe the contribution of pathways to the different phenotypes identified by surprisal analysis in RNA-seq data and applied the algorithm on RNA-seq data on an Chlamydomonas icl mutant deficient for the glyoxylate cycle. Click for the Read More…
We have published the genome of Ulva mutabilis, the first green seaweed and an important crop species. Gene family expansions associated with multicellularity are distinct from those of freshwater algae. Click for the full paper in Current Biology: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982218310601