Programmed Cell Death (PCD) is a genetically encoded mechanism to remove unwanted cells in a precisely controlled way. As an integral part of the life cycle in both plants and animals, PCD is central to growth and development, as well as to the adaptation
Networks of species are changing at an unprecedented rate due to a range of human-related
factors. Often species are lost, leading to simpler communities. Like most organisms, plants have to
cope with multiple enemies. Most plant species are attacked by a multitude of herbivores and
pathogens. If certain enemies are lost, it seems intuitive that plants should invest less in defense.
This has often been cited as an ...
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is performed during an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment and aims to prevent the birth of a child with a genetic disorder or to increase the implantation potential for carriers of balanced chromosomal rearrangements. Recent technological advances have revolutionized the field, but have also raised several new questions. The introduction of genome-wide technologies enables comprehensive chromosome ...
Regulatory RNAs play important roles in the control of gene expression. A major scientific milestone
in the study of regulatory small (s)RNAs was the discovery of RNA interference (RNAi), which
resulted in the Nobel Prize for Fire and Mello (2006). This process is triggered by double stranded
RNA and results in sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing. In insects, the most
speciose class of animals, RNAi ...
Plant growth is tightly regulated by several proteins, including those of the PEAPOD/KINASEINDUCIBLE
DOMAIN INTERACTING (PPD/KIX)-complex, which controls seedpod development and
the size and shape of leaves, the energy-producing factories of the plants. Plants in which the
expression of the complex is abolished have propeller-like rosettes and enlarged dome-shaped
leaves. The involvement of the PPD/KIX-complex in distinct ...
Epigenetic processes determine how cells acquire, maintain and read memories of past events (information imprints). A key question in epigenetics is if, and to what extent, information imprints are maintained and determine future cellular phenotypes. This is crucial for distinguishing those that are functional, from those that mark prior events but are inconsequential for future responses. We therefore propose a reappraisal of the epigenome ...
The hypothesis of this proposal is that microglia play both cell-autonomous and reactive roles in neurodegeneration causing dementia. Although animal models have provided important information regarding the mechanisms underlying the dementia development, they fall short in that they do not fully recapitulate the human disease. With the advent of iPSC technology combined with advanced genome engineering and (co)culture systems, we now have the ...
The field of single cell gene expression analysis (scRNA-seq) is experiencing an unprecedented boom
in popularity. It enables researchers to study genes in individual cells at an unpreceded resolution
and will revolutionise their view on complex biological processes, tissues and disease. The current
technology, for instance, can profile the expression of thousands of genes in up to ten thousand
cells of a sample. This can ...
Genomes are dynamic entities that change over time. An important mechanism by which genomes
evolve novel functions is gene and genome duplication. However, not all cellular processes are
equally malleable by evolution through gene duplication. Studies in human genomes have revealed
that certain genes might be intolerant to duplication, leading to human disease. Similarly, we
recently discovered that many flowering plant ...