Thanks @jcellsci.bsky.social for this opportunity to contribute to your centenary collection with our take on the state of the field - 10 years after its modern reincarnation 🧪🌍

W/ @alebenoit.bsky.social @eelcotromer.bsky.social @fritzlaylin.bsky.social

journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

In our latest, we tackle a long-standing conundrum: when and where do diatoms reproduce sexually? Using a lab-to-field strategy, we designed conserved sex markers applied to microcosms & Tara Oceans metatranscriptomes, revealing widespread sex in the global ocean. Read all about it now in NatComm:

Looking back on last week's Molecular Life of Diatoms conference 🌊. Honored to be hosting this tight-knit, creative and collaborative community in Ghent! Topics ranged from single-cell approaches, imaging breakthroughs, new insights into photosynthesis and symbioses etc. #protistsOnSky #MLD8

In the last talk of the #MLD8 conference, Peter Kroth gave an excellent overview of recent advances on diatom transcription factors, and how they regulate surface adhesion and light sensing 🧬👋

1/27 We have a new paper out! Turns out that snowflake yeast have been hiding a secret from us - they've evolved a (very!) crude circulatory system. Not with blood vessels or a heart, but through spontaneous fluid flows powered by their metabolism. 🧪🔬

www.science.org/doi/full/10....

Using sexual reproduction markers identified from scRNA data, Arthur Cleyman developed new tools to transform Cylindrotheca closterium and make “pheromone sensing” lines. Cool 😎 #MLD8 @gustbilcke.bsky.social

Single-cell RNA sequencing of two diatom species shows clear patterns of expression during sexual reproduction, shedding light on the mechanisms involved. Great student talk by Nadine Rijsdjik @ #MLD8 @gustbilcke.bsky.social

The design and synthesis of whole synthetic chromosomes (and yes, for diatoms) is now possible. The future is here. (Bogumil Karas @ #MLD8)

Predators come along and crunch off the apex/long axial spines of pennate diatoms (!). Sometimes it’s catastrophic for the diatom, but they’re often totally resilient and can divide again after two days. Eventually the shape is restored. Darja Belisová at #MLD8

Day 1 of #MLD8 - with an amazing talk by @nic-poulsen.bsky.social on diatom adhesion and motility, describing proteins found in diatom glue @mldiatoms.bsky.social

Only few days to register with an early bird discount for the famous Molecular Life of Diatoms conference, coming to beautiful historic Ghent, Belgium in June! 🏰 🦠

📣 We are excited to share our latest paper about Cathepsin X, a new algal cell death gene, led by @aviamizrachi.bsky.social and @maisadeh.bsky.social, published in Current Biology @currentbiology.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 1/3 >>

The abstract submission deadline for the 8th edition of the Molecular Life of Diatoms conference has been extended: the new deadline is 27th of April 2025. Don’t miss a chance to present your breakthrough research! www.vibconferences.be/events/molec...

#diatoms #genomics #resources DiatOmicBase: a versatile gene-centered platform for mining functional omics data in diatom research @theplantjournal.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... joint work with @afalciat.bsky.social

THE conference of diatom molecular and cell bio is happening in Ghent this year !
Make sure to submit an abstract !
Flora

Want to share your latest breakthroughs on the molecular biology of diatoms? Join us at the Molecular Life of Diatoms conference from 22-26 June 2025 in beautiful historical Ghent, Belgium! Secure your spot here: vibconferences.be/events/molecular-life-of-diatoms-8 #MLD8

Proud to share our latest work, out in @newphyt.bsky.social, where we use single-cell #microsurgery to investigate the molecular fingerprints of size-dependent sexual maturation in diatoms 🔥 (1/n)
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Happy to see that our study on the gene expression behind salinity-induced morphological changes in Pleurosira laevis is now published in Journal of Phycology. Very pleasant collab lead by the Shinya Sato lab.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....