Jake Harris
@c-jake-harris.bsky.social
Epigenetics, chromatin, memory, bioengineering and immunity in plants | Associate Prof | Department of Plant Sciences | University of Cambridge
Reposted by Jake Harris
🌿 3 new PhD positions in the Ton lab @PPS_UoS. Part of the ERC project '#PlantMemo', exploring how plants remember & respond to stress.
🧬 PhD 1 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🦠 PhD 2 (UK & EU)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🌱 PhD 3 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
#PhD
🧬 PhD 1 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🦠 PhD 2 (UK & EU)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🌱 PhD 3 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
#PhD
November 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM
🌿 3 new PhD positions in the Ton lab @PPS_UoS. Part of the ERC project '#PlantMemo', exploring how plants remember & respond to stress.
🧬 PhD 1 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🦠 PhD 2 (UK & EU)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🌱 PhD 3 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
#PhD
🧬 PhD 1 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🦠 PhD 2 (UK & EU)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🌱 PhD 3 (UK only)👉 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
#PhD
Reposted by Jake Harris
Such a cool pre-print on making sentinel plants - so much potential!
Bioluminescent sentinel plants enable autonomous diagnostics of viral infections
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Bioluminescent sentinel plants enable autonomous diagnostics of viral infections
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Bioluminescent sentinel plants enable autonomous diagnostics of viral infections
Plants engineered with synthetic genetic programs can transform how we monitor and manage the extension of crop pests and diseases. Here, we establish a bioluminescent platform in Nicotiana benthamian...
www.biorxiv.org
November 12, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Such a cool pre-print on making sentinel plants - so much potential!
Bioluminescent sentinel plants enable autonomous diagnostics of viral infections
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Bioluminescent sentinel plants enable autonomous diagnostics of viral infections
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Jake Harris
Plz RP. Come join us at @slcuplants.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk to study effector-targeted plant processes impacting plant cell biology and development.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
November 6, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Plz RP. Come join us at @slcuplants.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk to study effector-targeted plant processes impacting plant cell biology and development.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
Reposted by Jake Harris
The research led by @c-jake-harris.bsky.social's group in collaboration with @hendersi.bsky.social's lab, has uncovered a new way to reprogramme plant genomes using ‘epigenetic engineering’ to change gene activity without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
tinyurl.com/5n88wrju
tinyurl.com/5n88wrju
New tool unlocks non-GM routes to fast-track breeding and crop innovation | Department of Plant Sciences
A new tool to fine-tune plant genomes without changing their DNA could offer a fast and precise alternative to GM breeding and play a key role in developing resilient crops in response to climate chan...
tinyurl.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:50 PM
The research led by @c-jake-harris.bsky.social's group in collaboration with @hendersi.bsky.social's lab, has uncovered a new way to reprogramme plant genomes using ‘epigenetic engineering’ to change gene activity without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
tinyurl.com/5n88wrju
tinyurl.com/5n88wrju
Very excited to share our work published in Nature Comms last week! Here we describe a range of cool things that can be done once you have the power to control deposition of H3K4me3…
rdcu.be/eNEf4
A short thread:
rdcu.be/eNEf4
A short thread:
CRISPR targeting of H3K4me3 activates gene expression and unlocks centromere-proximal crossover recombination in Arabidopsis
Nature Communications - Binenbaum et al. demonstrate that precise CRISPR-based targeting of a key chromatin mark (H3K4me3) can switch on genes, boost disease resistance, and unlock meiotic...
rdcu.be
November 5, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Very excited to share our work published in Nature Comms last week! Here we describe a range of cool things that can be done once you have the power to control deposition of H3K4me3…
rdcu.be/eNEf4
A short thread:
rdcu.be/eNEf4
A short thread:
Reposted by Jake Harris
Very important paper and resource. Bryophyte genomes expanded by one order of magnitude. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Bryophytes hold a larger gene family space than vascular plants - Nature Genetics
A super-pangenome analysis incorporating 123 newly sequenced bryophyte genomes reveals that bryophytes exhibit a larger number of unique and lineage-specific gene families than vascular plants.
www.nature.com
September 22, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Very important paper and resource. Bryophyte genomes expanded by one order of magnitude. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Jake Harris
Out First Release in @science.org this week:
A large scale analysis of the epigenetics of transposable elements in Arabidopsis shows transgenerational stability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#PlantScience
A large scale analysis of the epigenetics of transposable elements in Arabidopsis shows transgenerational stability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#PlantScience
Transposable elements are vectors of recurrent transgenerational epigenetic inheritance
DNA methylation loss at transposable elements (TEs) can affect neighboring genes and be epigenetically inherited in plants, yet the determinants and significance of this additional system of inheritan...
www.science.org
September 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Out First Release in @science.org this week:
A large scale analysis of the epigenetics of transposable elements in Arabidopsis shows transgenerational stability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#PlantScience
A large scale analysis of the epigenetics of transposable elements in Arabidopsis shows transgenerational stability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#PlantScience
Reposted by Jake Harris
Genes are not On/Off switches. In a new preprint we show that HDAC3 is key to establish correct transcriptional dose in development. Gr8 work from N. Stamidis @ucph.bsky.social and collab. @jamiehackett.bsky.social @gregersenlab.bsky.social . Huge thx to all authors! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
HDAC3 prevents enhancer hyperactivation to enable developmental transitions
Dynamic gene regulation requires precise cooperation between transcription factors and chromatin modifiers at regulatory elements to achieve not only activation or repression, but also appropriate tra...
www.biorxiv.org
September 18, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Genes are not On/Off switches. In a new preprint we show that HDAC3 is key to establish correct transcriptional dose in development. Gr8 work from N. Stamidis @ucph.bsky.social and collab. @jamiehackett.bsky.social @gregersenlab.bsky.social . Huge thx to all authors! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Jake Harris
Our paper on VEL-dependent polymerization is featured on the cover of this month's issue of @cp-molcell.bsky.social 🎉 The cover art was created by my talented friend Awesta - the result of hours of brainstorming together over video. Great fun teaming up for this!
September 5, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Our paper on VEL-dependent polymerization is featured on the cover of this month's issue of @cp-molcell.bsky.social 🎉 The cover art was created by my talented friend Awesta - the result of hours of brainstorming together over video. Great fun teaming up for this!
Congrats - looks awesome! And as a new parent, I love marigold..!
Our story on the biosynthesis of anti-inflammatory triterpenes from pot marigold is published ☺️ We had a lot of fun working on this beautiful & interesting species. Well done team marigold! 🌼 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Biosynthesis and bioactivity of anti-inflammatory triterpenoids in Calendula officinalis - Nature Communications
Calendula, a plant used in traditional medicine for centuries, helps reduce inflammation. Here the authors identify natural compounds that are key to its anti-inflammatory activity, revealing how they...
www.nature.com
August 4, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Congrats - looks awesome! And as a new parent, I love marigold..!
Reposted by Jake Harris
Check out our recent pre-print which identifies the role of the first stromal residue involved in PsbS’ NPQ function!
We found mutating the c-term b-strand reduced induction but increased relaxation ☀️ 🌿
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We found mutating the c-term b-strand reduced induction but increased relaxation ☀️ 🌿
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Mutation of a stromal C-terminal threonine residue of Photosystem II subunit S slows down NPQ induction and speeds up relaxation
In order to prevent damage by excess light, photosystem antennae can switch to an energy dissipative mode (termed non-photochemical quenching, NPQ). In higher plants, this switch is facilitated by the...
www.biorxiv.org
August 4, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Check out our recent pre-print which identifies the role of the first stromal residue involved in PsbS’ NPQ function!
We found mutating the c-term b-strand reduced induction but increased relaxation ☀️ 🌿
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We found mutating the c-term b-strand reduced induction but increased relaxation ☀️ 🌿
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Jake Harris
We’re excited to share a new CRISPR-Cas12 genome editing system, highly efficient across multiple brown algae species!
Brown algae transformation has been challenging despite many thoughtful approaches over the years.
We hope this one is kelpful 🌿😅
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#CRISPR #Algae
Brown algae transformation has been challenging despite many thoughtful approaches over the years.
We hope this one is kelpful 🌿😅
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#CRISPR #Algae
July 22, 2025 at 8:33 PM
We’re excited to share a new CRISPR-Cas12 genome editing system, highly efficient across multiple brown algae species!
Brown algae transformation has been challenging despite many thoughtful approaches over the years.
We hope this one is kelpful 🌿😅
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#CRISPR #Algae
Brown algae transformation has been challenging despite many thoughtful approaches over the years.
We hope this one is kelpful 🌿😅
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
#CRISPR #Algae
Reposted by Jake Harris
A three year postdoctoral position is available in my group, investigating plant centromere structure, function and evolution @camplantsci.bsky.social
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51488/
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51488/
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk
May 30, 2025 at 12:13 PM
A three year postdoctoral position is available in my group, investigating plant centromere structure, function and evolution @camplantsci.bsky.social
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51488/
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51488/
Pleased to see this work come out in its final form! rdcu.be/em4UY. Great collaboration with the Ausin lab. Here we provide some mechanistic insight into how H2A.Z finds its way to gene bodies (spoiler alert, H3K4me3 readers are involved!).
H3K4me3 binding ALFIN-LIKE proteins recruit SWR1 for gene-body deposition of H2A.Z
rdcu.be
May 31, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Pleased to see this work come out in its final form! rdcu.be/em4UY. Great collaboration with the Ausin lab. Here we provide some mechanistic insight into how H2A.Z finds its way to gene bodies (spoiler alert, H3K4me3 readers are involved!).
Fantastic opportunity. Fantastic lab. Quote from PhD student seminar last week "Leonie is THE BEST supervisor, ever." ... neatly summing up the overall sentiment from anyone in her orbit...
Join our group (www.luginbuehllab.com) at @camplantsci.bsky.social! Are you excited about mycorrhiza, (single-cell) transcriptomics, carbon physiology, and the model crop rice? We have a 2-year postdoc position available, starting ASAP. Closing date 23rd May 2025!
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51214/
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51214/
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk
May 5, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Fantastic opportunity. Fantastic lab. Quote from PhD student seminar last week "Leonie is THE BEST supervisor, ever." ... neatly summing up the overall sentiment from anyone in her orbit...
Reposted by Jake Harris
How does immunisation establish durable disease resistance in plants?
Mobile immune signals released upon immunisation boost effectiveness of the defence hormone salicylic acid by ten times!😲 This results in higher immune gene expression and systemic acquired resistance against infection.
Mobile immune signals released upon immunisation boost effectiveness of the defence hormone salicylic acid by ten times!😲 This results in higher immune gene expression and systemic acquired resistance against infection.
Mobile immune signals potentiate salicylic acid-mediated plant immunity via WRKY38/62 transcription factors https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.17.649115v1
April 22, 2025 at 9:13 AM
How does immunisation establish durable disease resistance in plants?
Mobile immune signals released upon immunisation boost effectiveness of the defence hormone salicylic acid by ten times!😲 This results in higher immune gene expression and systemic acquired resistance against infection.
Mobile immune signals released upon immunisation boost effectiveness of the defence hormone salicylic acid by ten times!😲 This results in higher immune gene expression and systemic acquired resistance against infection.
Awesome. Can HIGHLY recommend postdoc-ing with Steve...!!!
Our paper is just out www.nature.com/articles/s41... from the Jacobsen, Doudna, and Banfield labs on viral delivery of a tiny CRISPR system for transgene free germline editing in plants, tinyurl.com/3k223r3x. Looking for postdocs to join the team for the next phase of this work!
Viral delivery of an RNA-guided genome editor for transgene-free germline editing in Arabidopsis - Nature Plants
Weiss et al. engineered the tobacco rattle virus to express the RNA-guided TnpB enzyme ISYmu1 and guide RNA for transgene-free germline editing in Arabidopsis thaliana.
www.nature.com
May 5, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Awesome. Can HIGHLY recommend postdoc-ing with Steve...!!!
Reposted by Jake Harris
New CRISPR tools for tomato functional genomics from Eilon Shani! 🍅 🧬 ✂️ www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Construction of multi-targeted CRISPR libraries in tomato to overcome functional redundancy at genome-scale level - Nature Communications
Genetic variance is vital for breeding programs and mutant screening, yet traditional mutagenesis methods wrestle with genetic redundancy and a lack of specificity in gene targeting. Here the authors ...
www.nature.com
May 5, 2025 at 3:16 PM
New CRISPR tools for tomato functional genomics from Eilon Shani! 🍅 🧬 ✂️ www.nature.com/articles/s41...
And a 3 year tech position is also now live. Synthetic biology project funded by the Advanced Research + Innovation Agency (ARIA). Please apply / RP! www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51027/
@camplantsci.bsky.social
@camplantsci.bsky.social
Research Laboratory Technician (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Laboratory Technician (Fixed Term) in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk
April 10, 2025 at 8:54 PM
And a 3 year tech position is also now live. Synthetic biology project funded by the Advanced Research + Innovation Agency (ARIA). Please apply / RP! www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51027/
@camplantsci.bsky.social
@camplantsci.bsky.social
This is awesome work. So many layers of discovery in this paper. Great to see it in its final form!
I'm thrilled to share that our study is now published in Cell:
Extensive N4 cytosine methylation is essential for Marchantia sperm function.
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
This paper confirms our 4mC discovery in Marchantia sperm and takes it much further.
A thread: 0/13
Extensive N4 cytosine methylation is essential for Marchantia sperm function.
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
This paper confirms our 4mC discovery in Marchantia sperm and takes it much further.
A thread: 0/13
Extensive N4 cytosine methylation is essential for Marchantia sperm function
Global N4 cytosine methylation in Marchantia polymorpha sperm regulates gene expression
and promotes sperm fertility.
www.cell.com
April 10, 2025 at 8:42 PM
This is awesome work. So many layers of discovery in this paper. Great to see it in its final form!
Reposted by Jake Harris
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Really enjoyed this collaboration between my lab and James Locke lab. We show plant circadian oscillators can have a flexible architecture. Our computational models suggest that dawn-expression of ELF3 in wheat occurs due to repression of the ELF3 promoter by TOC1.
Really enjoyed this collaboration between my lab and James Locke lab. We show plant circadian oscillators can have a flexible architecture. Our computational models suggest that dawn-expression of ELF3 in wheat occurs due to repression of the ELF3 promoter by TOC1.
Data-driven mathematical modelling explains altered timing of EARLY FLOWERING 3 in the wheat circadian oscillator
Circadian rhythms, daily oscillations with a free-running period of approximately 24 hours, have evolved in organisms across the kingdoms of life, enabling organisms to anticipate and adapt to environ...
www.biorxiv.org
April 9, 2025 at 8:18 AM
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Really enjoyed this collaboration between my lab and James Locke lab. We show plant circadian oscillators can have a flexible architecture. Our computational models suggest that dawn-expression of ELF3 in wheat occurs due to repression of the ELF3 promoter by TOC1.
Really enjoyed this collaboration between my lab and James Locke lab. We show plant circadian oscillators can have a flexible architecture. Our computational models suggest that dawn-expression of ELF3 in wheat occurs due to repression of the ELF3 promoter by TOC1.
We are advertising a new postdoctoral position in my group. 3 years of funding to work on a moonshot synthetic biology project funded by the Advanced Research + Innovation Agency (ARIA). Please apply and please RP! www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50801/ @camplantsci.bsky.social
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk
April 8, 2025 at 7:26 AM
We are advertising a new postdoctoral position in my group. 3 years of funding to work on a moonshot synthetic biology project funded by the Advanced Research + Innovation Agency (ARIA). Please apply and please RP! www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50801/ @camplantsci.bsky.social
Reposted by Jake Harris
Can a stem cell change its epigenome while proliferating? In collaboration with the lab of Amos Tanay, we demonstrate that yes, the epigenome of neural stem cells (NSCs) is continuously remodeled, across multiple layers, during mouse corticogenesis. 1/14
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Neural stem cell epigenomes and fate bias are temporally coordinated during corticogenesis
The cerebral cortex orchestrates complex cognitive functions, yet how its distinct temporal lineages are molecularly patterned during development remains unresolved. Here, we integrate single-cell tra...
www.biorxiv.org
April 4, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Can a stem cell change its epigenome while proliferating? In collaboration with the lab of Amos Tanay, we demonstrate that yes, the epigenome of neural stem cells (NSCs) is continuously remodeled, across multiple layers, during mouse corticogenesis. 1/14
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Jake Harris
Join our team as a postdoc and explore the exciting world of transposable elements and developmental biology with us! @imbavienna.bsky.social @vbcscitraining.bsky.social
April 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Join our team as a postdoc and explore the exciting world of transposable elements and developmental biology with us! @imbavienna.bsky.social @vbcscitraining.bsky.social
Reposted by Jake Harris
NEWS - Does this breakthrough mark a new epigenetic chapter in crop breeding?
Today is #WorldHealthDay. Did you know that #wheat is an incredibly important crop for human health? 🌾
Read our latest news story about an important epigenetic breakthrough in creating more resilient crops
okt.to/sL9oKr
Today is #WorldHealthDay. Did you know that #wheat is an incredibly important crop for human health? 🌾
Read our latest news story about an important epigenetic breakthrough in creating more resilient crops
okt.to/sL9oKr
April 7, 2025 at 9:21 AM
NEWS - Does this breakthrough mark a new epigenetic chapter in crop breeding?
Today is #WorldHealthDay. Did you know that #wheat is an incredibly important crop for human health? 🌾
Read our latest news story about an important epigenetic breakthrough in creating more resilient crops
okt.to/sL9oKr
Today is #WorldHealthDay. Did you know that #wheat is an incredibly important crop for human health? 🌾
Read our latest news story about an important epigenetic breakthrough in creating more resilient crops
okt.to/sL9oKr