Dolf Weijers
@dolfweijers.bsky.social
Chair of Biochemistry @wur, interested in the biochemical basis of multicellular development and auxin response, and science in general; Views are my own
https://shorturl.at/U80ZH
https://shorturl.at/U80ZH
October 29, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Showtime in Brussels 😳. Wish us luck!!!
September 9, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Showtime in Brussels 😳. Wish us luck!!!
Second, low concentrations of a MT-depolymerizing drug cause abnormal embryo polarization. Third, tissue ablations showed that the notch-rhizoid axis is essential, but the lateral regions are not. (16/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Second, low concentrations of a MT-depolymerizing drug cause abnormal embryo polarization. Third, tissue ablations showed that the notch-rhizoid axis is essential, but the lateral regions are not. (16/17)
In collaboration with Luis Alonso Baez and Thorsten Hamann (Brillouin microscopy) and Joris Sprakel (molecular rotors), Sjoerd could confirm the requisite stiffness patterns. Also, microtubules showed the predicted orientation patterns. (12/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
In collaboration with Luis Alonso Baez and Thorsten Hamann (Brillouin microscopy) and Joris Sprakel (molecular rotors), Sjoerd could confirm the requisite stiffness patterns. Also, microtubules showed the predicted orientation patterns. (12/17)
And sure enough…when assuming that dividing cells and growing cells have different cell wall stiffness, a stress pattern emerges from tissue topology that predicts the divisions as observed in the zygote. (11/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
And sure enough…when assuming that dividing cells and growing cells have different cell wall stiffness, a stress pattern emerges from tissue topology that predicts the divisions as observed in the zygote. (11/17)
At least not the usual suspect, auxin. Monitoring auxin response (with Andy Plackett and Jane Langdale) and manipulating concentrations does not alter embryo polarity, even if there is a strong effect on maternal tissue morphology. If not a chemical signal, then what…? (9/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
At least not the usual suspect, auxin. Monitoring auxin response (with Andy Plackett and Jane Langdale) and manipulating concentrations does not alter embryo polarity, even if there is a strong effect on maternal tissue morphology. If not a chemical signal, then what…? (9/17)
Sjoerd first explored if a chemical signal might mediate embryo polarization. However, ultrastructure and cell biology showed that embryos are symplastically isolated from the mother. Cecilia Borassi found that embryos are also covered in an envelope. So…perhaps not a chemical signal…? (8/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Sjoerd first explored if a chemical signal might mediate embryo polarization. However, ultrastructure and cell biology showed that embryos are symplastically isolated from the mother. Cecilia Borassi found that embryos are also covered in an envelope. So…perhaps not a chemical signal…? (8/17)
He also found that the shoot-root polarity axis of the embryo is almost perfectly aligned with the shoot (notch) – rhizoid axis of the maternal tissue. Meaning: the embryo is aligned with the mother, and points its root at where the analogous maternal tissue (rhizoid) is. But how…? (7/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
He also found that the shoot-root polarity axis of the embryo is almost perfectly aligned with the shoot (notch) – rhizoid axis of the maternal tissue. Meaning: the embryo is aligned with the mother, and points its root at where the analogous maternal tissue (rhizoid) is. But how…? (7/17)
He next showed by morphology and transcriptome profiling (with Zhaodong Hao) that patterning of cell types occurs very early (6/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
He next showed by morphology and transcriptome profiling (with Zhaodong Hao) that patterning of cell types occurs very early (6/17)
Sjoerd studied 3D embryo development in the fern Ceratopteris richardii (C-fern) in detail, creating beautiful maps of development. He found that divisions are highly regular, which was confirmed by live imaging from Hidemasa Suzuki and Minako Ueda (5/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Sjoerd studied 3D embryo development in the fern Ceratopteris richardii (C-fern) in detail, creating beautiful maps of development. He found that divisions are highly regular, which was confirmed by live imaging from Hidemasa Suzuki and Minako Ueda (5/17)
Plants have two dominant modes of sexual reproduction (see also PMID: 38400751) in which the embryo plays a dramatically different role (2/17)
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Plants have two dominant modes of sexual reproduction (see also PMID: 38400751) in which the embryo plays a dramatically different role (2/17)
Pre-conference activity for #IPGSA in Fort Collins 😍. Next step: indulge in 5 days of awesome plant signaling/hormones. Come meet me if you want to chat auxin, rapid signaling, and of course cycling…
June 28, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Pre-conference activity for #IPGSA in Fort Collins 😍. Next step: indulge in 5 days of awesome plant signaling/hormones. Come meet me if you want to chat auxin, rapid signaling, and of course cycling…
Looking forward to a few days of plant reproduction biology in Awaji, Japan during a CSH Asia meeting 😃😃😃. I knew there is a Wageningen in Surinam, but also in Germany…?
May 18, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Looking forward to a few days of plant reproduction biology in Awaji, Japan during a CSH Asia meeting 😃😃😃. I knew there is a Wageningen in Surinam, but also in Germany…?
It is real!!! 3 years after Joris Sprakel and I conceived the first ideas, the GreenTE Gravitation project has really started. We could not be happier after seeing all the ambition, joy and excitement among our ECR’s and PI’s. Plant Mechanobiology for the win!!! More info: www.green-te.nl
April 17, 2025 at 7:02 AM
It is real!!! 3 years after Joris Sprakel and I conceived the first ideas, the GreenTE Gravitation project has really started. We could not be happier after seeing all the ambition, joy and excitement among our ECR’s and PI’s. Plant Mechanobiology for the win!!! More info: www.green-te.nl
Let the fun begin! A Bruker timsTOF HT was just installed in our lab as part of the GreenTE Gravitation project!!!
March 12, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Let the fun begin! A Bruker timsTOF HT was just installed in our lab as part of the GreenTE Gravitation project!!!
Mine: Lantana camara (I think…) shot on Santo Antão (Cape Verde Islands). Please add yours!
January 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Mine: Lantana camara (I think…) shot on Santo Antão (Cape Verde Islands). Please add yours!
Looking forward to a few days of Nordic science in an amazing location 😃
January 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Looking forward to a few days of Nordic science in an amazing location 😃
Career opportunities spotted on French fries wrapper…
January 3, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Career opportunities spotted on French fries wrapper…
Happy to announce that NWO funded a project in which @cornepieterse.bsky.social and my team will explore the ancient links between rapid #auxin signaling and immune responses. My first careful steps in the plant-microbe interactions community…
www.nwo.nl/en/news/twen...
www.nwo.nl/en/news/twen...
December 17, 2024 at 10:51 AM
Happy to announce that NWO funded a project in which @cornepieterse.bsky.social and my team will explore the ancient links between rapid #auxin signaling and immune responses. My first careful steps in the plant-microbe interactions community…
www.nwo.nl/en/news/twen...
www.nwo.nl/en/news/twen...