Jana Helsen
@helsenjana.bsky.social
Evolutionary cell biology, chromosomes, yeasts, and occasional SciArt🧬🧪🎨. Postdoctoral fellow at the labs of Gautam Dey (EMBL) and Gavin Sherlock (Stanford University).
We developed a new tool, PCAn 🔍, to systematically map point centromeres across budding yeasts, revealing remarkable centromere variation! (3/8)
January 17, 2025 at 4:07 PM
We developed a new tool, PCAn 🔍, to systematically map point centromeres across budding yeasts, revealing remarkable centromere variation! (3/8)
Unlike genes, species with monocentric chromosomes possess multiple centromeres, one on each chromosome. This makes centromere evolution conceptually quite different from gene evolution.
Our work aimed to shed light on the fundamental evolutionary principles underlying centromere transitions. (2/8)
Our work aimed to shed light on the fundamental evolutionary principles underlying centromere transitions. (2/8)
January 17, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Unlike genes, species with monocentric chromosomes possess multiple centromeres, one on each chromosome. This makes centromere evolution conceptually quite different from gene evolution.
Our work aimed to shed light on the fundamental evolutionary principles underlying centromere transitions. (2/8)
Our work aimed to shed light on the fundamental evolutionary principles underlying centromere transitions. (2/8)
Centromere evolution isn't a sudden switch!
Our study shows centromere transitions are a step-by-step process driven by a combination of drift and selection. Discover how the kinetochore interface shapes this gradual change in our new preprint 🥳 doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.16.633479 🧵(1/8)
Our study shows centromere transitions are a step-by-step process driven by a combination of drift and selection. Discover how the kinetochore interface shapes this gradual change in our new preprint 🥳 doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.16.633479 🧵(1/8)
January 17, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Centromere evolution isn't a sudden switch!
Our study shows centromere transitions are a step-by-step process driven by a combination of drift and selection. Discover how the kinetochore interface shapes this gradual change in our new preprint 🥳 doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.16.633479 🧵(1/8)
Our study shows centromere transitions are a step-by-step process driven by a combination of drift and selection. Discover how the kinetochore interface shapes this gradual change in our new preprint 🥳 doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.16.633479 🧵(1/8)
Why do cells need at least 5 centromeres? Our study reveals that 4 kinetochore microtubules cannot generate sufficient inward force to counteract the outward forces in the metaphase spindle, causing kinetochores to decluster and triggering the spindle assembly checkpoint. 6/9
August 8, 2024 at 8:21 PM
Why do cells need at least 5 centromeres? Our study reveals that 4 kinetochore microtubules cannot generate sufficient inward force to counteract the outward forces in the metaphase spindle, causing kinetochores to decluster and triggering the spindle assembly checkpoint. 6/9
How do karyotypes evolve? Turns out an intracellular tug of war within the metaphase spindle sets the limits for chromosome number evolution. Excited to see our study out today in Nature Cell Biology doi.org/10.1038/s41556-024-01485-w 1/9
August 8, 2024 at 8:19 PM
How do karyotypes evolve? Turns out an intracellular tug of war within the metaphase spindle sets the limits for chromosome number evolution. Excited to see our study out today in Nature Cell Biology doi.org/10.1038/s41556-024-01485-w 1/9
What goes wrong in cells with fewer than five centromeres? We show that in these cells, the number of kinetochore-microtubule attachments is insufficient to counter outward forces in the metaphase spindle. 6/8
October 25, 2023 at 8:25 PM
What goes wrong in cells with fewer than five centromeres? We show that in these cells, the number of kinetochore-microtubule attachments is insufficient to counter outward forces in the metaphase spindle. 6/8
Using a set of budding yeast strains in which the native chromosomes have been successively fused, we show that cells tolerate large changes in karyotype very well, but only up until a critical point. Cells with fewer than five chromosomes display both growth and mitotic defects. 3/8
October 25, 2023 at 8:23 PM
Using a set of budding yeast strains in which the native chromosomes have been successively fused, we show that cells tolerate large changes in karyotype very well, but only up until a critical point. Cells with fewer than five chromosomes display both growth and mitotic defects. 3/8
Ever wondered how the mitotic machinery can tolerate large changes in chromosome number? In my first postdoc preprint with @gautamdey.bsky.social @gsherloc.bsky.social & Hashim Reza, we show that spindle architecture is a constraining factor for karyotype evolution doi.org/10.1101/2023.10.25.563899
October 25, 2023 at 8:20 PM
Ever wondered how the mitotic machinery can tolerate large changes in chromosome number? In my first postdoc preprint with @gautamdey.bsky.social @gsherloc.bsky.social & Hashim Reza, we show that spindle architecture is a constraining factor for karyotype evolution doi.org/10.1101/2023.10.25.563899