Push rDNA outside natural range and you get effects:
• Replication defects in yeast: academic.oup.com/genetics/art...
• Growth defects in yeast: academic.oup.com/genetics/art...
• Developmental issues in C. elegans: academic.oup.com/genetics/art...

Thanks to all collaborators!
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Don’t trust short-read rDNA quantification:
📄 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/pmi...
📄 doi.org/10.1038/s415...

In C. elegans, natural variation = no phenotype (~100-400 copies!)
📄 doi.org/10.1101/2025... (now in press at PLOS gen)

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pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32113082/

Love/hate this