J. Obokata

De novo activated transcription of insertd foreign coding sequences is inheritable in the plant genome

The study shows that de novo transcription of inserted foreign coding sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana is inheritable, with transcriptional activity changing during one generation.

Kozak sequence acts as a negative regulator for de novo transcription initiation of newborn coding sequences in the plant genome

The paper investigates de novo transcription initiation in plant genomes, finding that Kozak sequences repel new TSSs, acting as a selection gate for TSS evolution.

Cryptic promoter activation occurs by at least two different mechanisms in the Arabidopsis genome

The paper identifies two mechanisms of cryptic promoter activation in Arabidopsis: chromatin capture of pre-existing promoter-like regions and de novo promoter formation near inserted LUC ORF sequences.

Plant genome response to incoming coding sequences: stochastic transcriptional activation independent of integration loci

The paper investigates how transgenes acquire transcriptional activity in Arabidopsis thaliana, finding that 30% of promoterless inserts are transcribed independently of integration sites.

Chloroplast acquisition without the gene transfer in kleptoplastic sea slugs, Plakobranchus ocellatus

This study sequenced the genome of a kleptoplastic sea slug and found no evidence of algal gene transfer to the nucleus, showing photosynthesis can occur without nuclear gene transfer.

Large DNA virus promoted the endosymbiotic evolution to make a photosynthetic eukaryote

This study shows that a large DNA virus played a key role in the rapid genome reorganization and gene transfer during the endosymbiotic evolution of a photosynthetic amoeba.