M. Borg

Discovery and heterologous expression of functional 4-O-dimethylallyl-L-tyrosine synthases from lichen-forming fungi.

The paper identifies and expresses two functional 4-O-dimethylallyl-L-tyrosine synthases from lichen-forming fungi, revealing their substrate specificity and potential for biocatalytic applications.

Sex chromosome dominance in a UV sexual system

This study investigates the genetic and molecular interactions between U and V sex chromosomes in the brown alga Ectocarpus across its life cycle, revealing developmental regulation and histone modifications in the diploid sporophyte stage.

Inhibition of mammalian mtDNA transcription paradoxically activates liver fatty acid oxidation to reverse diet-induced hepatosteatosis and obesity

The paper shows that inhibiting mitochondrial DNA transcription in mice increases fatty acid oxidation, reducing obesity and liver fat while decreasing oxidative phosphorylation capacity.

Cell-cycle status of male and female gametes during Arabidopsis reproduction

The paper investigates the cell-cycle status of male and female gametes in Arabidopsis during fertilization, finding both are arrested before DNA replication and initiate replication only during fertilization.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals conserved transcriptional programs underpinning organogenesis and reproduction in land plants

This study generates gene expression atlases for 10 plant species to identify conserved transcriptional programs in organogenesis and reproduction, revealing gene co-option as a key mechanism for organ evolution.

Fungal effector Jsi1 hijacks plant JA/ET signaling through Topless

This paper identifies Jsi1, a fungal effector that hijacks plant JA/ET signaling by interacting with TPL/TPR co-repressors, leading to biotrophic susceptibility.