Suh Lab

Research focus

ERC Consolidator Grant · 2020

Evolutionary origin and impact of germline-restricted chromosomes

Many multicellular organisms have a division between germline and soma. It has been long-standing dogma that all these cells have the same genome as they develop from a single cell. However, programmed DNA elimination can remove DNA during germline–soma differentiation and thereby lead to dramatic differences in genome organization between tissues. The evolution and function of programmed DNA elimination remains mysterious due to technological limitations and lack of an evolutionary framework. However, a role of this phenomenon in minimizing germline–soma genetic conflict has been suggested. This conflict arises when developmental gene expression is beneficial for the germline but…

From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.