Gert Wörheide

These patterns are both present in the eukaryotic and prokaryotic sponge-associated communities, since both display similar levels of host species specificity.

This offers further support for the phylogenetic nature of the sponge microbiome, where microbial communities reflect the evolutionary ancestry of their host species.

We found species-specific prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities despite the close sympatry of the three Mediterranean Tethya species studied.

Using high-throughput 16S and 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we explore the prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities associated with three sympatric Mediterranean demosponges, namely Tethya aurantium, Tethya meloni, and Tethya citrina.

Sponges harbor complex and diverse microbiomes that contribute to the host’s fitness and, ultimately, the health of the ecosystems sponges inhabit.

🧪 Species-specific community structure in the microbiomes and eukaryotic communities associated with Mediterranean golf ball sponges
peerj.com/articles/204...
@peerj.bsky.social
@lmu.de
@lmugeoumwelt.bsky.social
#molpalmuc

🧪 New preprint alert:

"Ecological Filtering is a Better Predictor of Microbiome Assembly than Coevolution in marine sponges"

@lmu.de
@lmugeoumwelt.bsky.social
#molpalmuc #geobiomuc

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

ASG Sponges genome note #17. This little glass sponge, Bolosoma cyanae, traveled a long way from the deep South Pacific Ocean to Hinxton/Cambridge, where its genome was sequenced.
wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/11-24
Learn more about the absorbing world of sponges: lnkd.in/ehRap3CW

NEW pub in @science.org 🥳

Is it sponges (panels A & B) or comb jellies (C & D) that root the animal tree of life?

For over 15 years, #phylogenomic studies have been divided.

We provide new evidence suggesting that...

🔗: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Excited to share our work using #aDNA to reconstruct #Symbiodiniaceae dynamics from #coral cores. Led by José Grillo, @jessireichert.bsky.social, @nessatir.bsky.social part of #TaraPacific expedition & supported by #SPP2299 @climatereefs.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1111/gcb....

Out now in Biology Letters, my latest paper tackles an apparently simple question: how many characters are needed to reconstruct a phylogeny? TL;DR: in most cases between 100 and 500, more than a substantial portion of morphological datasets, but the story is more complex... doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...

We are happy to share our latest work in @nature.com . We study the genomic and cellular basis of facultative symbiosis in Oculina patagonica - a Mediterranean coral remarkable for its ability to survive long periods without algal symbionts. Led by Shani Levy and @xgrau.bsky.social
rdcu.be/eLbaZ

Biomineralization: how sponges form their calcite spicules LMU researchers identify key proteins for biomineralization in calcareous sponges and find evidence for the convergent evolution in sponges and corals.

🧪 associated press release by @lmumuenchen.bsky.social

www.lmu.de/en/newsroom/...

Genetic parallels in biomineralization of the calcareous sponge Sycon ciliatum and stony corals Discovery of calcarins in calcareous sponges highlights gene duplication and neofunctionalization as drivers of parallel biomineralization, offering insight into the independent evolution of calcifica...

🧪Discovery of calcarins in @elife.bsky.social, a protein family in the sponge Sycon ciliatum, clarifies spicule formation and suggests parallel evolution of carbonate biomineralization in sponges & corals—key for animals as ecosystem engineers of reefs.
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
#molpalmuc

Moving Beyond Morphology: Genomic Insights Into Evolutionary Histories of Haplosclerid Sponges Accurate taxonomic identification is essential for defining species boundaries and understanding biodiversity. However, this remains challenging for groups where morphological character evolution is ...

🧪 Unravelling sponge evolution: we used Clade-Specific Elements to probe 199 Haplosclerida specimens (22/28 genera, 105 types, 42 holotypes) spanning 200+ years of collections — incl. treasures from the legendary HMS Challenger Expedition.
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
#molpalmuc
out of @SPP_TaxonOmics

also many thanks to @fonamental.bsky.social for handling the nice and enjoyable review process at @peercommunityin.bsky.social #pcigenomics!

peer-reviewed and recommended
genomics.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec...

🧪

We just published our first paper in the Peer Community Journal - diamond open access, no APCs!
Awesome experience, with less than a week from submission after receommendation by #pcigenomics.
Highly recommended!
#molpalmuc
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
@peercommunityin.bsky.social

Genomic changes are varied across congeneric species pairs of animals Synteny, the shared arrangement of genes on chromosomes between related species, is a marker of shared ancestry, and synteny-breaking events can result in genomic incompatibilities between…

A recommendation of the preprint "Genomic changes are varied across congeneric species pairs of animals" by Warren Francis, Sergio Vargas, and Gert Wörheide: tinyurl.com/y82japny

New contribution in @elife.bsky.social: Genetic parallels in biomineralization of the calcareous sponge Sycon ciliatum and stony corals doi.org/10.7554/eLif...

@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
#molpalmuc

Junior faculty job alert in Germany - Marine Evolutionary Genomics @geomarkiel.bsky.social / University of Kiel www.geomar.de/en/karriere/... Marine study system of your choice (no microbes, sorry…), excellent infrastructure and ship access, moderate teaching requirements, closing date 6 June

rRNA depletion for holobiont metatranscriptome profiling across demosponges Despite the extensive knowledge of sponge microbiome diversity, a critical knowledge gap persists concerning the molecular mechanisms that govern host-symbiont interactions. Deciphering these mechanis...

New preprint version of

"rRNA depletion for holobiont metatranscriptome profiling across demosponges"

Project lead and pushed through by Sergio

#molpalmuc
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social

Decoding Demosponge Diversity: Bayesian Analysis of Biodiversity, Extinction Events and Environmental Influences throughout the Phanerozoic Sponges (phylum Porifera) have been essential to marine ecosystems for over 600 million years, contributing to nutrient cycling, reef building, and ecological stability. Despite their evolutionary imp...

in case you are into sponge research and paleobiodiversity, checkout our latest preprint www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Jaccard dissimilarities between the samples of the twelve Indo-Pacific marine provinces, including singletons. Tropical and subtropical marine province areas and boundaries are shaded in white, temperate in light blue. Colour and thickness of the connecting lines between tropical and subtropical marine provinces indicate their dissimilarity levels.

🧪 🧬 New preprint alert:
The largest molecular biodiversity study of sponges to date across the Indo-Pacific (>1900 samples) reveals high levels of regional demosponge endemism.
A long time in the making, w/ many lovely international collaborators 😀
doi.org/10.1101/2024...
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social

revised version here (27-12-2024)
doi.org/10.1101/2024...

Genomic changes are varied across congeneric species pairs Synteny, the shared arrangement of genes on chromosomes between related species, is a marker of shared ancestry, and synteny-breaking events can result in genomic incompatibilities between populations...

Revised version of our preprint
«Genomic changes are varied across congeneric species pairs»
published - enjoy 😀
🧪
#molpalmuc
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social

a natural history collection with rows of cupboards and specimen jars

the foundation of biodiversity research - natural history collections
#biodiversity

Gert Wörheide ‪LMU München, Professor (Chair) of Geobiology & Paleontology‬ - ‪‪16.295-mal zitiert‬‬ - ‪Molecular Geobiology & Palaeobiology‬ - ‪Phylogenomics‬ - ‪Molecular Systematics‬ - ‪Comparative Genomics‬

looks like fun, can you add me please?

scholar.google.com/citations?us...

nice one, pls add me, thanks