Jesse D. Hollister

TL;DR: The 207-Mb genome sequence of the North American Arabidopsis lyrata strain MN47, based on 8.3× dideoxy sequence coverage, is reported, indicating pervasive selection for a smaller genome in this outcrossing species.

TL;DR: A model in which host silencing of TEs near genes has deleterious effects on neighboring gene expression, resulting in the preferential loss of methylated TEs from gene-rich chromosomal regions is presented.

TL;DR: It is shown that transposable elements—particularly siRNA-targeted TEs—are associated with reduced gene expression within both species and also with gene expression differences between orthologs, and that A. lyrata TEs are targeted by a lower fraction of uniquely matching siRNAs, which are associated with more effective silencing of TE expression.

TL;DR: The three major forces that govern the accumulation of TEs are discussed, corresponding to the three panels of a triptych - transposition, deletion of TE DNA, and the population processes that determine the ultimate evolutionary fate of TE insertions.

TL;DR: This work investigates genome-wide patterns of differentiation between natural diploids and tetraploids of Arabidopsis arenosa, an outcrossing relative of A. thaliana, and indicates that even conserved meiotic processes can be capable of nimble evolutionary shifts when required.