Marc Somssich
LightNews LightNews
banner
somssich.bsky.social
Marc Somssich
@somssich.bsky.social
3.1K followers 660 following 2.5K posts
Trait Program Manager (Biotic Stress) @KWSGroup.bsky.social

Author @preLights.bsky.social
Editor @ThePlantCell.bsky.social

Web: https://linktr.ee/somssich

Personal Account
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
somssich.bsky.social
Marc Somssich @somssich.bsky.social · Jun 6
𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 and 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞! 👋

Here's some content you might find interesting:

𝟏) My chapters of "𝐀 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞"
𝟐) My 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 threads
𝟑) My threads on 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬
𝟒) My Bluesky 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 & 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬
𝟓) Some info on 𝐌𝐲 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡

See all compiled Below 👇🧵
Reposted by Marc Somssich
somssich.bsky.social
The dismantling of Science in #Australia continues...

I remember that hopes were high in 2022 that the new Labor Government would end the decade-long decline. We are now in the second #Albanese term, and things are worse than ever.

ABC News article: www.abc.net.au/news/science...

#PlantScience
A graph plotting the CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP from 1978 to 2025. In 1980 it was around 0.17 %, since then it has sharply fallen to 0.03 %.
November 25, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
annealiz1.bsky.social
CSIRO was responsible for so many wonderful plant science discoveries. This is so sad. When the pathogens win and we can’t grow enough food, these decisions will be viewed harshly
somssich.bsky.social Marc Somssich @somssich.bsky.social · 11h
The dismantling of Science in #Australia continues...

I remember that hopes were high in 2022 that the new Labor Government would end the decade-long decline. We are now in the second #Albanese term, and things are worse than ever.

ABC News article: www.abc.net.au/news/science...

#PlantScience
A graph plotting the CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP from 1978 to 2025. In 1980 it was around 0.17 %, since then it has sharply fallen to 0.03 %.
November 25, 2025 at 10:31 AM
somssich.bsky.social
A new @newphyt.bsky.social Profile, this time on Roberto Solano:

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Interesting as always 👍

#PlantScience #PlantImmunity #Marchantia
November 25, 2025 at 10:35 AM
somssich.bsky.social
The dismantling of Science in #Australia continues...

I remember that hopes were high in 2022 that the new Labor Government would end the decade-long decline. We are now in the second #Albanese term, and things are worse than ever.

ABC News article: www.abc.net.au/news/science...

#PlantScience
A graph plotting the CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP from 1978 to 2025. In 1980 it was around 0.17 %, since then it has sharply fallen to 0.03 %.
November 25, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
elife.bsky.social
We have an amazing opportunity for Early-Career Researchers to join our Board of Directors!

We're looking for someone with experience in leading #OpenScience projects to support and lead eLife in our mission to change research communication.

🔗 buff.ly/SZgtgVv
November 24, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
plantevolution.bsky.social
We (Nordborg & Weigel labs) need input on the next generation of genome browsers & data download modes for the #Arabidopsis #1001GenomesPlus project. We have now a curated collection of over 500 long read genomes.

Please help us by filling out this questionnaire: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Next generation of 1001 Genomes Plus browser and data download
Please indicate all features you would like to see in a browser that displays features of completely sequenced Arabidopsis thaliana genomes
docs.google.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
jxbotany.bsky.social
🪲 REVIEW 🪲

This review uncovers the critical role of the plant cell wall in pest defence, integrating structural, molecular, and genetic insights to highlight its emerging significance in plant–pest interactions during herbivory - Perez-Alonso et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪
Fig. 1.Schematic overview of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) in plants upon pest infestation. Cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs) secreted by herbivory disrupt cell wall integrity, releasing damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). The defence response is activated by the recognition of these DAMPs, as well as herbivore-associated molecular patterns (HAMPs), by pattern recognition receptor complexes (PRRs and co-PRRs). Elicitor binding to PRRs leads to a series of signalling events, such as membrane depolarization (Vm), activation of Ca2+ channels and influx of Ca2+ into the cytosol, burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via activation of RBOHD, membrane depolarization, and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. MAPK and Ca2+-dependent kinase (CDPK) cascades trigger transcriptional reprogramming, activating phytohormone (SA, JA, and ET) signalling, transcription regulatory factors, and synthesis of defensive compounds.
November 24, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
charlesmelnyk.bsky.social
“The ZAT14 family promotes cell death and regulates expansins to affect xylem formation and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis”. Now out in @theplantcell.bsky.social led by Ming Feng and colleagues. A 🌱 thread 👇 1/x
academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...
November 23, 2025 at 9:13 PM
somssich.bsky.social
More cool #Lignin and #PlantCellWall suff from @icesarino.bsky.social et al.
newphyt.bsky.social New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · 2d
#TansleyReview: Physiological roles of #lignins – tuning cell wall hygroscopy and #biomechanics

Pesquet, Cesarino, Kajita & Pawlowski
👇

📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

#LatestIssue
Fig. 1 Lignin accumulation in cell walls differentially covers the surface of polysaccharides and fills in the cell wall void spaces to dynamically adjust cell wall hygroscopic and mechanical properties.
November 23, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
rlberendsen.bsky.social
🎉 Check out the latest from Qin Gu’s team at Nanjing Agricultural University: “Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere” (Cell Host & Microbe) 👉 www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere microbiome mitigate Fusarium head blight by altering host pH
Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) pathogen induces wheat phyllosphere alkalinization, promoting the development of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Xu et al. show that host-acidifying Pseudomonas, sele...
www.cell.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
sashagusevposts.bsky.social
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
The missing heritability question is now (mostly) answered
Not with a bang but with a whimper
theinfinitesimal.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
theplantcell.bsky.social
Convergence and constraint in glucosinolate evolution across the Brassicaceae (Amanda Agosto Ramos, Kevin A Bird, Annanya Jain, Gabriel Philip Sumo, Odinaka Okegbe, Lucy Holland, Daniel J Kliebenstein) doi.org/10.1093/plce... #PlantScience @aspbofficial
Convergence and constraint in glucosinolate evolution across the Brassicaceae
Studying a glucosinolate enzyme across the Brassicaceae shows evolution of plant specialized metabolism involves independent gene losses, distal duplicatio
doi.org
November 21, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
ekatrukha.bsky.social
Finally, the first public release of #BigVolumeBrowser, so after teasers, you can try it yourself. For details, please check the announcement post (1/2)
forum.image.sc/t/bigvolumeb...
BigVolumeBrowser: a new 3D multi volume/mesh/point clould (SMLM) data viewer
Hello everyone, I’d like to share with you another 3D viewer for FIJI, BigVolumeBrowser (full documentation link). It‘s a first initial public release, so there is still space for improvements. Le...
forum.image.sc
November 21, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
kenichitsuda.bsky.social
Finally published!
Our new study in Curr Biol @currentbiology.bsky.social analyzes how CYP707A1 promoter variation drives an evolutionary trade-off between stomatal defense and gas exchange across Brassicaceae species.
Free-access link:
authors.elsevier.com/a/1m7H93QW8S...
authors.elsevier.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
leibnizipk.bsky.social
A team led by @kit.edu and with significant participation from @leibnizipk.bsky.social has succeeded for the first time in specifically altering the chromosome number of Arabidopsis using CRISPR Cas - without adversely affecting plant growth.

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis
The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana consists of 10 chromosomes. By inducing CRISPR-Cas–mediated breaks at subcentromeric and subtelomeric sequences, we fused entire chromosome arms, obtaining two eight...
www.science.org
November 21, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
hendersi.bsky.social
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Very nice work from Holger Puchta & colleagues
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis
The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana consists of 10 chromosomes. By inducing CRISPR-Cas–mediated breaks at subcentromeric and subtelomeric sequences, we fused entire chromosome arms, obtaining two eight...
www.science.org
November 20, 2025 at 8:47 PM
somssich.bsky.social
I highly recommend the #MBP2026 #PlantScience Meeting in Hennef, especially if you're an ECR or #NewPI trying to connect to the German Plant Science Community.

It's interactive, fun and relaxed.

Unfortunately, I won't be there this year, but I'll be back in 2027 👍
plantsciencedbg.bsky.social German Society for Plant Sciences (DBG) @plantsciencedbg.bsky.social · 5d
👀 Early Career Researchers in #PlantSci:

There are only 4 days left ... if you want to join

Molecular Biology of Plants (#MBP2026) Conference in Hennef, Germany

Registration + abstract submission end on
🗓️ 23rd November 2025

www.pflanzen-molekularbiologie.de/en/conferenc...
The logo of the conference symbolises a plant cell, plant leaves, plant cell's organelles, and a bug. It also offers the details of the 39th Conference Molecular Biology of Plants (#MBP2026) taking place from 16th to 19th March 2026 in Hennef, Germany
November 20, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
huckelhovenr.bsky.social
TUM Offers a professorship in Crop Production. Geat opportunity!
portal.mytum.de/jobs/profess...
TUM - Professor in » Crop Production «
Studierenden- und Mitarbeiterportal der Technische Universität München
portal.mytum.de
November 20, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
euanritchie.bsky.social
This is why for a long time I've found the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science a rather insulting propaganda exercise

www.abc.net.au/news/science...

CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP:

1982-83 = 0.17

2024-25 = 0.03

...

Scientific extinction event imminent?
The CSIRO cuts are just the tip of the iceberg for Australia's science funding
Australia is known as a country of innovators, but with a combination of brain drain, continuous cuts, and a loss of critical science projects, is Australia losing its edge?
www.abc.net.au
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
gwenkirschner.bsky.social
I am currently one of the Research Highlights editors for TPJ, and I highly recommend applying! Sadly stepping down next year.

🌾Great job to improve writing & communication, for networking and outreach!🌻

▶️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
juliet-turner.bsky.social
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
November 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
this-is-mine.bsky.social
Our ten years of work is finally out in Current Biology! We reveal a new mode of action of the bacterial phytotoxin coronatine produced by Pseudomonas syringae. www.cell.com/current-biol...
Evolutionary trade-off between stomatal defense and gas exchange in Brassicaceae
Kang et al. show that coronatine hijacks the ABA hydroxylase CYP707A1 in A. thaliana to override stomatal defense. While CYP707A1 also enables rapid light-induced stomatal opening, C. rubella and E. s...
www.cell.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
kunzlab.bsky.social
Hi passionate 🌱🔬 the #MBP2026 by @plantsciencedbg.bsky.social is entering its last registration week. Take some time and ASAP 🏄‍♀️ to: www.pflanzen-molekularbiologie.de/conference-m... . Please repost, like, & spread the word.
Hi passionate 🌱🔬 the #MBP2026 by @plantsciencedbg.bsky.social is entering its last registration week. Take some time and 🏄‍♀️ to: https://www.pflanzen-molekularbiologie.de/conference-molecular-biology-of-plants/registration
November 17, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
galofir.bsky.social
Thanks so much for the invitation and hospitality @somssich.bsky.social and Viktor! Super impressed by the work you do at @kwsgroup.bsky.social! I have now a whole new appreciation for sugar beet 🫜🧬🤯
somssich.bsky.social Marc Somssich @somssich.bsky.social · 11d
This week we welcomed @galofir.bsky.social from @mpi-bio-fml.bsky.social at @kwsgroup.bsky.social for our #PlantScience R&D Lecture.
It was a pleasure to finally meet, learn about his #PlantImmunity & #ImmunoGenomics work to uncover evolutionary conserved defense mechanisms, & talk plant science. 👍🤓
Gal Ofir at the KWS Headquarters. He is standing in front of a large world map, which shows KWS' Research Centres and Stations. Behind him, below the map, are four silos containing sugar beet seeds in different stages of processing, from raw, to cleaned, processed and final product. It is visible that the volume filles get's smaller and smaller and with each processing step.
November 14, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by Marc Somssich
octaviarmn.bsky.social
It was a great pleasure to present my postdoctoral work at @icmb2025.bsky.social. A very diverse audience, but useful discussion and comments.
📸 Mirela & Mădălina
#camelina #glucosinolates
November 16, 2025 at 9:57 AM