The paper uses RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics in zebra finches to study the role of the germline-restricted chromosome (GRC) in germ cell development, identifying its involvement in oocyte maturation and gene expression regulation.

bioRxiv · Dec 5, 2025 · PreprintDevelopmental Biology

Programmed DNA elimination drives rapid genomic innovation in two thirds of all bird species

Francisco J. Ruíz-Ruano, Stephen A. Schlebusch, Niki Vontzou, Hugo Moreno, Matthew T. Biegler, Verena Esther Kutschera, Diana Stark Ekman, Inês Borges, Yifan Pei, Roberto Rossini, Tomáš Albrecht, Jesper Boman, Павел Михайлович Бородин, Reto Burri, Kristal Elaine Cain, , Alexander Suh

The paper identifies germline-restricted chromosomes (GRCs) in 6,700 passerine species, showing rapid evolution and functional gene retention despite programmed DNA elimination.

bioRxiv · Jul 16, 2025 · PreprintGenomics

Occasional paternal inheritance of the germline-restricted chromosome in songbirds

Yifan Pei, Wolfgang Forstmeier, Francisco J. Ruíz-Ruano, Jakob C. Mueller, J. Cabrero, Juan Pedro M. Camacho, Juan de Dios Alché Ramírez, André Franke, Marc P. Hoeppner, Stefan T. Boerno, Ivana Gessara, Moritz Hertel, Kim Teltscher, Ulrich Knief, Alexander Suh, Bart Kempenaers

The paper shows that the germline-restricted chromosome (GRC) in zebra finches can be paternally inherited, challenging previous assumptions of strict maternal transmission.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · Jan 20, 2022Peer-reviewedGenomics