Research

We use genomics and omics approaches to explore classic EvoDevo questions, combining them with synthetic biology to validate our findings in in vivo models.

See our hihglighted publications

Comparative single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary repurposing of a conserved gene program in bat wing development

Magdalena Schindler, Christian Feregrino, Silvia Aldrovandi, Bai-Wei Lo, Anna A. Monaco, …, Nicolas Fasel, Michael Hiller, Darío Lupiáñez, Stefan Mundlos, Francisca M. Real

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory  ·  13 Oct 2024  ·  doi:10.1101/2024.10.10.617585

Currently as a preprint on BioRxiv.

Induction of kidney-related gene programs through co-option of SALL1 in mole ovotestes

Magdalena Schindler, Marco Osterwalder, Izabela Harabula, Lars Wittler, Athanasia C. Tzika, Dina K. N. Dechmann, Martin Vingron, Axel Visel, Stefan A. Haas, Francisca M. Real

Development  ·  01 Sep 2023  ·  doi:10.1242/dev.201562

Cell adhesion and immune response, two main functions altered in the transcriptome of seasonally regressed testes of two mammalian species

Francisca M. Real, Miguel Lao‐Pérez, Miguel Burgos, Stefan Mundlos, Darío G. Lupiáñez, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J. Barrionuevo

Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution  ·  10 May 2022  ·  doi:10.1002/jez.b.23142

The mole genome reveals regulatory rearrangements associated with adaptive intersexuality

Francisca M. Real, Stefan A. Haas, Paolo Franchini, Peiwen Xiong, Oleg Simakov, …, Axel Meyer, Martin Vingron, Rafael Jiménez, Stefan Mundlos, Darío G. Lupiáñez

Science  ·  09 Oct 2020  ·  doi:10.1126/science.aaz2582

All

2024

Comparative single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary repurposing of a conserved gene program in bat wing development

Magdalena Schindler, Christian Feregrino, Silvia Aldrovandi, Bai-Wei Lo, Anna A. Monaco, …, Nicolas Fasel, Michael Hiller, Darío Lupiáñez, Stefan Mundlos, Francisca M. Real

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory  ·  13 Oct 2024  ·  doi:10.1101/2024.10.10.617585

Currently as a preprint on BioRxiv.

Complete male-to-female sex reversal in XY mice lacking the miR-17~92 cluster

Alicia Hurtado, Irene Mota-Gómez, Miguel Lao, Francisca M. Real, Johanna Jedamzick, Miguel Burgos, Darío G. Lupiáñez, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J. Barrionuevo

Nature Communications  ·  07 May 2024  ·  doi:10.1038/s41467-024-47658-x

2023

Induction of kidney-related gene programs through co-option of SALL1 in mole ovotestes

Magdalena Schindler, Marco Osterwalder, Izabela Harabula, Lars Wittler, Athanasia C. Tzika, Dina K. N. Dechmann, Martin Vingron, Axel Visel, Stefan A. Haas, Francisca M. Real

Development  ·  01 Sep 2023  ·  doi:10.1242/dev.201562

Complete male-to-female sex reversal in XY mice lacking themiR-17∼92cluster

Alicia Hurtado, Irene Mota-Gómez, Miguel Lao, Francisca M. Real, Johanna Jedamzick, Miguel Burgos, Darío G. Lupiáñez, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J. Barrionuevo

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory  ·  23 Mar 2023  ·  doi:10.1101/2023.03.22.533123

Currently as a preprint on BioRxiv.

2022

Co-option of the transcription factorSALL1in mole ovotestis formation

Magdalena Schindler, Marco Osterwalder, Izabela Harabula, Lars Wittler, Athanasia C. Tzika, Dina Dechmann, Martin Vingron, Axel Visel, Stefan Haas, Francisca M. Real

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory  ·  28 Oct 2022  ·  doi:10.1101/2022.10.28.514220

Currently as a preprint on BioRxiv.

In vivo dissection of a clustered-CTCF domain boundary reveals developmental principles of regulatory insulation

Chiara Anania, Rafael D. Acemel, Johanna Jedamzick, Adriano Bolondi, Giulia Cova, Norbert Brieske, Ralf Kühn, Lars Wittler, Francisca M. Real, Darío G. Lupiáñez

Nature Genetics  ·  01 Jul 2022  ·  doi:10.1038/s41588-022-01117-9

Cell adhesion and immune response, two main functions altered in the transcriptome of seasonally regressed testes of two mammalian species

Francisca M. Real, Miguel Lao‐Pérez, Miguel Burgos, Stefan Mundlos, Darío G. Lupiáñez, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J. Barrionuevo

Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution  ·  10 May 2022  ·  doi:10.1002/jez.b.23142

Cell adhesion and immune response, two main functions altered in the transcriptome of seasonally regressed testes of two mammalian species

Francisca M. Real, Miguel Lao-Pérez, Miguel Burgos, Stefan Mundlos, Darío G. Lupiáñez, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J. Barrionuevo

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory  ·  12 Jan 2022  ·  doi:10.1101/2022.01.12.476048

BioRxiv published later on “2022”.

2021

Mediterranean Pine Vole, Microtus duodecimcostatus: A Paradigm of an Opportunistic Breeder

Miguel Lao-Pérez, Diaa Massoud, Francisca M. Real, Alicia Hurtado, Esperanza Ortega, Miguel Burgos, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J. Barrionuevo

Animals  ·  01 Jun 2021  ·  doi:10.3390/ani11061639

In vivodissection of a clustered-CTCF domain boundary reveals developmental principles of regulatory insulation

Chiara Anania, Rafael D. Acemel, Johanna Jedamzick, Adriano Bolondi, Giulia Cova, Norbert Brieske, Ralf Kühn, Lars Wittler, Francisca M. Real, Darío G. Lupiáñez

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory  ·  14 Apr 2021  ·  doi:10.1101/2021.04.14.439779

BioRxiv published later on “2022”.

2020

The mole genome reveals regulatory rearrangements associated with adaptive intersexuality

Francisca M. Real, Stefan A. Haas, Paolo Franchini, Peiwen Xiong, Oleg Simakov, …, Axel Meyer, Martin Vingron, Rafael Jiménez, Stefan Mundlos, Darío G. Lupiáñez

Science  ·  09 Oct 2020  ·  doi:10.1126/science.aaz2582

Deficiency of the onco-miRNA cluster, miR-106b∼25, causes oligozoospermia and the cooperative action of miR-106b∼25 and miR-17∼92 is required to maintain male fertility

Alicia Hurtado, Rogelio Palomino, Ina Georg, Miguel Lao, Francisca M Real, F David Carmona, Miguel Burgos, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J Barrionuevo

Molecular Human Reproduction  ·  24 Apr 2020  ·  doi:10.1093/molehr/gaaa027

2018

Sertoli cell-specific ablation of miR-17-92 cluster significantly alters whole testis transcriptome without apparent phenotypic effects

Alicia Hurtado, Francisca M. Real, Rogelio Palomino, Francisco David Carmona, Miguel Burgos, Rafael Jiménez, Francisco J. Barrionuevo

PLOS ONE  ·  24 May 2018  ·  doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0197685

2016

Sox9 and Sox8 protect the adult testis from male-to-female genetic reprogramming and complete degeneration

Francisco J Barrionuevo, Alicia Hurtado, Gwang-Jin Kim, Francisca M Real, Mohammed Bakkali, Janel L Kopp, Maike Sander, Gerd Scherer, Miguel Burgos, Rafael Jiménez

eLife  ·  21 Jun 2016  ·  doi:10.7554/eLife.15635

2013

A MicroRNA (mmu-miR-124) Prevents Sox9 Expression in Developing Mouse Ovarian Cells1

Francisca M. Real, Ryohei Sekido, Darío G. Lupiáñez, Robin Lovell-Badge, Rafael Jiménez, Miguel Burgos

Biology of Reproduction  ·  01 Oct 2013  ·  doi:10.1095/biolreprod.113.110957

Identification of Live Germ-Cell Desquamation as a Major Mechanism of Seasonal Testis Regression in Mammals: A Study in the Iberian Mole (Talpa occidentalis)1

Rajesh K. Dadhich, Francisco J. Barrionuevo, Francisca M. Real, Darío G. Lupiañez, Esperanza Ortega, Miguel Burgos, Rafael Jiménez

Biology of Reproduction  ·  01 Apr 2013  ·  doi:10.1095/biolreprod.112.106708

2012

Pattern and Density of Vascularization in Mammalian Testes, Ovaries, and Ovotestes

Darío G. Lupiáñez, Francisca M. Real, Rajesh K. Dadhich, Francisco D. Carmona, Miguel Burgos, Francisco J. Barrionuevo, Rafael Jiménez

Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution  ·  27 Apr 2012  ·  doi:10.1002/jez.b.22000

2011

Expression of Genes Controlling Testicular Development in Adult Testis of the Seasonally Breeding Iberian Mole

R.K. Dadhich, F.J. Barrionuevo, D.G. Lupiañez, F.M. Real, M. Burgos, R. Jiménez

Sexual Development  ·  01 Jan 2011  ·  doi:10.1159/000323805

2010

Role of Apoptosis and Cell Proliferation in the Testicular Dynamics of Seasonal Breeding Mammals: A Study in the Iberian Mole, Talpa occidentalis1

Rajesh K. Dadhich, Francisca M. Real, Federico Zurita, Francisco J. Barrionuevo, Miguel Burgos, Rafael Jiménez

Biology of Reproduction  ·  01 Jul 2010  ·  doi:10.1095/biolreprod.109.080135

2009

SOX9 is not required for the cellular events of testicular organogenesis in XX mole ovotestes

F. David Carmona, Darío G. Lupiáñez, Francisca M. Real, Miguel Burgos, Federico Zurita, Rafael Jiménez

Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution  ·  20 Apr 2009  ·  doi:10.1002/jez.b.21291