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Bartoš Group

Our group is unrevealing the structure of the plant genomes at sequence level using NGS, molecular and cytogenetic approaches and bioinformatic tools. We helped to expand the knowledge of genome organization and function of many species, mainly cereals. Recently, our interest is shifting to the species possessing so-called „B“ or „supernumerary“ chromosomes with the aim to uncover the evolution and biology of this mysterious component of plant genomes.

Our main research interests

Sorghum and maize B chromosomes
B chromosome nondisjunction and elimination
sequencing technologies

Our group operates Sequencing Core Facility at the Institute.

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News

03/2026: Tereza has started a three-month internship in the group of Dmitri Demidov at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben. During her stay, she will learn and apply methods for studying protein–protein interactions. Good luck and have fun!
12/2025: Tereza's first author publication with the first comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic characterization of B chromosome and its elimination in Sorghum purpureosericeum was published in Genome Biology (Link)
11/2025: Lucie attended the EMBL-EBI training course - Genome bioinformatics: from short- to long-read sequencing
06/2025: Lucie's first author publication that contains a new whole-genome assembly of maize B chromosome and identifies a potential regulator of crossover frequency and other effects on expression of A-chromosome genes mediated by the B chromosome was published in Journal of Experimental Botany (Link).
06/2024: Miroslava's first author publication about chromosome elimination, nondisjunction and extra pollen mitosis of the B chromosome in wild sorghum was published in New Phytologist (Link).
08/2023: Iva contributed to Cryo-EM structure of a plant photosystem II supercomplex with light-harvesting protein Lhcb8 and α-tocopherol which was published in Nature Plants (Link).
05/2023: Method for ddPCR scoring the number of maize B chromosome was published in Plant Methods (Link).

Group members

Jan Bartoš Ph.D.

Iva Ilíková Ph.D.

Miroslava Karafiátová Ph.D.

Mahmoud Said Ph.D.

Mgr. Lucie Hloušková

Mgr. Petr Urbiš

Mgr. Tereza Bojdová

Amin Alizadeh Saghati MSc.

Research assistant

Mgr. Magdaléna Stejskalová

Former members

Martina Bednářová Ph.D.

Nicolas Blavet Ph.D.

Pavel Solanský MSc.

Radim Svačina Ph.D.

Projects

Characterization of selected candidate factors contributing to . . .

Jan Bartoš Ph.D.

B chromosomes, also known as supernumerary chromosomes, are genetic elements that typically do not provide any advantage to their carrier. However, they persist in the population due to their evolved mechanisms of accumulation. One such mechanism is the nondisjunction of the maize B chromosome, where individual chromatids fail to segregate and both pass into a single daughter nucleus. This behaviour defies the laws of classical Mendelian genetics, and . . .

Identification of genes controlling nondisjunction of the maize B chromosome

Jan Bartoš Ph.D.

B (supernumerary) chromosomes are non-essential elements, non-beneficial and rather harmful for the organisms that harbour them, but they are still frequently transmitted to the progeny at greater than expected ratios based on Mendelian genetics. One of the B chromosome accumulation mechanisms is the nondisjunction, when both chromatids remain attached to each other and subsequently pass into the same daughter nucleus. This process is actively . . .

Elimination of the B chromosome in Sorghum purpureosericeum

Miroslava Karafiátová Ph.D.

B chromosomes (Bs) are dispensable chromosomes found in the genomes of animals, plants and fungi. Typically, their transmission to the progeny is not governed by Mendelian inheritance. They are maintained in the population by accumulation mechanisms (e.g. non-disjunction). In plants, the incidence of Bs is generally stable in all parts of one plant. In some species, however, the disappearance (elimination) of B chromosomes from the roots or aerial parts . . .

Collaboration with CIMMYT on the study of diversity and evolution of maize . . .

Jan Bartoš Ph.D.

Aim of the proposed project is analysis of B chromosome diversity in maize (Zea mays). We will accumulate novel data using molecular, cytogenetics, sequencing and bioinformatics approaches, which will contribute to our knowledge about protein-coding genes on B chromosome and its evolution. The effect of B chromosome on phenotype of host plant will be also evaluated. Specific aims of the project are: screening of available germplasm bank accessions for . . .

B chromosome evolution in the tribe Andropogoneae

Nicolas Blavet Ph.D.

B chromosomes are supernumerary dispensable chromosomes. They have a non-Mendelian way of inheritance and individuals from a same population may or may not carry B chromosomes. Their number is varying due to the non-disjunction during the meiosis. It is commonly accepted that B chromosomes have evolved from the normal set of chromosomes (so called A chromosomes). Nevertheless, a few is known about their structure and the elements behind the non . . .

Physical map of Ph2 region in hexaploid wheat

Jan Bartoš Ph.D.

Polyploid species had to develop mechanisms of precise chromosome pairing and segregation to ensure genomic stability. This diploid-like behaviour of chromosomes in polyploids is mainly regulated genetically. Pairing of homologous chromosomes in allohexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is controlled by „pairing homoeologous“ Ph1 and Ph2 genes. In ph1 mutant plants, pairing among homoeologous chromosomes was observed. In ph2 mutant plants, . . .

Development of systems for fruit crops genotyping and their implementation . . .

Jana Čmejlová Ph.D. (VSUO)

This project aims to genotype apple trees using a previously developed system of SSR markers with implementation to the practice of VŠÚO, Fytos and the Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture (ÚKZÚZ). Moreover, a similar system will be developed and implemented for european plum, sweet cherry and pear trees. The project also aims to develop a methodology for fruit crop genotyping based on partial genome sequencing and amplicon sequencing.

Development and application of molecular genetic methods for the . . .

Jan Blažek Ph.D. (VSUO)

The aim of the project is to achieve a significant acceleration and efficiency of the cherry breeding process using marker assisted selection. To achieve this goal, a complex of methods using the latest knowledge of molecular biology and genomics will be used. These will primarily include characterization of breeding gene resources using the new generation sequencing (NGS). The obtained data will be used to identify markers in conjunction with . . .

The role of Lhcb8 protein in the organization and function of the light . . .

Roman Kouřil Ph.D. (Palacký University)

Our current knowledge about the organization and function of photosystem II (PSII) is primarily based on studies of plants grown under optimal conditions. However, in plants facing environmental stress, PSII becomes affected by various stress-induced proteins, whose physiological function is not fully understood. An example of such protein is Lhcb8, a poorly characterized light-harvesting antenna with putative photoprotective function. A recent discovery . . .

Unusual light management strategies of Photosystem II in Norway spruce

Roman Kouřil Ph.D. (Palacký University)

Land plants are constantly exposed to varying light conditions. In plants acclimated to high light intensity, the amount of light harvesting proteins (Lhcb) of phosystem II (PSII) is reduced due to down-regulation of Lhcb3 and Lhcb6 proteins. Recently we have revealed an unexpected absence of these proteins in Pinaceae and Gnetales (Kouřil et al. 2016, New Phytologist). Surprisingly, we have also found indications that Lhcsr protein could be present in . . .

Publications