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The origins of maize were the topic of vigorous debate for nearly a century, but neither the current genetic model nor earlier archaeological models account for the totality of available data, and recent work has highlighted the potential contribution of a wild relative,Zea maysssp.mexicana. Our population genetic analysis reveals that the origin of modern maize can be traced to an admixture between ancient maize andZea maysssp.mexicanain the highlands of Mexico some 4000 years after domestication began. We show that variation in admixture is a key component of maize diversity, both at individual loci and for additive genetic variation underlying agronomic traits. Our results clarify the origin of modern maize and raise new questions about the anthropogenic mechanisms underlying dispersal throughout the Americas.

 

We investigated an in vitro model for mesothelial clearance, wherein ovarian cancer cells invade into a layer of mesothelial cells, resulting in mesothelial retraction combined with cancer cell disaggregation and spreading. Prior to the addition of tumor cells, the mesothelial cells had an elongated morphology, causing them to align with their neighbors into well-ordered domains. Flaws in this alignment, which occur at topological defects, have been associated with altered cell density, motion, and forces. Here we identified topological defects in the mesothelial layer, and showed how they affected local cell density by producing a net flow of cells inward or outward, depending on defect type. At locations of net inward flow, mesothelial clearance was impeded. Hence, the collective behavior of the mesothelial cells, as governed by the topological defects, affected tumor cell clearance and spreading. Importantly, our findings were consistent across multiple ovarian cancer cell types, suggesting a new physical mechanism that could impact ovarian cancer metastasis.