Max Koppers

Cells come in many shapes and sizes, with diverse physiological functions. But how do #organelles and their interaction networks remodel during #differentiation of stem cells into different cell types? Here’s what we discovered about neuronal differentiation: 1/13

Active transport of tRNAs facilitates distributed protein synthesis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.26.698744v1

Subcellular depletion of importin β1 impairs presynaptic local translation and spatial memory Axonal localization of importin β1 is required for presynaptic functions that support spatial memory tasks.

Very happy to share our new paper in #ScienceSignaling revealing that importin β1 isn’t just important for nuclear transport or neuronal growth.

We now show it is key for presynaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, local translation, and memory!

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Mitochondrial hitch-hiking of Mapt mRNA maintains Tau levels in axons Hitch-hiking of transcripts on organelles, including mitochondria, has emerged as a common pathway to transport mRNAs into the axon to enable their local translation. However, the extent of mitochondr...

New preprint from my lab!!!
We took advantage of the MitoTag mouse line to study what mRNAs associate with mitochondria in axons in vivo, and we were in for a surprise! Other than our favorite Pink1, mainly cytoskeletal mRNAs hitch a ride and pave the way for axon growth. shorturl.at/rYe1U

Dynamic subtype- and context-specific subcellular RNA regulation in growth cones of developing neurons of the cerebral cortex Nature Neuroscience - Distinct neuron subtypes compartmentalize specific functions by differentially localizing and translating specific RNAs. This work identifies dynamic subtype- and...

Dynamic subtype- and context-specific subcellular RNA regulation in growth cones of developing neurons in the cerebral cortex. rdcu.be/eXuwg

Secretome translation shaped by lysosomes and lunapark-marked ER junctions - Nature Live-cell imaging of mRNA encoding secretome proteins and translated nascent peptide markers show that secretome translation occurs at endoplasmic reticulum junctions near lysosomes, requires lun...

Secretome translation shaped by lysosomes and lunapark-marked ER junctions
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Neuronal compartmentalization results in impoverished axonal mitochondria https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.27.684882v1

I am thrilled to share our latest story led by the incredibly talented Brooke D’Arcy and Camila Musso. We discover a rich world of local gene expression in radial glia, essential neural and glial precursors, and develop a new method for sub-cellular mRNA manipulation. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

🚀 Our new paper is out @natmethods.nature.com!

Kuffer & Marzilli engineered conditionally stable MS2 & PP7 coat proteins (dMCP & dPCP) that degrade unless bound to RNA, enabling ultra–low-background, single-mRNA imaging in live cells.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧬 www.addgene.org/John_Ngo/

Wow, this paper provides crucial understanding of local translation and processing of transmembrane proteins in axons, one of the big mysteries that have haunted the field for a long time!!!!!!!! Fantastic!!!!!!!! Nguyen et al., 2025, bioRxiv 2025.09.09.674816ff. -- doi.org/10.1101/2025...

✨ Post-doc opportunity in axon biology, funded by #ATIP-Avenir!

👀 We are looking for an enthusiastic post-doc to join our team at @ibdm.bsky.social to explore translation dynamics in axon regrowth, using live imaging approaches.

Apply at: emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...

Thank you for sharing! 👋 🙏

Excited to share our preprint, now available online on BioRxiv! biorxiv.org/content/10.1.... We uncovered the coupling of translation and secretion machineries at the #axonalER to promote local delivery of axonal transmembrane proteins (TMPs) to the plasma membrane.

I'm thrilled to share our work from @weissmanlab.bsky.social (www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...). We developed LOCL-TL, an optogenetic approach for monitoring localized translation in mammalian cells. LOCL-TL revealed two distinct strategies for mitochondrially localized translation.

Neuronal processes contain the essential components for the late steps of ribosome biogenesis | PNAS Neurons rely on spatial and temporal control of protein synthesis to respond rapidly and locally to external stimuli, a process facilitated by the ...

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Cryo-EM structures of Egl-BicD-RNA complexes reveal how diverse mRNAs are selected for subcellular localization https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.02.668268v1

mRNA trafficking directs cell-size-scaling of mitochondria distribution and function - Nature Communications How mitochondria positioning dynamically adapts to changes in cell shape is poorly understood. Here, Bradbury et al. show that cell-size-dependent trafficking of TRAK2 mRNA underpins the cell-size-sca...

If you’ve ever wondered how cells tune positioning of organelles in response to cell shape change, and what happens when this goes wrong, please check out our new manuscript – mRNA trafficking controls cell-size-scaled organelle dynamics! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

RNA can control cell migration by acting at focal adhesions - Scientific editing and writing experts - Life Science Editors Scientific editing and writing experts for manuscripts and grants

RNA can control cell migration by acting at focal adhesions www.lifescienceeditors.com/2025/06/24/r...

📢 For all HaloTag lovers💙💚💛❤️💜🩶 we are excited to share that our work, in which we developed a new biotin-HaloTag ligand, is now published in @jcb.org! Full link here: rupress.org/jcb/article-...

FMRP drives mRNP targets into translationally silenced complexes Translational repression by FMRP has been attributed primarily to ribosome stalling. We show that FMRP sequesters its target mRNAs from translation initiation. FMRP binds not only to the transcript body but also directly to cap-bound eIF4E and poly(A)-tail-bound PABPC1. Through binding these two proteins, FMRP protects its target mRNAs from translation and decay.

Online Now: FMRP drives mRNP targets into translationally silenced complexes Online now:

Kicking off the lab BlueSky with this picture of a happy hairy growing #axon!
Looking forward to connecting with science chats and to growing research ideas 🧠🔬✨

Optogenetic storage and release of protein and mRNA in live cells and animals - Nature Communications Spatiotemporal control of biomolecules is a key challenge in cell biology. Here, authors introduce RELISR, an optogenetic condensate system enabling reversible, light-dependent sequestration and relea...

Optogenetic storage and release of protein and mRNA in live cells and animals | Nature Communications share.google/gz8nYXZ3hUVh...

#spatialbiology #imagingtools #fluorescencemicroscopy

Hello! Ever wonder what's "talking to" your favorite transcript, but were too scared to ask? In our review in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social, @mardakheh.bsky.social and I highlight new RNA-focused tools for discovering RNA interactions across organizational scales. Checkit!

tinyurl.com/ydn6e3ac

Targeting 22q11.2 deletion syndrome Gene-targeting molecules known as antisense oligonucleotides help improve cognitive function in mouse models of a severe chromosomal disorder.

Researchers have found that turning down a single gene, EMC10, can boost memory and brain function in mice with a genetic condition linked to #schizophrenia. The findings offer hope for future treatments for 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Neuronal potassium channel activity triggers initiation of mRNA translation through binding of translation regulators Activated Slack potassium channels bind translation regulators to stimulate translation of cortical β-actin mRNA.

Neuronal potassium channel activity triggers initiation of mRNA translation through binding of translation regulators.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Programmable control of spatial transcriptome in live cells and neurons - Nature CRISPR-TO, a system for programmable control of spatial localization of cellular RNAs, is presented and enables functional investigation of endogenous RNA localization in diverse living cells.

Programmable control of spatial transcriptome in live cells and neurons.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A 🧵 to walk those interested through this paper...

Murphy et al. @amsterdamumc.bsky.social show that MUNC13 is essential for dense core vesicle secretion, while RIM prevents MUNC13 degradation. Key membrane-binding domains of RIM & MUNC13 play differing roles, revealing distinct mechanisms from synaptic vesicle release. rupress.org/jcb/article/...

Genome-wide mapping of mesoscale neuronal RNA organization and condensation Subcellular RNA organization can affect critical cellular functions. However, our understanding of RNA microenvironments, particularly biomolecular condensates, remains limited, largely due to a lack ...

What drives cytoplasmic mRNA organization? We created unbiased, genome-wide maps of mesoscale RNA-RNA spatial proximity, revealing impact of encoded protein function. Fantastic work from @lindsayabecker.bsky.social @sofiquinodoz.bsky.social @davidaknowles.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Nanobinders for Synaptotagmin 1 enable the analysis of synaptic vesicle dynamics in rodent and human models. Synaptic neurotransmission is a critical hallmark of brain activity and one of the first processes to be affected in neural diseases. Monitoring this process, and in particular synaptic vesicle recycl...

Excited for our latest work! We developed nanobinders for the luminal domain of Synaptotagmin 1 (calcium sensor for synaptic vesicles). Thanks among others to @verstrekenlab.bsky.social @opazo.bsky.social @meunierlab.bsky.social @volkerhaucke-lab.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...