Asgard #archaea: have we found our microbial ancestors?
New review (also for newcomers to the field!) by Christa Schleper and Thiago Rodrigues-Oliveira
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Pls re-post: My department @oxfordbiochemistry.bsky.social are recruiting for several new faculty positions (links below). Broad search in molecular biology/biochemistry, across prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Interested in understanding life at the molecular level, this job might be for you!
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A must-read if you’re interested in bacterial immune system activation
@nitzantal.bsky.social @romihadary.bsky.social @soreklab.bsky.social use structure prediction and in silico binding site analysis to discover viral immune evasion proteins! Exciting for our lab @reneechang.bsky.social @riveralopz.bsky.social to help with this project.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
New post-doctoral research position in my phage-host interactions (Phi) laboratory in @otagomicroimmuno.bsky.social at @universityofotago.bsky.social New Zealand. The project is focused on defences against jumbo phages. Please share and if interested apply using the link in the comments.
With Eugene Koonin, we propose a concept of “the selfish ribosome”, under which evolution of life is viewed as a ribosomal takeover, where the ribosome evolved to consume most of the cell’s resources, while other cellular componentry ensures the propagation of the ribosome. arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268
➡️ preprint from the lab! Bacteria have loads of antiviral defences in their mobile genetic elements (MGEs). So when MGEs move between bacteria, the defences move with them, generating a fast turnover of defences in bacteria. But what about the antiviral defence turnover in the MGEs themselves? 🤔
🧵👇
Make critical thinking a foundational subject in education. Teach students how to think critically, analyze information, and discern fact from fiction using scientific methods, creating a more discerning and informed society.
Like bacteria, phages use sRNAs to regulate gene expression! Out today in @cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social, @mvelascogomariz.bsky.social and I highlight a recent RIL-seq study from the @saharmelamed.bsky.social lab that looked into posttranscriptional regulation of lambda!
tinyurl.com/lambda-RIL-seq
Intriguing study that emphasises the need to work with native systems and expression levels to really understand antiphage defence
📢 Funded PhD in molecular microbiology & phage biology
How do bacterial stress responses control prophage activation and horizontal gene transfer?
Join us at St Andrews to dissect Clp protease–mediated regulation in Staphylococcus aureus.
Apply:
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
SNIPE is a widespread bacterial defence system that exploits the spatial organization of phage genome injection to specifically target viral DNA, distinguishing self from non-self in prokaryotic immune systems @nature.com @mitpress.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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Happy by a recent biorxiv pre-print about DARNA (PD-T7-3) anti-phage defense system. This system is activated by binding to ssDNA, presented by phage SSB, to cleave tRNA in the anti-codon loop.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
My latest story is out. Bots get banned on social media.
The workaround? Real humans posting AI-generated messages in a gamified system, coordinated by an AI command centre. And it's being offered to your local town councillor.
www.nationalobserver.com/2026/02/24/i...
If you are looking for “more”, apply for this outstanding PhD program which offers you ample opportunities to develop as a scientist and leader connecting to peers, leaders in the RNA field in Germany, Europe and around the world. Learn the science but also about translation into applications.
When Norfolk Police ask Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor if he has any special dietary requirements whilst in custody:
Just remember who to support in the Curling gold medal match tomorrowI
Very timely review; thank Alex Hong and @jbdsf.bsky.social for putting this together
journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
Indeed!
Quite the week for the PK lab!
Congratulations to Sonomi Yamaguchi for her paper at @nature.com. Sonomi discovered Clover defense and explained how nucleotide signals control each step of viral sensing, immune regulation, and viral restriction – named for her beautiful "four-leaf" structures 🍀
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Finally out in @nature.com: a new piece of the puzzle of how complex life evolved. Lead by @archaeal.bsky.social & @katyappler.bsky.social. Great collab with @greening.bsky.social and @kassipan.bsky.social. More pieces to follow soon! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Delighted to see over 17 million new protein structure predictions from novel proteins in AllTheBacteria are now integrated into the AlphaFold Database at @ebi.embl.org !
Huge work from @gbouras13.bsky.social @oschwengers.bsky.social and friends to generate these.
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/u...
"You can just decide that you don’t know things, it turns out, even if you do know them. You can simply decide to forget progress. Disease is caused by miasma, insufficient beef tallow, corn syrup, the evil eye. You can simply decide to burn coal and witches and books again."
We'll be there with many lab members, sharing new stories, we'll be very happy to get feedback on :)
Really looking forward.
Wouldn't it be great if REF and ResearchFish disappeared off into the sunset together?
Scrapping REF should be ‘serious’ option, says Manchester VC www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
With these authors you know it’s a must-read
A gift of an article from the inimitable Colin Kleanthous as he says a moving farewell to his laboratory. A brave, unrepentant and scientifically brilliant journey is described - please have a read, friends.
www.jbc.org/article/S002...
Chemical inhibition of a bacterial immune system
Small molecules inhibit type II Thoeris anti-phage systems from diverse bacteria. One compound, IP6C, improves phage-therapy against P. aeruginosa & is effective against Thoeris in polymicrobial communities
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
amen to that!
