Peter Chivers

Metalloproteins make up ~30% of the PDB archive.
To ensure FAIR data practices, wwPDB is remediating existing polyatomic metal-containing entries and CCDs — improving their chemical and coordination descriptions for better findability and reuse.

1/3 To those interested in microbial iron & metal transport: In 1992, the late JB Neilands (UCB), the pioneer in the study of Fe transport entrusted me with his collection of purified siderophores from a wide range of microbes—many of them unique chemical species that can no longer be reproduced

Tremendous work, John.

Microbial metal physiology: ions to ecosystems Nature Reviews Microbiology - Metal ions are required for all cells, and their homeostasis relies on ancient mechanisms that facilitate their import, distribution and storage. In this Review,...

Metal ions are universally required for life, and many of the foundational principles of metal homeostasis have emerged from studies of microbial systems. In this review, I provide a introductory overview targeted to those new to the field.
#MicroSky #Metals

rdcu.be/eycU2

Engineering Biology Mission Hubs showcase: ELEMENTAL Join members from the team leading the Engineering Biology Mission Hub for Environmental Processing and Recovery of Metals (ELEMENTAL) as they provide an overview of their expansive engineering biolog...

Upcoming Webinar | #EngineeringBiology Showcase: ELEMENTAL Fri 4 July 2025 | 12:00–13:00 BST
We’re excited to invite you to an upcoming showcase from the Engineering Biology Mission Hub for Environmental Processing and Recovery of Metals.

www.ukri.org/events/engin...

I got hit by some rather sudden and extreme financial hardship so if anyone is in need of remote wetlab contract research, strictly BSL1, do let me know. Currently scrambling for gigs.

Plant, Bacterial, Archaeal Non-model Bioeng
Custom Lab Hardware
Turn Key Genetic Design

Please repost for reach 💚

Of Aerobes and Anaerobes Noteworthy — When first introduced to microbes, we quickly learn to divide them into aerobes and anaerobes. Then we qualify those titles with modifiers to yield such classes as facultative anaerobes, ...

schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2...
#MicroSky

The Barrier Properties of Biological Membranes Dictate How Cells Experience Oxidative Stress Molecular oxygen diffuses across membranes with such speed that, despite respiration, the intracellular oxygen concentration does not differ significantly from that outside the cell. In contrast, mem...

How rapidly do oxygen & ROS cross biological membranes and what does this mean for their detoxification?
Jim Imlay tackles this question in a new Perspective, which provides a quantitative framework for thinking about how gases interact with cells.
#MicroSky

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Government Chief Scientific Adviser visits University of York The Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) visited the University of York to find out more about its leading research programmes and how universities are playing a vital role in driving regional e...

Hub theme leader meets with UK's top Government scientist. (Shared with kind permission from University of York.)
www.york.ac.uk/news-and-eve...

Structural basis for transcription activation through cooperative recruitment of MntR - Nature Communications MntR is a protein that can repress the expression of Mn2+ uptake transporters and activate the expression of efflux proteins. Here, the authors use cryo-EM and other biochemical approaches to establis...

How does MntR function as both repressor and activator with different Mn(II) sensitivity and cooperativity?

Led by the remarkable Prof. Shivani Ahuju (Reed), our long-time collaborator Arthur Glasfeld, and Reed undergraduates!
#MicroSky #ChemSky #cryoEM

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

In UK, PubMed is a struggle on Edge and Safari. Advanced search seems to work ok, but BLAST is not accessible.

A photo of B12 vitamins with the text "Research Scientist, investigate and characterise a diverse set of vitamin B12 binding proteins in gut bacteria. Salary: £36,720 to £44,500, Contract length: 18 months, Apply by 16 March 2025"

🆕 Vacancy! We’re looking for a Research Scientist to investigate and characterise a diverse set of vitamin B12 binding proteins found in gut bacteria 🦠

💷 £36,720 to £44,500
🗓️ Apply by 16 March
➡️ https://buff.ly/3EX8ntb

Our lab is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research associate to study zinc metallochaperones from the COG0523 superfamily of small GTPases. Apply here: shorturl.at/UmQYM or send application materials to Prof. Giedroc directly at giedroc@iu.edu. Looking for strong biochemists; please share!

A metal-trap tests and refines blueprints to engineer cellular protein metalation with different elements - Nature Communications Investigating how proteins acquire specific metals in cells is challenging. Here, the authors use a cyanobacterial MnII-cupin (MncA) as a metal trap to test predictions of metalation, and determine me...

1/5 We are thrilled to share our paper which came out this week in @springernature.com @naturecomms.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The University of Surrey will hold a Workshop on Biotechnological Solutions for Metal Recovery on 20 January 2025. See the flyer below for further details and how to participate.

June, London was June…damn autocorrect.

Our review on bacterial metallostasis is now online in Chemical Reviews! This collaboration by the Giedroc (@betainverse.bsky.social and @jsrocchio.bsky.social) and Capdevila labs delves into bacterial metal regulation. 🦠 #Microbiology #ChemicalReviews #BacterialMetallostasis doi.org/10.1021/acs....

A group of workshop attendees standing in the Hintze Hall at the Natural History Museum

Workshop on Bioengineering for Critical Minerals, 5 & 6 December, Natural History Museum, London. Colleagues from industry, academia, the CMI Hub and Elemental met to discuss work and potential collaborations. US visitors also visited Universities of Birmingham and Manchester to visit groups there.

Decoding Early Life Microbiota and Host Interactions at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Decoding Early Life Microbiota and Host Interactions at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com

🚨 PhD Opportunity @halllab.bsky.social!
🔬 Decoding Early Life Microbiota & Host Interactions
🧬 Ideal for those with bioinformatics/microbiome experience
🌍 Open to international candidates (MSCA mobility rules apply).
📅 Deadline: 18th Dec
🌐 Apply now: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Figure from Vita et al., 2016, Sci Rep: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep39065

I have a PhD position available in my group, to start in March 2025. If you have a keen interest in biochemistry and would like to study an exciting and novel class of copper proteins (aka weird Cu tubes) from bacteria, I'd love to hear from you.
You should apply here: ibb.edu.pl/app/uploads/...

See here for peer review of this work:

elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...

How about “bleet” and “re-bleet”…

I saw “skeet” used today.

We have a fully-funded PhD position to develop & test a mathematical model to explain how metal ions influence microbial coexistence. Would suit candidates with Maths, Bio, or Nat Sci background. Great project & training. Our project undergrads this year are currently writing a paper already!