Buzz Baum

An archaeal genetic code with all TAG codons as pyrrolysine Multiple genetic codes developed during the evolution of eukaryotes and bacteria, yet no alternative genetic code is known for archaea. We used proteomics to confirm our prediction that certain archae...

Some archaea—an ancient group of microorganisms—have an entirely novel genetic code, according to a new study in Science.

The findings expand our understanding of how alternative genetic codes evolve and hint at new molecular tools for biotechnology applications. https://scim.ag/4omApQ7

📣 We are moving to Barcelona to join the amazing @crg.eu and explore how centrosomes & cilia work, evolve & respond to the environment. We are looking for
PhD students www.crg.eu/en/content/t...
Postdocs gimm.pt/jobs/postdoc...
Other calls to open, also for an experienced lab manager.
Get in touch!

Thomas - you would love it!

And farewell Montevideo

I wish everyone could go!
Thanks again to all who made it both possible and such a pleasure, including the Moore foundation, SOI, the Baker lab, and the fabulous crew of Falkor (too).
#AsgardArchaea
@schmidtocean.bsky.social
@moorefound.bsky.social
@texasscience.bsky.social
@utmsi.bsky.social

Congratulations Kay and colleagues on the careful and elegant analysis! It’s looking like much of the rise in genetic complexity that accompanied eukaryogenesis arose in our archaeal ancestors before the acquisition of mitochondria.

Dated gene duplications elucidate the evolutionary assembly of eukaryotes - Nature Analysis of eukaryotic gene sequences using a relaxed molecular clock methodology indicate that eukaryotes emerged 3.0–2.25 billion years ago as a result of mitochondrial endosymbiosis with complex ar...

Eukaryogenesis was a billion year spree, but the acquisition of mitochondria happened when the party was winding down www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Happy birthday Robert! Farewell friends and Falkor (too)

The artist!

YouTube video by Schmidt Ocean Collaboration for Understanding | Searching for the Asgards

And ‘Searching for the Asgards’ the movie: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgmE...

Back in Montevideo port. Time to clear up and get shipments sent. All hands on deck

Pilar raises her Asgard bridge from the sea!

Or, more likely, that the protoeukaryote was an Asgard.

Dynamic protrusions mediate unique crawling motility in Asgard Archaea (Promethearchaeota) Crawling motility is a hallmark of eukaryotic cells and requires a dynamic actin cytoskeleton, regulated adhesion, and spatially organized signalling pathways. Asgard archaea (phylum Promethearchaeota...

And another Asgard paper. Cells in motion! Wow! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

It’s hard to hear but despite our eyes plugs we are all listening intently

Water purification

Neil asks: ‘anything else you really want to see?’ Alyson pipes up. ‘Sewage!’

Roxana at work

Expedition is coming to an end. Last sediment cores are up. Neil gives us a tour of Falkor (too)’s engine room. It gives us a sense of the immensity of the ‘behind the scenes’ work thst has made SPARC possible.

Bifrost (bridge to Asgard) being assembled!

#AsgardArchaea
@schmidtocean.bsky.social
@moorefound.bsky.social
@texasscience.bsky.social
@utmsi.bsky.social

Waiting for the rain to clear

Javier has done beautiful work (following on from the study he did with Diorge Souza), showing how Asgard Escrt-III likely cut membranes. The answer: with Hofund.

Pilars event is delayed. She needs a permit from the ministry. It’s annoying but kind of perfect. Art mimicking science. Getting our permits has been the bane of the expedition.

Yes!!!

My amateurish movie

Happy - revisions accepted!

Pilar finalises everything for the raising of her sculpture. It is due to enter the sea at 7pm Uruguay time

Sunday. That means cabin inspection @ 10:30. Last time we got a note, which read like reviewer feedback. ‘Excellent, but… 2 flaws.’
This time Danilo and I hope to do better.