Our work on bacterial Schlafens in phage defense is out today @natmicrobiol.nature.com!
Check out the final version here:
rdcu.be/e7Bmz
We are looking for postdocs and students to expand our team! Official postings are coming soon.
Please reach out if you're interested!
#phage #phagesky #microsky
Big update for #gbdraw!
- Multi-record circular plots: Genomes with multiple replicons can now be displayed in a single view!
- Advanced linear plots: Focus on regions of interest with granular control over feature selection and color-coding!
Try now: gbdraw.app #microbiology #bioinformatics
The paper
"Our work identifies the mechano-antiviral response system (MARS), a natural cellular defense mechanism that strengthens the host cell membrane as a physical barrier against viruses without direct viral targeting."
www.cell.com/cell-chemica...
An autonomous system for multi-objective continuous evolution at scale
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
🚨Preprint! Happy to share the research from my PhD “Genome delivery of a contractile tailed phage and its superinfection exclusion mechanism”. We use cryoEM to study the genome ejection of the phage T4, revealing how the tape measure protein regulates the process.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
CBASS is a cyclic nucleotide-based antiviral system in bacteria that is related to cGAS-STING signaling in animals. One of the big questions is how CBASS is activated during phage infection? We made some progress on this during my final year in the Kranzusch lab.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
@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.
04.03.2026 00:20 — 👍 51 🔁 50 💬 5 📌 2
This is the first time we observed bacteria use plasmolysis to defence against phages! biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thanks all the authors to discover this together! @fnobrega.bsky.social Zhiying @garushyants.bsky.social Dinshaw and Eugene
Stunning new structural analysis and mechanism for Tmn anti-phage defense by @fnobrega.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thank you!
03.03.2026 22:53 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Have a read!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Proud of this powerhouse team: Yi, Zhiying, Sonya, Dinshaw & Eugene; and all other collaborators!
03.03.2026 19:55 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Even more exciting (we may be biased!): ATP hydrolysis by this system activates other ATP-sensing antiphage defences in the cell, leading to synergistic protection.
03.03.2026 19:55 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0In our latest work, we characterise the Tmn defence system. We reveal plasmolysis as a new way to block phage infection, dramatically reducing secondary infections.
03.03.2026 19:55 — 👍 27 🔁 19 💬 1 📌 1
Predicting protein-protein interactions (PPIs) at proteome scale can take months with co-folding models due to the massive all-vs-all comparisons required.
We are excited to announce FlashPPI, a contrastive learning framework that predicts proteome wide physical interfaces in minutes. 1/🧵
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
03.03.2026 08:58 — 👍 223 🔁 96 💬 5 📌 13So I pleased to announce the conceptual spawn of FigTree: PearTree (acronym still to be finalised). If you want to dive right in it is hosted as a web app here: artic-network.github.io/peartree (click the “Example...” button for immediate candy and then click every button you can find).
28.02.2026 19:01 — 👍 162 🔁 100 💬 5 📌 4
🧬Call for 11 fully-funded PhD positions in RNA-based medicine! 🧬
The graduate program “RNAmed – Future Leaders in RNA-based Medicine” is recruiting its second cohort of PhD students, starting in 2027: www.helmholtz-hiri.de/en/newsroom/...
📅 Application deadline: March 24
🧵 (1/4)
I just made an account and voted for this biology laboratory made of LEGO to "promote biological research and inspire more people into the world of biology". They need 10K votes. Reposting and/or voting below would be helpful. 🤗
beta.ideas.lego.com/product-idea...
#microsky #phagesky #phage defence
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A 5-hydroxymethylcytosine DNA glycosylase provides defense against T-even bacteriophages https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.25.707755v1
26.02.2026 05:18 — 👍 11 🔁 7 💬 0 📌 0
MicroSEA (Microbial Sea Eukaryotes) course is a one-week, field-based summer school to train early-career researchers in the diversity, ecology, and single-cell biology of marine protists. MicroSEA course integrates lectures, field sampling, and lab-based practicals in advanced techniques, such as flow cytometry, microscopy, culturing, and molecular analysis. The main objectives of MicroSEA course are: Fostering a deep understanding of marine protist diversity, ecology and biology; Providing hands-on training in advanced single-cell methods that are not commonly available in university programs; Building participants' confidence in designing and conducting research projects from field to data analysis; Promoting international collaborations and peer networking among students and speakers/trainers. The course will take place at the Station Biologique de Roscoff - SBR (France) - 7th to 12th of June, 2026 (arrival on the 6th, departure on the 13th). 20 participants will be selected, including 10 from EuroMarine member institutes. https://opbc.sciencesconf.org/
Protist lovers: Please apply for a week of rhapsody! Learn by doing:
MicroSEA (Microbial Sea Eukaryotes) course is a one-week, field-based summer school to train early-career researchers in the diversity, ecology, and single-cell biology of marine protists. opbc.sciencesconf.org
#protistsonsky
Courtesy of @martibartfast.bsky.social , we have a new release of AllTheBacteria which adds another 322,920 assemblies, covering all ENA (illumina, isolate) prokaryotes to May 2025.
allthebacteria.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ov...
Cell death is a fundamental mechanism of antiviral immunity across diverse organisms, including bacteria. As my final PhD project with @jbdsf.bsky.social, I was curious whether cell death is required for successful immunity with the ancient cGAS pathway known as ‘CBASS.’
Spoiler – the answer is no!
Faculty position in Plant Molecular Biology (Associate Professor or Tenure-Track Assistant Professor) at Aarhus University, Denmark
mbg.au.dk/aktuelt/ledi...
1/5
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...
The most important #RNA conference of the year with lots of amazing science and a really friendly atmosphere. This year in beautiful Montreal 🇨🇦 !
www2.rnasociety.org
Check out largest scale analysis of bacterial DNA polymerases! Diversity and distribution of bacterial DNA polymerases url: academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
23.02.2026 17:59 — 👍 15 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 0
Looking for a truly unique PhD programme on RNA drugs and therapeutics? We have just opened the call for the second cohort of RNAmed-Future leaders in RNA-based medicine. More details under www.rnamed.de Please spread the word.
23.02.2026 19:56 — 👍 14 🔁 19 💬 0 📌 2
