Igor Ulitsky

Out today: We discovered new viral proteins that target immune signaling molecules, solely based on their AlphaFold-predicted shapes

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

Congrats Nitzan Tal and coauthors! Thank you Kranzusch lab for the fun collaboration!

Linking below previous thread on our findings

Don’t worry. Soon, everyone here will be an expert on air wars in the Middle East.

TFW you generously accepted review invitations thinking you'd have two ~18 hr flights TLV<->Cancun this week for reviewing, then war breaks out, but you still need to review these papers/grants

... and we're back to in-shelter selfies!

Our most recent work on the “function and evolution” of #nuclear-speckles is now online at Cell @cp-cell.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...
Read the thread👇 for the highlights of our findings.

Chromatin spatial analysis by METALoci unveils sex-determining 3D regulatory hubs Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - METALoci, a new three-dimensional genome computational tool, reveals a major rewiring of regulatory interactions during sex determination. By combining...

🤩💪 Out now! 3D regulatory hubs in sex determination

With @mamartirenom.bsky.social & Capel labs, led by @imotagom.bsky.social & @jrotwitguez.bsky.social

1️⃣ METALoci – explore #3DGenome 🧬
2️⃣ Non-coding region controlling Fgf9 🧩
3️⃣ Meis genes = new key players 🌟

👉 rdcu.be/e5sm2

1/n Bluetorial 👇

Integrative multiomics analysis and CRISPR screening identify functional noncanonical translation loci in the mouse immune system. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.23.707583v1

So awesome!

Mechanisms linking cytoplasmic decay of translation-defective mRNA to transcriptional adaptation Transcriptional adaptation (TA) is a genetic robustness mechanism through which mutant messenger RNA (mRNA) decay induces sequence-dependent up-regulation of so-called adapting genes. How cytoplasmica...

This is a fascinating paper that reveals defined and clear mechanism for a phenomenon that for some seemed unbelievable- the up regulation of genes paralogous to those with specific types of inactivating mutations. This is called transcriptional adaptation 1/ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Tread -1- EpiSci - I am very proud to share with you our new study that you can access on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social (see link below)
"The Interaction with Nanotopographical Environment regulates nuclear mechanoresponse in mESCs via Histone Demethylase KDM3A.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Mechanisms linking cytoplasmic decay of translation-defective mRNA to transcriptional adaptation Transcriptional adaptation (TA) is a genetic robustness mechanism through which mutant messenger RNA (mRNA) decay induces sequence-dependent up-regulation of so-called adapting genes. How cytoplasmica...

Ever notice that when one gene is disrupted, its orthologs get upregulated? This phenomenon, known as transcriptional adaptation, has been controversial and mysterious - glad to see that we are starting to learn how it works.

A small polymerase ribozyme that can synthesize itself and its complementary strand The emergence of a chemical system capable of self-replication and evolution is a critical event in the origin of life. RNA polymerase ribozymes can replicate RNA, but their large size and structural ...

Ooooh. Cool new paper on origins of life. A simple 45-nucleotide RNA molecule that can perfectly copy itself.

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

One on left is a black dog and above it the words “Reality”. Below it is “I chased a squirrel” One the right is a black dog and above it says “LinkedIn”. Below it says, Proud to announce that I effectively executed a rapid-response squirrel displacement strategy to mitigate potential yard intrusions. Humbled by the unwavering support of my family and local stakeholders. This experience reinforced the importance of vigilance, ownership, and continuous improvement. Looking forward to scaling this impact in future engagements.

😂

Nup42 safeguards heat-induced mRNAs from nuclear condensation tosupport chaperone synthesis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.10.705189v1

Does the noncoding genome actually carry more genetic information than coding seqs? Motivated by this question we mutated every bp in the 10kb MYC locus. Results are even more exciting: Decoding the MYC locus reveals a druggable ultraconserved RNA element www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

This time we are back at the bigger Sela auditorium after filling Lopatie center to the brim last time. Israeli RNA/DNA enthusiasts - hope you can join us. RT please!

Save the date! May 4th this year will be both Star Wars Day, and the 3rd installment of our Nucleaic Acid Therapeutics meeting at the Weizmann Institute. As in 2023 and 2025, we aim for an audience of ~300 researchers interested in RNA and DNA therapies, ~50/50% academy and industry.

Tweet exchange in which a photo of Anne Hathaway is posted by @TheRoyalSerf, to which user @VvSchweetz24 replies "@grok...do your thing. @Grok replies: Anne Hathaway isn't Jewish; she was raised Catholic but left the church. She married Adam Shulman (who is Jewish) in 2012 and celebrates Jewish holidays with their kids. SHe's played Jewish roles, like in "Armageddon Time."

pretty sure he meant the other thing, grok, but very cool that those are your two things

A nowhere-to-hide mechanism ensures complete piRNA-directed DNA methylation - Nature In mice, a SPOCD1–TPR-dependent ‘nowhere-to-hide’ mechanism is required for complete non-stochastic piRNA-directed LINE1 DNA methylation by preventing transposons from escaping surveillance within heterochromatin.

Nature research paper: A nowhere-to-hide mechanism ensures complete piRNA-directed DNA methylation

go.nature.com/4pDVgPq

🧪 An EMBO Meeting on Axon Biology in Okinawa, Japan

Iconic science at an amazing venue. Please join us!

EMBO | COB Workshop on Axonal degeneration and regeneration

meetings.embo.org/event/26-axo...

N1-Methylpseudouridine directly modulates translation dynamics Nature - N1-Methylpseudouridine enhances the translation of synthetic mRNAs, independently of innate immunity.

Our new paper is out in Nature 🎉. We show that m1Ψ in mRNA vaccines doesn’t just quiet immunity, it also directly enhance translation by reshaping ribosome dynamics in a sequence-dependent way 🧬
Full paper : rdcu.be/eY5gx

As usual this time of year, started drafting the list of gene regulation conferences for 2026, enjoy! generegulation.org/conferences-...
Know of a relevant event that’s missing? Please reply below

I gues the coffee doesn't taste like sfDORA

Junction-targeting designs limit the application of CRISPR-Cas13d in circular RNA perturbation studies Abstract. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are RNA molecules formed through the backsplicing of linear exons. Several thousand have been identified, yet relatively

Junction-targeting designs limit the application of CRISPR-Cas13d in circular RNA perturbation studies url: academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

When RNA Degradation 🤝 meets 🤝 Protein Degradation! tinyurl.com/E3TDMD In a collaboration of @bartellab.bsky.social and Schulman lab, we show that, in target-directed microRNA degradation (TDMD), 2-RNA-factors recruit an E3 ligase and induce the degradation of not only a protein but also RNA (1/5).

Congrats Liana!

🧪 Truth…!

Do transcriptional activators work on any promoter? Our data says no. 🙅‍♂️
Despite driving ~2/3 of mammalian genes, CpG island (CGI) promoters have remained a puzzle. We identified >50 activators that are exclusively compatible with this promoter class. 🧬

Kudos to my lab members agreeing to help 100% of the time (but I still edit everything they write, I wish I was confident everybody follows suit).

"Peer review is broken" is trending, and I indeed have been doing a bit less of it this year. Partially because of new responsibilities, but partially because it hasn't been a particularly strong year in my specific field(s)?