Miranda

SIRT4 regulates antiviral and autoimmune responses by promoting cGAS-mediated signaling pathways - EMBO Reports Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP)-AMP synthase (cGAS) is a critical cytosolic DNA sensor, whose activity can be regulated by acetylation. Here, we show that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)...

'SIRT4 interacts with cGAS and deacetylates cGAS directly, thereby promoting the binding of cGAS with cytosolic DNA and the generation of cGAMP. SIRT4 deficiency impairs DNA virus- or cytosolic DNA-triggered signaling.'
#Immunology #InnateImmunity

scanning electron micrograph image of the surface of an oocyte in the process of internalizing yolk precursors, with the classical “pits” labeled

A very cool bug fact I just learned: the first published description of the process later defined as “clathrin-mediated endocytosis” – lets cells uptake large molecules; exploited by viruses – was yolk precursor internalization by maturing Aedes aegypti oocytes! 🦟 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14126875/

Here, the authors compile transcriptomic data from experimental evolution of a prokaryotic and five eukaryotic species in 22 environments to reveal that gene expression evolution is often repeatable and deterministic.

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

The paradox of immune systems conservation between prokaryotes and eukaryotes - Nature Reviews Microbiology The widespread prokaryotic immune systems, in particular restriction–modification, CRISPR–Cas and defensive toxin–antitoxin systems, are absent in eukaryotes, whereas relatively rare ones, such as Arg...

Aude Bernheim @audeber.bsky.social and Eugene Koonin discuss one of most interesting questions in the field connecting bacterial and animal immunity!

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

Segmented filamentous bacteria reprogramming of alveolar macrophages limits postinfluenza bacterial pneumonia SFB colonization phenotypically alters alveolar macrophages, maintaining their antibacterial functions in inflamed interferon-rich lungs.

#NatMicroPicks

SFB aid microphages to fight flu! 🦠💉

Intestinal colonization with segmented filamentous bacteria reprograms alveolar macrophages to resist influenza‑induced depletion and prevent secondary bacterial infection

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

#MicroSky

PtdIns(3,5)P2 is an endogenous ligand of STING in innate immune signalling - Nature Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate is a ligand of STING and, together with cGAMP, induces STING activation and innate immune responses.

Nature research paper: PtdIns(3,5)P2 is an endogenous ligand of STING in innate immune signalling

go.nature.com/4klvMp1

Endogenous retroviruses synthesize heterologous chimeric RNAs to reinforce human early embryo development Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) failure leads to developmental arrest and poses a clinical challenge to women’s fertility. We observed that human embryos arresting at the eight-cell ZGA stage exhibite...

Endogenous retroviruses synthesize heterologous chimeric RNAs to reinforce human early embryo development
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Ecology and environment predict spatially stratified risk of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b in wild birds across Europe - Scientific Reports Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) represents a threat to animal and human health, with the ongoing H5N1 outbreak within the H5 2.3.4.4b clade being one of the largest on record. However, it rem...

🦅 What’s driving the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) across Europe?

Using machine learning and wild bird ecology, a new study from @L_Brierley & colleagues reveals a shift towards year-round risk in cold, low-lying regions of NW Europe.

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

MRC instructs grant review boards to slash funding rates - Research Professional News Boards asked to recommend just three applications for funding, as BBSRC also suspends calls

Both MRC and BBSRC responsive modes now withdrawn until further notice. Existing applications unlikely to succeed (late 2025 round expecting 1-5% success rate).

Listen, I get that UKRI wants to pivot. But killing both at once is devastating.

Let's hope at least one opens by summer... #AcademicSky

Mechanistic insights into the impact of prenatal viral infections on maternal and offspring immunity - npj Viruses npj Viruses - Mechanistic insights into the impact of prenatal viral infections on maternal and offspring immunity

Mechanistic insights into the impact of prenatal viral infections on maternal and offspring immunity

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Feasibility and Safety of Aerosolized Influenza Virus Challenge in Humans Using Two Modern Delivery Systems This study demonstrates that aerosolized influenza virus can be safely administered to healthy adults using two modern delivery systems. Controlled aerosol

To study influenza infections, we inoculated human participants with aerosolized virus: coarse particles generated by a flow-focusing monodisperse aerosol generator and fine particles generated by a medical nebulizer. academic.oup.com/jid/article-...

Pre-assembly of biomolecular condensate seeds drives RSV replication Nature - Viral ribonucleoprotein–viral protein networks form pre-replication centres that nucleate viral factories and drive respiratory syncytial virus replication.

Now out in Nature! We visualize infection of the RNA virus RSV in real-time with single-vRNP resolution to understand how RSV establishes viral factories, biomolecular condensates that act as sites of viral replication. A huge collaborative effort led by Dhanushika Ratnayake!

rdcu.be/e1bBW

Guinea Worm Disease Reaches All-Time Low: Only 10 Human Cases Reported in 2025 Only 10 human cases of Guinea worm were reported worldwide in 2025, the lowest number ever recorded, bringing the ancient disease closer than ever to eradication.

"Only 10 human cases of Guinea worm were reported worldwide in 2025, the lowest number ever recorded, bringing the ancient disease closer than ever to eradication."
We are so close to eradication.
What a legacy for President Carter who was so instrumental here.
www.cartercenter.org/news/guinea-...

Subclade K influenza A (H3N2) viruses display partial immune escape with preserved cross-neutralisation in a UK population We examined whether the recent emergence of influenza A(H3N2) subclade K, associated with an unusually early influenza season in the Northern hemisphere, was accompanied by a reduction in human popula...

Preprint measuring immune response to the A/H3N2 K influenza virus using human sera from May 2025. Some immune escape but vaccine was protective. Not really a super-flu. @cvrinfo.bsky.social @prmurcia.bsky.social www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

A data figure showing a phylogenetic tree of H3N2 with 2025-K highlighted, the structure of the HA trimer with mutations characteristic of K highlighted, and box and whisker plots showing % neutralisation of the 2022 H3N2 vaccine strain, and of 2025 clade K, by various human antisera

🚨New Pre-Print🚨
Although H3N2 subclade K has multiple mutations in HA, neutralisation assays with pre-epidemic human sera show only moderate antigenic drift, and vaccines used in the 2024/2025 flu season induced cross-neutralising immunity
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

Transcriptome mining reveals diversity and evolution of circulating and endogenous amphibian retroviruses - Retrovirology Background The evolutionary history of retroviruses and their impact on vertebrate evolution remains poorly understood, particularly in non-mammalian hosts. In this study, we explore retroviruses associated with Amphibia through analysis of 169 RNA sequencing datasets from 102 amphibian species. Using a BLAST-based approach, we identified retroviral transcripts from assembled transcriptomes and phylogenetically characterise both their pol and env regions to elucidate their evolutionary history. Results We identified the transcription of 18 novel and two previously described retroviruses with closest relatives in gammaretrovirus, epsilonretrovirus, betaretrovirus and spumaretrovirinae. Despite their differing pol phylogenies, we found that all amphibian retroviruses belong to the gamma-type envelope group (GTE). This suggests a common selection pressure for amphibian retroviruses to retain GTEs. Within these GTEs we also observed a new clade of alpharetrovirus-like envelopes in amphibians which form a sister clade to avian alpharetrovirus envelopes. Furthermore, we observe correlations between amphibian taxonomical order and retroviral diversity, with Gymnophiona (caecilians) harbouring the widest diversity of retroviruses whilst Anura (frogs and toads) harbour the fewest. Through mapping these transcribed retroviruses to their respective genomes (seven available) supplemented with observing ORF intactness, we determined that 14 of the 20 retroviruses are likely endogenous in origin yet are still transcribed in many amphibian tissues. These amphibian endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) have high genomic copy numbers: most (5/7) ERVs investigated have > 100 copies, and one of which has 9,219 integrations within the Ichthyophis bannanicus caecilian genome. This high retroviral load in amphibian genomes may suggest that these retroviruses have low pathogenicity, or may reflect a lack of transposon control mechanisms in amphibian cells. Conclusions Through the characterisation of metatranscriptomic and genomic data from retroviruses in this study, we provide insights into their evolution in amphibians and exemplify the diversity of Retroviridae in vertebrate genomes. The identification of novel retroviral clades, widespread transcription of endogenous retroviruses in amphibians and abundance of ERV copies suggests that Retroviridae have played a significant role in amphibian evolution.

New study uncovers extensive diversity of circulating and endogenous #amphibian #retroviruses, identifying 20 retrovirus transcripts across 102 species, revealing deep evolutionary patterns in vertebrate hosts.🦎🧬#VirusEvolution
📄 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12977-025-00669-y
👤 EVBC member: Emma Harding

Excited to share our work on #AncientRNA from alcohol-preserved lungs, recovering the oldest human RNA virus genome (an 18th-century rhinovirus). Our study shows that viral RNA remnants persist in centuries-old tissue, opening new ways to study virus evolution and historical disease #Paleovirology🫁🦠

Frequent presymptomatic household transmission of influenza A but not influenza B virus - Nature Health Based on two waves of data collection from 748 households in Hong Kong, this analysis sheds light on the number of transmission events that occurred before manifestation of symptoms in influenza A and...

Interesting paper. Flu A transmits shortly before people become symptomatic in about 10% of cases. Doesn't seem to happen for flu B. Pre-symptomatic transmission in up to 65% of SC2 Omicron cases! www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Prenatal Zika virus exposure disrupts social-emotional development and cortical visual function in infant macaques

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

Can H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cattle be contained in the US? Great overview with lots of data of factors driving cattle outbreak, with genetic data. Of course, latest serologic detection suggests the cat is out of the bag!
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

>1000 seabirds across 14 species sampled in Atlantic Canada, 2022-2023. Highest prevalence in Common Murres in 2022 (64%), followed by Kittiwakes. Variation in seroprev across years. No active infection in 2023, but continued seropositivity.
👉 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/epdf/10....

Exciting discovery: we identified two novel species within the genus Enterovirus and demonstrated, for the first time, interspecies recombination events in the non-structural region of the genome.
Huge congratulations to Corentin Aubé 🤩
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

@pasteur.fr

Frequent presymptomatic household transmission of influenza A but not influenza B virus - Nature Health Based on two waves of data collection from 748 households in Hong Kong, this analysis sheds light on the number of transmission events that occurred before manifestation of symptoms in influenza A and...

Frequent presymptomatic household transmission of influenza A but not influenza B virus

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Join us tomorrow at the #SystemsVirologyJournalClub. @lauraluebbert.com will present her work with @lpachter.bsky.social on detecting viruses at single-cell resolution and uncovering associated changes in host gene expression.

Paper: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40263451/

DNAJC14 gene-edited pigs are resistant to classical pestiviruses Infectious diseases remain a major impediment to livestock production, negatively impacting both productivity and welfare. Where key interactions betw…

New Publication:
DNAJC14 gene-edited pigs are resistant to classical pestiviruses

@roslininstitute.bsky.social @thedickvet.bsky.social

#pestivirus #CRISPR

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

UKRI pauses several funding calls amid priorities shake-up - Research Professional News “Period of transition” at funding agency sees some Medical Research Council funding opportunities on hiatus

hard times in UK for research sector as MRC have announced a funding pause in light of the science secretary announcing an overhaul of how the agency would divide its budget which will dramatically change research....🧪🧵

#InterferonFriendsOrFoes? Another cool one @ellenfoxman.bsky.social &friends out @plosbiology.org about how excessive #IFNs delay repair by activating LATS & degrading YAP/TAZ in the Hippo 🦛 pathway! journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... 👇👇👇

Our third installment on prefusion stabilization of herpesvirus gB proteins is available as a preprint: doi.org/10.64898/202.... A great collaboration with colleagues at Merck. Our prefusion HSV-2 gB protein adopts a more closed conformation than has been observed for HSV-1 gB in recent papers.

Genomic features associated with sustained mammalian transmission of avian influenza A viruses Nature Microbiology, Published online: 27 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-025-02257-4Reduced GC-related content in the influenza A virus genome may be a necessary condition for sustained mammalian transmission and should be included in risk assessment tools for pandemic influenza.

Out Now! Genomic features associated with sustained mammalian transmission of avian influenza A viruses #MicroSky

Our newest paper is out where we investigate how exogenous RNA triggers innate immune responses, such as PKR activation and stress granule assembly. rnajournal.cshlp.org/content/earl...