Tung Le

Our study of the evolution of the ParB NTP binding domain across the Tree of Life is now published! An awesome collaboration with @tunglejic.bsky.social led by @jovanakaljevic.bsky.social at the John Ines Center. Thanks to editors and reviewers. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Versatile NTP recognition and domain fusions expand the functional repertoire of the ParB-CTPase fold beyond chromosome segregation | PNAS Nucleotide triphosphate (NTP)-dependent molecular switches regulate essential cellular processes by cycling between active and inactive states thro...

Now published. Thank you very much to our collaborative team, and very supportive editors and reviewers!!!

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Versatile NTP recognition and domain fusions expand the functional repertoire of the ParB-CTPase fold beyond chromosome segregation | PNAS Nucleotide triphosphate (NTP)-dependent molecular switches regulate essential cellular processes by cycling between active and inactive states thro...

Our preprint is now published in PNAS! This came together thanks to a great collaboration with Antoine Hocher and a strong team effort from the Le Lab. Thank you to the reviewers and to everyone who helped improve it. I hope ParB aficionados will enjoy it.

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Versatile NTP recognition and domain fusions expand the functional repertoire of the ParB-CTPase fold beyond chromosome segregation | PNAS Nucleotide triphosphate (NTP)-dependent molecular switches regulate essential cellular processes by cycling between active and inactive states thro...

Now published. Thank you very much to our collaborative team, and very supportive editors and reviewers!!!

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Marjory Stephenson Prize Lecture Winner 2026 - headshot image of Mark Buttner, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, UK

Outreach and Engagement Prize Lecture Winner 2026 - headshot image of Lindsay Broadbent, University of Surrey, UK

Translational Microbiology Prize Lecture Winner 2026 - headshot image of Alan Parker, Cardiff University of Health and Care Research Wales, UK

Marjory Stephenson Prize 2026: Professor Mark Buttner — @johninnescentre.bsky.social

Outreach and Engagement Prize 2026: @lindsaybroadbent.bsky.social — @uniofsurrey.bsky.social

Translational Microbiology Prize 2026: @alanlparker.bsky.social — @cancerwales.bsky.social

same here!!!

Very timely review, Tanmay et al!!!

et al 😜

Sharpening knives in itself a very difficult skill as well!!!

“Keep knives sharp and cut gently to spray less” I cried so much when I worked in a restaurant back then, wish I knew this!!!

Chromosome segregation dynamics during the cell cycle of Staphylococcus aureus - Nature Communications Our understanding of chromosome organization and dynamics in spherical bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, remains limited. Here, the authors show that chromosome replication and cell division cycles are not synchronized in S. aureus, with cells exhibiting two segregated origins of replication at the start of the cell cycle.

Chromosome replication and cell division cycles are not synchronized in Staphylococcus aureus, with cells exhibiting two segregated origins of replication at the start of the cell cycle

#bacteria #microbiology

Beyond Immunity: Uncovering the Hidden Diversity of Bacterial NLRs (SCHLIMPERT_J26DTP) | Doctoral Training Partnership Join us in exploring the hidden functions of ancient immune proteins in bacteria. Bacteria, like plants and animals, have evolved sophisticated systems to detect and respond to threats.

We have a PhD opportunity available in our group @johninnescentre.bsky.social through the NRP Doctoral Training Partnership. Help us uncover the Hidden Diversity of Bacterial NLRs.

Start date: October 2026. For more information and how to apply👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/bey...

A ParA-interacting peptide, enabling B-A interaction!!!

ParB NTPase fold might:
*suggest hidden layer of biological regulation
*maybe a fold as fundamental as P-loop ATPases or Rossmann folds (well, this has to be seen!)
*be a treasure trove of uncharacterized proteins waiting to be studied.

We probably have only scratched the surface.

Overall:
ParB-CTPase is like the Swiss Army knife.

*Sometimes it helps form a DNA clamp.
*Sometimes as an enzyme module.
*Sometimes may be as a scaffold.

Evolution keeps re-purposing it for new cellular roles.

Some examples from literature already hinted at its versatility:

*In Bacillus, Noc uses CTP to coordinate DNA segregation with cell division.
*In Shigella/E.coli/Pseudomonas, VirB/KorB/BisD regulates gene expression with a CTP switch.
*In archaea/eukaryotes, some are kinases or sulfiredoxins.

What is special about ParB-CTPase fold?

*Likely an ancient NTP-binding module
*Also found in plasmids, phages, & chromosomes
*Fused to lineage-specific domains
*Not limited to CTP - can also bind ATP and even GTP!!! (we purified 28 diverse proteins to test NTP preference).

A very versatile fold!

But… how widespread is the CTPase fold?
We surveyed 80,000+ proteins across bacteria, archaea, phages, and eukaryotes.

Result: the ParB-CTPase fold is EVERYWHERE.
Not just in chromosome segregation, but fused to diverse domains, often on mobile genetic elements.

The first CTP switch? ParB, a bacterial DNA segregation protein.

ParB uses CTP to clamp around DNA, recruit ParA (an ATPase), and ensure chromosomes are properly inherited by daughter cells. CTP hydrolysis then recycles ParB. This represents a new regulatory principle!

1/ Molecular switches are ubiquitous in biology.
One class of such switches bind nucleotide triphosphate (ATP, GTP, etc.), flip “on/off,” and regulate essential processes: growth, DNA replication, protein synthesis.
For decades, only GTPase/ATPase switches were known. Then came CTPases.

Versatile NTP recognition and domain fusions expand the functional repertoire of the ParB-CTPase fold beyond chromosome segregation Nucleotide triphosphate (NTP)-dependent molecular switches regulate essential cellular processes by cycling between active and inactive states through nucleotide binding and hydrolysis. These mechanis...

new preprint from our group & Antoine Hocher: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A fantastic collaboration with Antoine, with Jovana Kaljevic' initiated the collaboration and drives the project.

Independent research fellowships leading to tenured positions at the John Innes Centre.

Repost = nice. Thank you very much!!!

Start independent research at the JIC with us 👇.

Really interested in finding those with an interest in structural biology and biochemistry of plants and microbes.

Please do get in touch by email if you'd like to know more 👍

Independent research fellowships leading to tenured positions at the John Innes Centre.

Repost = nice. Thank you very much!!!

🚨PhD Opportunity Alert🚨 Join me, @suzieh.bsky.social and @walllabuoglasgow.bsky.social to investigate how environment shapes anti-phage defences & prophage–prophage conflict in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Apply here:
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...