If you’re at #dros26 and you like transposons don’t miss Peiwei’s talk! 🔥🪰 We’re really excited about his findings!
06.03.2026 12:23
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If you’re at #dros26 and you like transposons don’t miss Peiwei’s talk! 🔥🪰 We’re really excited about his findings!
Join us at the EMBO Workshop “RNA-guided genome protection” 🇨🇭 June 16–20. Transposon silencing • stem cell biology • RNA-guided immunity. Keynotes: Déborah Bourc’his + Ian MacRae. Register now + submit your abstract! meetings.embo.org/event/26-gen...
2nd- or 3rd-year PhD student? Applications for @hhmi-science.bsky.social's #GilliamFellows Program open 9/1! Robust dissertation support, an incredible community of scientists, tailored professional development (for you *and* your faculty thesis advisor), & so much more. Bookmark bit.ly/4qQArRh!
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
Find our latest Perspective article in Nature Genetics on "The role of KRAB zinc-finger proteins in expanding the domestication potential of transposable elements" at www.nature.com/articles/s41..., with implications for the future of research on the cause of human disease.
Molecular #evolution of animal #aging:
A field perspective explores the impact of evolution on aging and offers a multi-angle view on longevity variation across model organisms and environments
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Read how @embopress.org is expanding its focus on molecular ecology and evolution as central underpinnings of functions/interactions/diversification of biological systems – by @yehumoran.bsky.social, @berndpulverer.bsky.social, and our new team of Editorial Advisors
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Today in
@science.org:
We are pleased to present our last work entitled:
"Concurrent L1 retrotransposition events promote reciprocal translocations in human tumorigenesis"
by Zumalave et al.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Holy shit: it's an RFP for the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB). Hello old friend www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Crushed to hear of Mark Batzer’s passing. He was the Boyd Professor at Louisiana State University. His influential research revealed how mobile elements shape the genomes of humans & other mammals. Mark’s personality, generosity & positivity were larger than life. He lifted everyone up. HUGE loss 💔
All of his solo albums are fantastic. Can’t get enough. Field Songs and Whiskey for the Holy Ghost are faves but can’t go wrong with any of them and he has quite a few
It’s HUGE. I found a UK OG for a good price at Amoeba SF not long ago. It hit me like a truck
My son gifted me this book at Xmas. So good in a devastating way
I was very close to grab this one recently but I had a ridiculous stack already. Next time it can and probably will wait
Thanks Manu 🙏 this study has been in the making for many years, as you know! 😅
Our study illustrates how a single TE family can sculpt the regulatory architecture underlying a complex developmental cascade. It adds to a growing number of studies supporting Barbara McCintock’s prescient vision of TEs as “controlling elements” 💕 Hope you enjoy our preprint!
In sum, ODEs have been pervasively coopted as rodent- & cell type-specific enhancers for hundreds of genes to reenforce the functional identity of immune cell types. Humans & other mammals likely used different TE families to shape their own immune repertoire.
Importantly, we detect signature of evolutionary constraint (purifying selection) acting on the sequence of cell type-specific ODEs across rodents, especially at the TF binding sites coinciding with their regulatory activity, indicating functional significance through rodent evolution
We combined multiple approaches including micro-C to identify regulatory interactions between ODEs and genes. Strikingly ODE-regulated genes are enriched for cell type specific functions and are more highly expressed in mouse than in the homologous cell type in human (which lack ODEs)
How did we get there? Phyloregulatory analyses reveal that ODE cell type-specific activities were acquired after insertion in the genome. Unlike a “master” model where progenitor elements with different activities expanded, ODE loci were individually tweaked by mutations to recruit different TFs 🤯
Remarkably, ODE loci partition into clusters active (accessible) in only one or a few related immune cell types. Each ODE cluster is bound by a different cocktail of transcription factors known to define the identity of these cell types. Thus ODE clusters mark immune cell identities.
However two TE subfamilies stood out, ORR1E and ORR1D2, for prominently contributing CREs across ALL immune cell types. Both belong to the same rodent-specific but relatively old (70 myo) ERV family. Together ~4,000 ODEs provided a CRE in at least one immune cell type!
To begin, Jason mined hundreds of datasets profiling the chromatin and regulatory landscapes of diverse mouse immune cells. Overall TEs contributed 6-25% of predicted cis-reg elements in a given cell type, fitting expectations, eg:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The immune system contains multitude of cell types, each with important roles in defending against threats such as viruses. But what if remnants of an ancient virus, an endogenous retrovirus that spread through the genome, planted seeds of evolution supporting the development of the immune system?
New Year, New Paper!🎊
Pervasive cis-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Centerpiece of Jason Chobirko's PhD, talented PhD student co-mentored by Andrew Grimson & me. Really excited about it!🧵
🍹🌴😢
Esther Lederberg in the laboratory in the 1950's. Credit: Estherlederberg.com
Born #OnThisDay in 1922, Esther Lederberg was the first to isolate the lambda phage in 1951. She characterised the lysogenic phase, whereby the phage are able to integrate into the bacterial genome, staying dormant. This discovery made them a model tool of study, leading to many more breakthroughs.
Four days of great science, fun interactions, and breathtaking views at #EMBOevoChromo25 in San Feliu 🇪🇸
BIG THX to organizers @arnausebe.bsky.social @tobiaswarnecke.bsky.social & co @levine-lab.bsky.social @sandraduharcourt.bsky.social Nick Irwin 🙏👌
Room with a view 😍 #EMBOevoChromo25 San Feliu de Guixols 🇪🇸 Stunning!
Killer
