A graphic accompanying an article about science funding. It shows a pie chart representing the 2024 Federal Budget with a tiny sliver taken up by science grants. It also shows a flow diagram demonstrating how scientists get grants. Scientists iteratively work on experiments that inform grant proposals and vice versa. These grant proposals are submitted to a review panel which can ultimately lead to scientific funding if you are lucky.

It's long overdue, but I'm back to writing about science, starting with how science gets funded (aka grants). "Fun" fact: even before current cuts to science funding, less than 1% of the federal budget went to science grants. elkodaily.com/news/local/a...

Cell-free genomics reveals fundamental regulatory principles of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcription cycle Froom et al. address a central challenge in gene regulation: untangling direct effects from indirect cellular network effects. They introduce cell-free genomics, a genome-scale biochemical approach that isolates direct transcription mechanisms. Applied to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, it reveals fundamental principles of transcription initiation and termination with broad relevance.

Cell-free genomics reveals fundamental regulatory principles of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcription cycle

Thank you! And sounds lovely. Surpassingly I visited Puerto Varas many years ago, one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. I will certainly keep this in the radar!

Thanks, Lucas!

🚨New preprint! We built a cell-free genomics platform (GATO-seq) to probe transcriptional regulation and discovered a “super pause” sequence that triggers a new Pol II active-site conformation. Huge shout-out to @robertovn.bsky.social for pulling off this monster of a project. tinyurl.com/superpause

Thanks to @voslab.org and all members of the lab for their support. And of course, same to all the furry friends that inspired the naming for the technique

Preprint alert 🚨Happy to share my first Posdoc manuscript from the Vos lab @voslab.org. We introduce GATO-seq, a high-throughput, fully in vitro technique that maps RNA polymerases at base pair resolution over time. Using it, we found a new pause state of Pol II: sidetracking tinyurl.com/superpause

How do SMC complexes load onto DNA to get ready for loop extrusion?

@roisnehamelinf.bsky.social & co discovered that Wadjet, an SMC complex involved in bacterial DNA immunity, performs some impressive molecular gymnastics 🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️.

Check out the new paper: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...

Cracking the code of DNA folding machines New research has helped to explain how DNA is shaped into loops, a process critical for ensuring chromosomes are properly distributed...

🧬 Ever wonder how metres of #DNA 🧬 fit into a single cell?

@gruberlab.bsky.social, working at @unil.bsky.social uncovered how protein machines fold DNA into loops – key for cell division & genome stability.

Learn more 👉 buff.ly/PrfdXnr

#BioTech #Chromosomes #Crystallography #GeneEditing 🧪

We wrapped up our most successful year to date at Symbiotic STEM! Check out what we accomplished at symbioticstem.org 🌱🌱