Postdoctoral Position (Please re-post)
A funded postdoctoral position for a recent graduate to study aspects of Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis, antigenic variation, genetics, or physiology.
Please contact Hank Seifert h-seifert@northwestern.edu
#Microsky, #Microbiology, #MicrobialEvolution

Inactivation of a purine biosynthesis repressor promotes ribosome synthesis to overcome antibiotic stress | mBio The Erm rRNA methyltransferase superfamily represents the most prevalent determinant of MLS resistance in nosocomial Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Previous studies have established that erm expression is primarily governed by upstream ribosome stalling peptide and the 5′ untranslated regions. Using the widespread S. aureus ermBL-ermB (ermB+) operon as a model system, we unexpectedly identified second-site mutations in purR that synergistically enhance MLS resistance in an ermB+ background. Loss of purR function derepresses nucleotide biosynthesis and ribosome production, thereby promoting bacterial growth under antibiotic stress. While numerous purR single-nucleotide polymorphisms across multiple species have been associated with antibiotic resistance, no study has directly linked these sequence polymorphisms to their regulatory function. Our results highlight the critical role of ribosome abundance and nucleotide metabolism in shaping antibiotic efficacy.

Seemingly unrelated mutations boost multidrug resistance by promoting ribosome synthesis. Out in #mBio @asm.org, 1st author @lescorneta.bsky.social, great collaboration w/ Dapeng Zhang's and Jade Wang's groups. @nu-bsa.bsky.social #MicroSky #ribosome #AMR journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Extended Shine-Dalgarno motifs govern translation initiation in Staphylococcus aureus - Nature Communications Kohl et al. combine high-resolution Ribo-seq and cryo electron microscopy to show that the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus uses extended Shine-Dalgarno motifs to initiate translation, which can m...

Very happy to share our latest work on translation initiation and its regulation in S. aureus.
If you are interested in #ribosomes, #bacteria and #translation, this one is for you!
Very grateful to all co-authors, especially @bahcer.bsky.social for an amazing job at Cryo-EM data processing!

POWERFUL: With snow falling in freezing weather in Chicago last night, the massive anti-ICE/Border Patrol rally wrapped up in front of City Hall as the energized crowd chanted, "I believe that we will win!"

The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine A quiet policy change means the government is making fewer bets on long-term science.

The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

"officials said Northwestern researchers have not received payments for National Institutes of Health grants since March, signaling that those funds have been frozen, despite no official word from the Trump administration."

@thedailynu.bsky.social Northwestern is still supporting our research despite not receiving any $ from active and new fundable grants. Definitely unsustainable and anxieties are piling up..

All of NIH funding to Northwestern University is frozen. This pause includes noncompeting approved funding, new and competing grants with fundable scores. No reimbursements for money already spent have been received since March. This situation is rarely reported so please Please get the word out!

Depuis les États-Unis de Trump, une vague obscurantiste s’abat sur la science L’administration a mis à la porte un très grand nombre de scientifiques dans les agences fédérales. Celles et ceux qui restent se taisent et doivent censurer leurs travaux. Mais la mobilisation s’organise, avec une première mobilisation internationale vendredi 7 mars.

L’administration a mis à la porte un très grand nombre de scientifiques dans les agences fédérales. Celles et ceux qui restent se taisent et doivent censurer leurs travaux. Mais la mobilisation s’organise, avec une première mobilisation internationale vendredi 7 mars.

Par Caroline Coq-Chodorge

Meanwhile… in Chicago ❄️ 🌧️ #StandUpForScience 🧪

Standupforscience protest sign stating « science makes U.S. great » on an American flag

Protesters at the marche for science in Chicago

Selfie of a man holding a protest sign stating « Science not silence ».

The snow did not stop us in Chicago #StandUpForScience

À Toulouse on prend le relais, départ 18h allées Jules Guesdes ! #StandUpForScience