looking forward to it!

Cell Bio 2023-An ASCB|EMBO Meeting Network, learn, and collaborate with top cell biologists from around the globe.

🚨Hear, hear, fellow microbial cell biologists!🚨
🦠 Bacterial and Archaeal Cell Biology will be represented again at this year’s CELL BIO (ASCB-EMBO) meeting! The deadline to be considered for a talk in our Minisymposium is June 9. Help us spread the word!
www.ascb.org/cellbio2026/

I am again asking people to pay attention to what has happened to our National Science Foundation and by extension thousands of researchers across the country.

The devastation is ongoing and worthy of continued outcry to officials and journalists. 🧪

I'm not joking when I say mRNA technology is more important than "AI" and it's a tragedy we're throwing billions into one while our government is aggressively defunding the other.

Fragmentation and aggregation of cyanobacterial colonies

in @elife.bsky.social

elifesciences.org/articles/103...

#CyanoSky #MicroSky

Repurposing of a DNA segregation machinery into a cytoskeletal system controlling cell shape Bacteria, like eukaryotes, use conserved cytoskeletal systems for intracellular organization. The plasmid-encoded ParMRC system forms actin-like filaments that segregate low–copy number plasmids. In m...

Out now in @science.org
Repurposing of a DNA segregation machinery into a cytoskeletal system controlling cell shape | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Our REU renewal was funded!

We found out today so we are accepting applications now! Like right now!

Application review is going to happen swiftly as we know we’re are late in the typical cycle.

pa.msu.edu/undergraduat...

#reu #physics #astronomy #research

Reminder that here in Canada, Carney is cutting funding to the Canadian Space Agency by 33%.

Lowering the temperature allows transitions from the ‘sol-sol’ to the ‘sol-gel’ region, which manifest with a jump in the total volume fraction of the protein-rich phase.

The interplay between biomolecular assembly and phase separation.

🔗 buff.ly/lvTQhIM

Repurposing of a DNA segregation machinery into a cytoskeletal system controlling cell shape | Science www.science.org/eprint/JCFZX...

McaA and McaB contribute to magnetosome organization and interact in vivo.

Magnetosomes are a model for understanding the cell biology of bacterial organelles. MamK is a key player in magnetosome chain assembly. This #mBio study explores how MamK dynamics are altered by 2 potential bacterial actin-binding proteins, McaA and McaB. asm.social/2TK

Congratulations to all authors! Such a fantastic story. First saw this at Benjamin's poster at the GRC Bac Cell Bio meeting. Happy to see it out in final form!

Now out in its final form! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

very cool!

Finally published. Many thanks to a wonderful collaborative team and scientific platforms!!! And thanks to editors and reviewers for enthusiasm and a great review.

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

Overview of key research directions using Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as a model cyanobacterium. Summary of the main structural, physiological, genetic, and behavioral characteristics that have established Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as a leading model organism for cyanobacterial research. Core cellular functions include oxygenic photosynthesis, carbon, and nitrogen metabolism. Emerging research directions focus on primary metabolism and regulatory and adaptive processes, such as stress responses, circadian clock, behavior, and biotechnological applications.

Cyanobacteria are an ancient clade of phototrophic prokaryotes. But out of all the cyanobacteria available, why did Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 become the default laboratory model? This #JBacteriology review offers insights: asm.social/2TD

Come join us in Ann Arbor for the mid-west hub!

We'll have keynote talks from Will Harcombe, @beabasel.bsky.social, and @relenski.bsky.social on site, and many others on simulcast.

Abstracts are due next week! We'll have a bit of travel funds for students that need them.

Overall, we find polyP is a spatial regulator of the photosynthetic cytoplasm and establishes metabolic polymers like polyP as active, global architects of intracellular structure rather than passive storage molecules.

We also asked whether polyP metabolism more broadly shapes photosynthetic cell organization. In ΔppK2 cells, polyP-like “pockets” wetted to thylakoid. In ΔppX cells, polyP granules were inside carboxysomes!

Yes! In addition to defects in carboxysome assembly and organization, ΔppK1 cells exhibited a massive growth defect when grown in ambient CO2.

Deletion of the kinase, PPK1, eliminates polyP granules, and results in more numerous, smaller, and more dynamic carboxysomes, suggesting polyP plays a role in proper carboxysome assembly, organization, and maybe function?

From left to right: wt, ΔppK1, ΔppK2, ΔppX.

Having shown that carboxysomes have no influence on polyP, we asked if the carboxysomes-polyP association changes when carboxysomes are mispositioned. Strikingly, carboxysomes cluster at PolyP granules in McdAB mutant strains! (McdAB is the carboxysome positioning system)

Despite their physical association with carboxysomes, polyP granules do not depend on carboxysomes for their formation or spatial organization.

PolyP is a conserved inorganic polymer classically viewed as a stress-induced phosphate and energy reserve. In cyanos, however, polyP granules are always present and often in proximity to carboxysomes that mediate CO2 fixation.

New preprint from the Vecchiarelli Lab! 🧵

Congratulations to first author Dr. Claire Dudley!
@claire-dudley.bsky.social

Claire uncovered a critical player in the organization for the photosynthetic cytoplasm of cyanobacteria - polyphosphate! #polyP

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Excited to share our new paper out today in @science.org 🎉

We show that HGT via natural competence drives diversification of chromosomal integrons in V. cholerae 🤩

Below a 🧵 on key findings incl. background on natural competence in V. cholerae 1/
#microsky #phagesky
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Polyphosphate acts as an architectural regulator of carbon fixation and nucleoid structure in cyanobacteria www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... #jcampubs

Excited to share the last installation of my PhD work. Worked with an all-star team on this one who really made this all come together beautifully. @ranidreamer.bsky.social @amardeeep.bsky.social @benadler.bsky.social and many others. www.cell.com/cell-reports...

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) evolved microscopic “compasses” to align to and navigate via Earth’s magnetic field. Today, those same magnetic powers are inspiring new ways to target cancer, deliver drugs and design microrobots for precision medicine. Get the full story: asm.org/articles/202...