Congratulations to Mark Castro - undergraduate in the Perlstein lab - on his NSF graduate research fellowship! UCSB is so lucky to have you as an incoming G1.

4/ The surprising part:

Peptides with different sequences and binding orientations can be recognized by the same site since they satisfy the same underlying energetic logic.

→ A single “decoder” can recognize distinct substrates via degenerate binding modes

Congrats to authors and collaborators!

3/ What does this hierarchy look like in practice?

The C-terminal “acid anchor” and a “primary pocket” drive binding while surrounding sites fine-tune affinity in a sequence-context dependent manner.

→ A few key interactions do the heavy lifting; the rest tune specificity.

2/ Our key finding:

Decoding isn’t constrained by a strict consensus sequence.

Instead, a hierarchy of interactions determines recognition, with specific physicochemical features dominating binding energetics.

→ It’s chemistry, not sequence, that underpins decoding.

1/ How does the cytosolic iron–sulfur cluster assembly (CIA) system identify its dozens of clients?

Like any good CIA agent, it uses a secret code🕵️ … and we think we’ve found the decoder.

New Perlstein Lab preprint:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Congratulations to Anastasiya and Jackson and thank you for your hard work. Hopefully we will quickly go from preprint to published quickly🤞

The answer?
Nar1 engages the CIA targeting complex through a bipartite binding mechanism:
• a conserved electrostatic interface anchors Nar1 to a conserved acidic face of Cia1
• Nar1's divergent targeting complex recognition motif exploits the client recruitment site at the Cia1-Cia2 interface

NEW PREPRINT!
How does the cytosolic iron-sulfur cluster assembly (CIA) targeting complex (CTC) recruit the FeS carrier Nar1?

check out our paper and find out!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

A Conserved Cia1–Cia2 Interface Mediates Client Recruitment in the Cytosolic Iron–Sulfur Cluster Assembly Pathway The cytosolic iron–sulfur cluster assembly (CIA) targeting complex maturates over 30 cytosolic and nuclear Fe–S proteins, raising the question of how a single complex recognizes such a diverse set of ...

New paper alert! We ID resides of CIA targeting complex that recruit clients - in contradiction to what was predicted from previous studies, we find it is the cia1-cia2 interface, not cia1 on its own, that mediates the interaction.

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Getting Started with Machine Learning for Experimental Biochemists and Other Molecular Scientists Machine learning (ML) is rapidly gaining traction in many areas of experimental molecular science for elucidating relationships and patterns in large or complex data sets. Historically, ML was largely...

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

It’s on biorxiv!

Getting Started with Machine Learning for Experimental Biochemists and Other Molecular Scientists Machine learning (ML) is rapidly gaining traction in many areas of experimental molecular science for elucidating relationships and patterns in large or complex data sets. Historically, ML was largel....

So, I have been learning about machine learning - if you want to learn with me, see our recently published article! Many thanks to all the trainees who wrote and edited this mammoth of a book chapter and the reviewers for their effort.
Check it out!
doi.org/10.1002/cpz1...

Thank you to Amit Reddi and Sabeeha Merchant for invitation to speak at your metals-focused symposium at #ASBMB25. I had a great time and learned so much!

I arrive tomorrow so we should meet up!

Still going to be around Monday and Tuesday?

I will be there! But just the last two days. Hoping you will still be around

Great news: NIH postbac program is recruiting again! If your grad school plans were affected by program cutbacks or admissions freezes this year I highly encourage you to apply, this could be a perfect opportunity. Please repost.

www.training.nih.gov/research-tra...

NSF GRFP Awards by the Year:
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000

Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......

@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social

Signs seen at govt center were quite good - my youngest (8) was enjoying the frequent use of profanity so I guess that made it worthwhile for him

We are excited to announce our official partnership with @indivisible.org for the National Day of Action on April 5th!

Stand Up for Science says: HANDS OFF OUR SCIENCE!

#standupforscience
#handsoffourscience

Find and register for an event near you: handsoff2025.com?utm_source=s...

anyone need a really great postdoc or scientist to join their company? Jackson will take on whatever hard problem you throw at him while making the lab environment welcoming and friendly. can't say enough good things about this young scientist!

I am one week late in posting my most sincere congratulations to Jackson Ho - the perlstein lab's newest PhD! He boldly tangled with the cytosolic Fe-S assembly factor Nar1/CIOA3, collecting first evidence for its cluster trafficking function.

This is tragic- what a waste of so much work and talent. I am so sorry

The Cia1 and Cia2 subunits of the CTC mediate recognition of apo-FeS proteins with a C-terminal targeting complex recognition motif The cytosolic iron-sulfur cluster assembly (CIA) targeting complex is responsible for maturation of cytosolic and nuclear iron-sulfur enzymes, numbering >30 proteins critical for fundamental processes...

So excited to get this work out there! We have been working hard to "crack the CIA code" - more to come soon!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Don't miss Anastasiya's talk at #ACSspring2025 yall! it is going to be FANTASTIC! So proud to be (former) PI of this Emergent Leader - watch out world! Lets go!

Standupforscience DC - here for a family thing - here for science

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025!

Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide!

#scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

I just can’t anymore- can’t follow the dominos, can’t mourn the dominos, can’t find the energy to comment about the dominos. What a waste of people’s work, what a waste of talent that will no longer have the opportunity to be discovered

A small positive post in the midst of these uncertain times...
The Molecular Biology & Biochemistry department at Wesleyan is hiring a visiting professor for a Sept start date. Come join us and/or share with prospective applicants!
wesleyan.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...

Boston University Department of Chemistry is looking for 4 (four!) postdoctoral associate teacher scholars. These mentored teaching and research experiences aim to prepare future faculty ready to step into teaching focused roles.

Please repost and apply!

academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/29703