The kinetochore is essential for cell division across species, but its components and organization evolve dramatically. How can that be? Our first foray into this fascinating question is up now on biorxiv: 🧪 1/12 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Kinetochore diversification in Naegleria reveals plasticity in the kinetochore-microtubule interface

The kinetochore--the molecular machine that couples chromosomes to spindle microtubules--performs an essential, tightly regulated function, yet varies dramatically across eukaryotes. Microtubules are ...

biorxiv.org

Cellularization as a mechanism to build cells. #CellBio #DevBio Supported by @girishkalephd.bsky.social, Anne Ruess highlights a #preprint of @margaridaaraujo.bsky.social et al. @hiralshah.bsky.social @gautamdey.bsky.social @dudinlab.bsky.social #preLight⬇️ prelights.biologists.com/highlights/m...

Microtubules sustain the fidelity of cellularization in a coenocytic relative of animals - preLights

Cellularization as a mechanism to build cells

prelights.biologists.com

Endocytic clathrin coats are surprisingly dynamic: triskelia turn over in seconds. How is the turnover regulated and what is it for? Read Anne-Laure Boinet's preprint with @rouxlab.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

We are excited by the publication of our work on Torsin1A, its interaction partner CLCC1, and their role in membrane fusion during NPC biogenesis! A fantastic collaboration with @jagannathan-lab.bsky.social @labvanni.bsky.social @gautamdey.bsky.social and the Korkhov and Antonin labs!

The dystonia-associated Torsin1A sustains CLCC1 function in membrane fusion of the nuclear envelope for NPC biogenesis

Maslennikova et al. identify the ER membrane protein CLCC1 as an interaction partner of the dystonia-linked AAA+ ATPase Torsin1A. Torsin1A sustains the function of CLCC1, which is proposed to facilitate fusion of the nuclear envelope during NPC biogenesis by forming an oligomer that promotes lipid bilayer approach and remodeling.

cell.com

Very pleased to finally share the main story from my PhD, now published in @natcomms.nature.com ! 🎉 Using a sea anemone we discovered and characterised epithelial cell extrusion as the mechanism underlying starvation-induced cell loss. 🔗 Open-access article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Epithelial cell extrusion underlies starvation-induced cell loss in a sea anemone - Nature Communications

Epithelial cell extrusion in a sea anemone shares key hallmarks with bilaterians and is dynamically regulated by nutritional status. During starvation-induced body shrinkage, extrusion likely contribu...

nature.com

Happy to share the final version of our study on the evolution of chromatin states across eukaryotes, out today in @natgenet.nature.com Led by @crisnava.bsky.social and @seanamontgomery.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... Some highlights below

Diversity and evolution of chromatin regulatory states across eukaryotes - Nature Genetics

This study introduces iChIP2, a low-input chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing method that profiles histone post-translational modifications (hPTMs) simultaneously across diverse eukar...

nature.com

I am delighted to share the final version of our latest study, led by the extraordinary PhD student Jiaoqi Cheng. We developed CenSegNet, a generalist AI framework for large-scale mapping of centrosome phenotypes at both spatial and single-cell resolution. (1/6) www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Yay! Go Helsenlab!!!💃🍾 If you're interested in chromosomes or evolution or both, talk to her now!!!

Jana Helsen@helsenjana.bsky.social · last mo.

I am starting my lab at the University of Geneva next January! Incredibly excited to soon be joining the MOCEL department as an Asst. Professor. The lab will use evolutionary cell biology to study chromosomes, centromeres & speciation 🧬🔬🌱 Intrigued, want to join or collaborate? 🔗 helsenlab.org

How ancient are the building blocks of animal sensory systems? Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization. doi.org/10.64898/202...

New paper alert!! We just discovered a new filament system that is widespread exclusively within CPR bacteria! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6.... Short thread below. 🦠🔬🚀

A Novel Pilus System in Candidate Phyla Radiation Bacteria

The Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) represents a bacterial superphylum estimated to include between 15–50% of all bacterial species, yet CPR bacteria remain challenging to culture and have been primar...

biorxiv.org

New online! Predation in microbial communities: gradients of nutritive killing

Predation in microbial communities: gradients of nutritive killing

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 08 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41579-026-01299-7In this Review, Vasse and Velicer explore the phylogenetic and functional diversity of predators of microorganisms, conceptualizing the forms of microbial predation along gradients, including gradients of evolutionary adaptedness for predation and privatization of prey-derived nutrients.

dlvr.it

Another excellent talk by @fmikus.bsky.social: an extraordinarily beautifully illustrated pitch for expansion microscopy, improving all the time thanks to Felix & team's efforts with antibodies, etc. #ISOP2026

Day 2 of the EMBO U-ExM Workshop at EMBL Heidelberg #EMBOExM. Gels are ready and expanding nicely! We also had a lively poster session and inspiring talks from @sabsalon.bsky.social and @gautamdey.bsky.social. A very engaged group, great to see such thoughtful discussions around expansion microscopy

If you want to hear more about the project or want to chat ExM, find me at ISOP (talk on Thursday) or contact us www.dudinlab.com/you-want-to-... #ExpandThemAll @dudinlab.bsky.social @gautamdey.bsky.social & Tom Richards @moorefound.bsky.social

Research

Interested in Expansion Microscopy for your microbial eukaryotes? Through the ExÂME project, we offer free pilot tests to evaluate samples, on-site training workshops in Geneva and Heidelberg, and col...

dudinlab.com

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

Martin Loose@nartimsoole.bsky.social · last yr.

One of the most exciting discoveries from our lab so far is now online as a preprint! Read a story on how the ParMR and Min systems started to collaborate to create the CorMR cytoskeleton, which now controls cell shape in multicellular cyanobacteria: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

We are looking for an experienced light microscopy specialist, motivated to support our users in the Advanced Light Microscopy Facility at EMBL Heidelberg. embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j... -closing date 11 May 2026 @eurobioimaging.bsky.social @globalbioimaging.bsky.social

embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com

CCAP will be at the Edinburgh Science Festival 2026 - if you are visiting come and say hello! We will be in Dynamic Earth on 16 & 17 April 10-4, with an ioLight microscope and a bioreactor, plus several of our algae strains. @samsocean.bsky.social #edinburgh #marinescience #STEM #pondlife #algae

The next of our Special Guest Presenters on CCAP’s online training course later this month is Dr Hiral Shah. Dr Shah's talk is entitled "Exploring cytoskeletal diversity across eukaryotes using expansion microscopy" See the link below for course details 👇 www.ccap.ac.uk/index.php/algaculture2026/

New preprint! We identified many components that localize to the structure involved in "eating" in a marine organism. #ProtistOnSky #diplonemid www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Register now for the EMBO Workshop "The cell cycle: exploring conservation and divergence in life's engine" in #Lisbon, Portugal, 5–7 October 2026. Registration by 31 May Abstract submission by 15 June https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-cell-cycle #EMBOCellCycleEvolution #meeting #EMBOevents 🧪

The EMBO Global Investigator Network supports group leaders setting up their laboratories in #Chile, #India, #Japan, #Singapore and #Taiwan. Apply now with a deadline of 1 May 14:00 CEST. 🧪 https://www.embo.org/funding/fellowships-grants-and-career-support/global-investigator-network/ #LifeSciences

“You don’t need to be a “genius”… to succeed in science — but you do need curiosity, rigor, & persistence. Experiments fail all the time. What matters is how thoughtfully you learn from failure & that you keep improving. The best scientists I’ve met are simply resilient.” @ramankaushik.bsky.social 🐟

Stowers Institute@stowersinstitute.bsky.social · 5mo ago

From playing cricket in India to studying sensory cell #regeneration in the Piotrowski Lab. In our latest #PostdocProfile, Raman Kaushik shares his journey to #science, and how #zebrafish may hold clues to helping damaged hair cells grow back. 🐟 🔗 Read more: bit.ly/3OT9JKR

Excited to announce I’m starting a new lab at @gmivienna.bsky.social (Vienna BioCentre) in Sept 2026 We study how carbon fixation is inherited and maintained in algae using cryo-ET, imaging, environmental sampling&more Looking for people who want to build the lab together, get in touch! #teamtomo

Thrilled to see this published! 😄 Our dispatch examines potential additional fungal symbionts in lichen partnerships and the key challenges in unraveling their biology. Thanks for involving me in this @talbotlabtsl.bsky.social @currentbiology.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Fungal symbioses: A multiplicity of fungi in the lichen union

Increasing evidence suggests that lichens are not just a partnership between one fungus and one alga or cyanobacterium but may contain multiple intera…

sciencedirect.com

This species can become multicellular using two mechanisms previously thought to be mutually exclusive go.nature.com/4aTKdfF

Flexible paths to multicellularity

Close relatives of animals can become multicellular if distinct individuals join together or if dividing cells remain attached. A species has been found to use both mechanisms.

go.nature.com

I had fun writing this N&Vs on two fascinating new papers on centromere evolution in yeast. If you’re interested in how centromeres adapt yet stay functional, here’s my take. rdcu.be/e6DD0 @nature.com @gautamdey.bsky.social @gsherloc.bsky.social @helsenjana.bsky.social @maxhaase.bsky.social

Really nice to see @marstonlab.bsky.social's News & Views piece cover the evolution of budding yeast centromeres in @nature.com. Check it out for a clear and concise breakdown of @maxhaase.bsky.social’s new paper and ours! 🧬

Adele Marston@marstonlab.bsky.social · 6mo ago

I had fun writing this N&Vs on two fascinating new papers on centromere evolution in yeast. If you’re interested in how centromeres adapt yet stay functional, here’s my take. rdcu.be/e6DD0 @nature.com @gautamdey.bsky.social @gsherloc.bsky.social @helsenjana.bsky.social @maxhaase.bsky.social

You are finishing your PhD and looking to continue in science? The Martin lab @biology-unige.bsky.social has an open postdoctoral position in cell biology to study cell-cell fusion. For more information, please consult mocel.unige.ch/research-gro.... Thanks for reposting!

PI? Places still available on @embo.org lab leadership for group leaders online course 23 – 25 March. Take time to master your interpersonal skills, get tools for team growth and elevate your communication style. Sign up now: www.embolableadership.org/course/embol... #EMBOLabLead #PI #GroupLeader

We are very excited to share a new resource from our team: spatial subcellular proteome maps in plants! We developed an MS-based method that registers localizations of about 8000 proteins in Arabidopsis roots in a single experiment. (1/9) www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...