Fran Bottanelli
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franbottanelli.bsky.social
Fran Bottanelli
@franbottanelli.bsky.social
Solver of GTPases molecular puzzles | Membranes | CRISPR | STED super-res |Accidental immunologist | Academic mother of 2 cheeky monkeys | Assistant prof at FU Berlin. | Head of the Nanoscale Membrane Dynamics Lab
Pinned
Save the date for what promises to be an amazing imaging/cell biology meeting!
After the success of our 2023 Imaging Cell Dynamics conference, we’ll be hosting a second #JCSImaging meeting in 2026, organised by @franbottanelli.bsky.social, @guijacquemet.bsky.social‬, @drmichaelway.bsky.social‬ & Giulia Zanetti.
To register your interest: www.biologists.com/meetings/jcs...
Today I broke up with Endnote and it feels liberating! I said „it was you, not me“
a woman in a hat is holding a heart shaped balloon
ALT: a woman in a hat is holding a heart shaped balloon
media.tenor.com
February 18, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Retromer recruits distinct sorting nexins SNX3 and SNX-BAR into hybrid endosomal coats to allow for flexible cargo sorting
Navin Gopaldass, Andreas Mayer et al
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Hybrid endosomal coats contain different classes of sorting nexins - The EMBO Journal
Endosomes are protein sorting stations, where multiple membrane coats form tubulovesicular carriers exporting proteins to the Golgi, the plasma membrane, or endo-lysosomal compartments. Distinct class...
link.springer.com
February 17, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Cells come in many shapes and sizes, with diverse physiological functions. But how do #organelles and their interaction networks remodel during #differentiation of stem cells into different cell types? Here’s what we discovered about neuronal differentiation: 1/13
Organelle communication networks rewire to support lipid metabolism during neuronal differentiation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.10.704675v1
February 16, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
New preprint from the lab together with @labvanni.bsky.social. We looked what happens to ER generated free very long chain fatty acids.. VLCFAs are partionig into lipid droplets and are extracted from the hydrophobic core by Fat1.
www.biorxiv.org/content/bior...
bsky.app
February 16, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
@hanhtkvu.bsky.social @embl.org & we are looking for a #postdoc to study #regeneration x #autophagy across kingdoms of life. Pls spread the word & get in touch if you are interested www.health-life-sciences.de/opportunitie...
HEALTH + LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE | Interinstitutional Postdocs
www.health-life-sciences.de
February 16, 2026 at 2:06 PM
While it may be raining in London I heard it is ☀️ in Michael lab
Closing date is 19th Feb so why not go for it to enjoy the rain in London!
Postdoc job alert in the Crick Institute in London. Are you interested in the actin cytoskeleton? I am looking for a postdoc to examine the cellular, developmental or physiological role of Arp2/3 iso-complex driven actin polymerisation. Multiple aspects available.
crick.ac.uk/WayPostdoc2026
February 16, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
New preprint from us and our friends in the Odorizzi lab at CU-Boulder – we find an apparent role for septin cytoskeletal filaments and vesicle transport from the Golgi to the vacuolar lysosome in budding yeast.
Septins associate with AP-3 to support trafficking to the vacuole/lysosome in yeast https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.13.705769v1
February 15, 2026 at 2:53 AM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
🙏 This study was powered by fantastic collaborations — especially with @abelljonny.bsky.social & @joechambers.bsky.social with contribution form @felixmendu.bsky.social @lasergroup.bsky.social @franbottanelli.bsky.social 🔬🧠

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
February 14, 2026 at 1:37 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Our new paper's out: FidlTrack—structure-aware single-particle tracking benchmarks/boost SPT fidelity

With it we resolve with sub-organelle res. e.g. BACE1 amyloidogenic APP cleavage #Alzheimers, ER exit events, map nanobody binding in realtime in ER/organelles 🔬🧠#SingleMolecule

rdcu.be/e3Ris
February 13, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Last chance to submit your abstract for JCS's 'Imaging Cell Dynamics' meeting, organised by @franbottanelli.bsky.social @guijacquemet.bsky.social @drmichaelway.bsky.social and Giulia Zanetti.
The abstract submission deadline for our upcoming 'Imaging Cell Dynamics' meeting is this Friday. We still have a few places remaining so apply now to secure your spot!

Find out more at:
www.biologists.com/meetings/jcs...

#imaging #microscopy #cellbiology
February 13, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Only a few spots left for this amazing meeting! Just sign up and join us to discuss all #cellbio #imaging things!
The abstract submission deadline for our upcoming 'Imaging Cell Dynamics' meeting is this Friday. We still have a few places remaining so apply now to secure your spot!

Find out more at:
www.biologists.com/meetings/jcs...

#imaging #microscopy #cellbiology
February 12, 2026 at 8:10 AM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Delighted to share our latest preprint "Filopodia-mediated trans-endocytosis"

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

Work driven by many people including Hanna, Marcela, Sujan, Marie-Catherine, Anna and Monika. Fantastic collaboration with Johanna Englund, Emilia Peuhu, and Eija Jokitalo
February 11, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Check our this great #preprint from @cohenlaboratory.bsky.social on how organelle contact sites rewire during neuronal development #membranes
Organelle communication networks rewire to support lipid metabolism during neuronal differentiation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.10.704675v1
February 12, 2026 at 6:40 AM
Amazing science on beautiful Spetses 🤩
February 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
I needed the Olympic Games to restore my #worklifebalance
a woman in pink pants and a fur vest is skiing down a snow covered slope
ALT: a woman in pink pants and a fur vest is skiing down a snow covered slope
media.tenor.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:19 AM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
As Fran was nice enough to highlight this, I thought I'd put up a brief thread. 3 in 10 proteins that our cells make are either embedded in membranes (ion channels, adhesion molecules, etc.) or secreted (insulin, antibodies). They move through the secretory pathway.
1/
February 6, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Postdoc job alert at Institut Jacques Monod in Paris! Interested in fundamental membrane trafficking? We seek a postdoc to study collagen secretion as a model for core principles of how cells and their environment build each other. emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
Portail Emploi CNRS - Offre d'emploi - Poste de chercheur postdoctoral en trafic membranaire fondamental et sécrétion du collagène (H/F)
Assurez-vous que votre profil candidat soit correctement renseigné avant de postuler
emploi.cnrs.fr
February 6, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Two postdoc positions in way lab go live tomorrow......please pass the message along.......more details to follow.
February 5, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Another exciting preprint today about QC mechanism at the Golgy by @hellerschmiedlab.bsky.social #Golgi #membranes
Selective proteasomal degradation from the Golgi apparatus membrane https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.04.703791v1
February 5, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Exciting preprint from the @merz.bsky.social lab proposing how fidelity of membrane fusion is achieved #membranes #trafficking
Sequential restriction of SNARE-mediated fusion by the COPII inner coat and SNARE chaperones www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
February 5, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Berlin. Will we ever see the sun again? #hardmotivationweather
a man is covered in snow and the words `` feels great '' are written above him .
ALT: a man is covered in snow and the words `` feels great '' are written above him .
media.tenor.com
February 2, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Check out our newest findings on how #lysosomes are generated from #endolysosomes. Great work from @samit2104.bsky.social ! @biozentrum.unibas.ch , @unibas.ch #cellbio #cell #organelles
Ca2+ and DRP1 drive endocytic lysosome reformation at tripartite contact sites www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Ca2+ and DRP1 drive endocytic lysosome reformation at tripartite contact sites
Lysosomes are essential in maintaining cellular health. Endocytic lysosome reformation (ELR) regenerates functional lysosomes following degradation of endocytic cargo, yet the mechanisms driving this process remain largely unknown. Here, we define the molecular machinery underlying ELR. We find that unlike autophagic lysosome reformation (ALR), ELR proceeds independently of mTOR and dynamin 2, but requires the mitochondrial fission GTPase DRP1. DRP1 mediates scission of endolysosomal tubules at contact sites with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. Disruption of DRP1 function or ER endolysosome contact results in elongated tubules, indicating defective lysosome reformation. Moreover, mitochondrial activity is essential for tubule initiation, and Ca2+ transfer from endolysosomes to mitochondria is crucial for ELR onset. Our findings reveal a dual role for mitochondria in ELR: first in ELR initiation and second in DRP1-dependent tubule fission at ER-mitochondria-endolysosome tripartite contact sites, uncovering the previously unappreciated role of mitochondria in endolysosome remodeling and fission. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Swiss National Science Foundation, 320030-231859, 310030-197779 University of Basel, https://ror.org/02s6k3f65
www.biorxiv.org
January 30, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Structure of the adaptor protein 4 (AP-4) complex revealed! AP-4 exists in a dynamic equilibrium between closed and open conformations in solution. ARF1 does not shift this equilibrium but is required—together with cargo—for membrane recruitment. rdcu.be/e1ozM
January 29, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
Today at 17:00 CET - the first #MembraneTrafficking seminar of 2026.
Giovanni D’Angelo (EPFL) and Sean Munro (MRC-LMB), explore protein trafficking, retention, and sorting at the Golgi.
Join us for exciting discussions about the best organelle!
Details at felixcampelo.wixsite.com/membranetraf...
MEMBRANE TRAFFICKING | Membrane Trafficking
felixcampelo.wixsite.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Reposted by Fran Bottanelli
New on the CryoET Data Portal: ~27,000 tomograms of affinity-captured lysosomes from HEK293T cells across 4 physiological states. Includes raw data, AreTomo3 reconstructions & Membrain-Seg annotations. Openly available for reuse!

cryoetdataportal.czscience.com/depositions/...
January 27, 2026 at 7:59 PM