Mihail Sarov
@mihailsarov.bsky.social
Technology Development Group Leader at @mpicbg.bsky.social
Interested in nuclear organisation, gene expression and tools for studying them.
Interested in nuclear organisation, gene expression and tools for studying them.
Pinned
Mihail Sarov
@mihailsarov.bsky.social
· Oct 30
Since Musk took over and ruined Twitter I have not been active there as I think it is unethical to use his site. I have now moved here and I like it. Bluesky looks great for science, this should be fun!
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
🧬 A major data reanalysis in December's most-read Genetics paper uncovers thousands of previously hidden protein-coding regions in human and mouse genomes: buff.ly/wDJrzLu
January 29, 2026 at 2:44 PM
🧬 A major data reanalysis in December's most-read Genetics paper uncovers thousands of previously hidden protein-coding regions in human and mouse genomes: buff.ly/wDJrzLu
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti... via @science.org
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office
A Science analysis reveals how many were fired, retired, or quit across 14 agencies
www.science.org
January 28, 2026 at 6:06 PM
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti... via @science.org
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
Dominant contribution of Asgard archaea to eukaryogenesis 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The findings imply a model of eukaryogenesis in which key features of eukaryotic cell organization evolved in the Asgard lineage leading to the LECA the last eukaryotic common ancestor.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The findings imply a model of eukaryogenesis in which key features of eukaryotic cell organization evolved in the Asgard lineage leading to the LECA the last eukaryotic common ancestor.
January 19, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Dominant contribution of Asgard archaea to eukaryogenesis 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The findings imply a model of eukaryogenesis in which key features of eukaryotic cell organization evolved in the Asgard lineage leading to the LECA the last eukaryotic common ancestor.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The findings imply a model of eukaryogenesis in which key features of eukaryotic cell organization evolved in the Asgard lineage leading to the LECA the last eukaryotic common ancestor.
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
Beyond the niche - unlocking the full potential of synthetic riboswitches
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
November 13, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Beyond the niche - unlocking the full potential of synthetic riboswitches
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
I always wanted to know this! Awesome work, thank you!
October 29, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I always wanted to know this! Awesome work, thank you!
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
Lab’s first paper is out!! We show the first structures of #Asgard #chromatin by #cryo-EM 🧬❄️
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
October 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Lab’s first paper is out!! We show the first structures of #Asgard #chromatin by #cryo-EM 🧬❄️
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
New preprint from the lab! We discovered a transient fluidization in the basal region of human forebrains by tracking microdroplets in cerebral organoids.This “basal fluidization”, absent in gorilla and mouse, may contribute to greater surface expansion in human forebrains
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
October 8, 2025 at 1:05 PM
New preprint from the lab! We discovered a transient fluidization in the basal region of human forebrains by tracking microdroplets in cerebral organoids.This “basal fluidization”, absent in gorilla and mouse, may contribute to greater surface expansion in human forebrains
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall
Our Legacy of Science - Jane Goodall Institute USA
With open eyes and an open mind, Dr. Jane Goodall made discoveries that rocked the scientific world, forever changing the way we look at our closest living relatives—and ourselves.The revolutionary di...
janegoodall.org
October 1, 2025 at 6:58 PM
"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
Histone acetylation - not always about transcriptional activation: H4K16ac safeguards the genome replication program by repressing premature replication of heterochromatin. Well done Marta Milan! tinyurl.com/yuy9m8t3
September 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Histone acetylation - not always about transcriptional activation: H4K16ac safeguards the genome replication program by repressing premature replication of heterochromatin. Well done Marta Milan! tinyurl.com/yuy9m8t3
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
We are all super happy and proud to see our work on the function and evolution of the #cephalic #furrow published in @nature.com. Let me say a few things about the background and history of this work on the #Evolution_of_Morphogenesis (1/12)
September 4, 2025 at 8:22 AM
We are all super happy and proud to see our work on the function and evolution of the #cephalic #furrow published in @nature.com. Let me say a few things about the background and history of this work on the #Evolution_of_Morphogenesis (1/12)
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
This study reveals substantial heterogeneity in #transgene expression patterns when using different strategies to virally transduce #NoradrenergicNeurons of the #LocusCoeruleus, highlighting the need for caution to avoid misinterpretations when studying LC function @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3IehTKb
July 9, 2025 at 8:31 AM
This study reveals substantial heterogeneity in #transgene expression patterns when using different strategies to virally transduce #NoradrenergicNeurons of the #LocusCoeruleus, highlighting the need for caution to avoid misinterpretations when studying LC function @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3IehTKb
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
"Importantly, activation of Aldh1a2 driven by a single rabbit enhancer was sufficient to promote ear pinna regeneration in transgenic mice."
How cool is that. From: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
How cool is that. From: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reactivation of mammalian regeneration by turning on an evolutionarily disabled genetic switch
Mammals display prominent diversity in the ability to regenerate damaged ear pinna, but the genetic changes underlying the failure of regeneration remain elusive. We performed comparative single-cell ...
www.science.org
July 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
"Importantly, activation of Aldh1a2 driven by a single rabbit enhancer was sufficient to promote ear pinna regeneration in transgenic mice."
How cool is that. From: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
How cool is that. From: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
"to run a contest that you end up not funding as a private organization at this time is… both extremely wasteful of these people’s time, and just devastating in terms of morale."
I spoke with @aniloza.bsky.social at STAT today about HHMI's decision not to fund this round of Hanna Gray applicants.
I spoke with @aniloza.bsky.social at STAT today about HHMI's decision not to fund this round of Hanna Gray applicants.
Private funder HHMI pauses postdoc fellowship
As HHMI pauses Hanna Gray fellowship applications, opportunities for young scientists shrink further, making them look overseas.
www.statnews.com
May 19, 2025 at 10:36 PM
"to run a contest that you end up not funding as a private organization at this time is… both extremely wasteful of these people’s time, and just devastating in terms of morale."
I spoke with @aniloza.bsky.social at STAT today about HHMI's decision not to fund this round of Hanna Gray applicants.
I spoke with @aniloza.bsky.social at STAT today about HHMI's decision not to fund this round of Hanna Gray applicants.
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
🧠⏰ Do long hours of work change our brains?
A new study finds overwork may alter brain regions linked to thinking and emotions – raising concerns for worker health.
🔗 oem.bmj.com/content/earl...
#SciComm #BrainHealth #Work 🧪
A new study finds overwork may alter brain regions linked to thinking and emotions – raising concerns for worker health.
🔗 oem.bmj.com/content/earl...
#SciComm #BrainHealth #Work 🧪
Overwork and changes in brain structure: a pilot study
Objectives To investigate the effects of overwork on brain structure to better understand its impact on workers’ cognitive and emotional health. The goal was to provide evidence for the potential neur...
oem.bmj.com
May 16, 2025 at 10:41 AM
🧠⏰ Do long hours of work change our brains?
A new study finds overwork may alter brain regions linked to thinking and emotions – raising concerns for worker health.
🔗 oem.bmj.com/content/earl...
#SciComm #BrainHealth #Work 🧪
A new study finds overwork may alter brain regions linked to thinking and emotions – raising concerns for worker health.
🔗 oem.bmj.com/content/earl...
#SciComm #BrainHealth #Work 🧪
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
Meet GEQO: Genetically-encoded biosensors for absolute small-molecule quantification in single cells brought to you by @sascha-kuhn.bsky.social. For simple absolute quantification of your favourite small molecule or ion, head on over to @bioarxiv and read our new preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
May 13, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Meet GEQO: Genetically-encoded biosensors for absolute small-molecule quantification in single cells brought to you by @sascha-kuhn.bsky.social. For simple absolute quantification of your favourite small molecule or ion, head on over to @bioarxiv and read our new preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
New paper out! Would you like to fluorescently label the plasma membrane in live, fixed or permeabilized cells? I tested different lipid structures and labelling approaches to decide what makes a good membrane labelling probe for such imaging experiments!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Plasma membrane labelling efficiency, internalization and partitioning of functionalized fluorescent lipids as a function of lipid structure
Labeling the plasma membrane for advanced imaging remains a significant challenge. For time-lapse live cell imaging, probe internalization and photobleaching are major limitations affecting most membr...
www.biorxiv.org
May 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
New paper out! Would you like to fluorescently label the plasma membrane in live, fixed or permeabilized cells? I tested different lipid structures and labelling approaches to decide what makes a good membrane labelling probe for such imaging experiments!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
You guys, a conclave of old cardinals can decide on a POPE faster than an academic search committee can decide on the four people we're bringing to campus for an assistant professor search.
May 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
You guys, a conclave of old cardinals can decide on a POPE faster than an academic search committee can decide on the four people we're bringing to campus for an assistant professor search.
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
I'm disappointed to resign from the editorial board of @royalsocietypublishing.org @royalsociety.org journal Biology Letters. I won't give my time and labour away to an organisation that - through inaction - condones the destruction of US science by one of its own, Elon Musk FRS.
🧪⚒️
🧪⚒️
May 6, 2025 at 7:16 AM
I'm disappointed to resign from the editorial board of @royalsocietypublishing.org @royalsociety.org journal Biology Letters. I won't give my time and labour away to an organisation that - through inaction - condones the destruction of US science by one of its own, Elon Musk FRS.
🧪⚒️
🧪⚒️
NSF stops awarding new grants and funding existing ones. US science funder also plans to screen grant applications for compliance with ‘agency priorities’.
Exclusive: NSF stops awarding new grants and funding existing ones
US science funder also plans to screen grant applications for compliance with ‘agency priorities’.
www.nature.com
May 2, 2025 at 3:48 PM
NSF stops awarding new grants and funding existing ones. US science funder also plans to screen grant applications for compliance with ‘agency priorities’.
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
Spo11 complex successfully reconstituted in vitro after 27 years! Catalyzes DNA DSBs for meiotic recombination. Key to fertility & diversity. #Meiosis PMID:39972125, Nature 2025, @Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08551-1 #Medsky #Pharmsky #RNA #ASHG #ESHG 🧪
In vitro reconstitution of meiotic DNA double-strand-break formation | Nature
The Spo11 complex catalyses the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), initiating meiotic recombination—a process that is essential for fertility and genetic diversity1,2. Although the function of Spo11 has been known for 27 years, previous efforts to reconstitute DSB formation in vitro have been unsuccessful. Here we biochemically characterize the mouse SPO11–TOP6BL protein complex, and show that this complex cleaves DNA and covalently attaches to the 5′ terminus of DNA breaks in vitro. Using a point-mutation strategy, we reveal that Mg2+ is essential for the DNA-cleavage activity of this complex in vitro, as confirmed by knock-in mice carrying a point mutation in SPO11 that disrupts its binding to Mg2+, thereby abolishing DSB formation. However, the activity of the SPO11 complex is ATP-independent. We also present evidence that the mouse SPO11 complex is biochemically distinct from the ancestral topoisomerase VI. Our findings establish a mechanistic framework for understanding
doi.org
March 30, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
Here’s a story with some numbers. The proposed cuts are unfathomable: a 60% reduction to NSF would be the end of American science as we know it.
February 7, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Here’s a story with some numbers. The proposed cuts are unfathomable: a 60% reduction to NSF would be the end of American science as we know it.
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
🚨BREAKING. From a program officer at the National Science Foundation, a list of keywords that can cause a grant to be pulled. I will be sharing screenshots of these keywords along with a decision tree. Please share widely. This is a crisis for academic freedom & science.
February 4, 2025 at 1:26 AM
🚨BREAKING. From a program officer at the National Science Foundation, a list of keywords that can cause a grant to be pulled. I will be sharing screenshots of these keywords along with a decision tree. Please share widely. This is a crisis for academic freedom & science.
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
On the migration of the scientific community to Bluesky:
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Bluesky’s science takeover: 70% of Nature poll respondents use platform
Roughly 6,000 readers answered our poll, with many declaring that Bluesky was nicer, kinder and less antagonistic to science than X.
www.nature.com
January 27, 2025 at 8:19 PM
On the migration of the scientific community to Bluesky:
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Reposted by Mihail Sarov
A fascinating 2023/24 study of publishing timelines over 140,000 academics in STEMM showing discipline & country-specific attrition of academic careers from the publication of first paper. The probability of continuing after 19y just 38-43%. Interactive maps at:
public.tableau.com/app/profile/...
🧪
public.tableau.com/app/profile/...
🧪
January 12, 2025 at 4:17 AM
A fascinating 2023/24 study of publishing timelines over 140,000 academics in STEMM showing discipline & country-specific attrition of academic careers from the publication of first paper. The probability of continuing after 19y just 38-43%. Interactive maps at:
public.tableau.com/app/profile/...
🧪
public.tableau.com/app/profile/...
🧪
Cool story!
Excited to share the first paper from my lab 🤩 - a great collaboration with Dani Fachinetti lab - we discover a #mechanosensitive nuclear envelope #checkpoint that arrests cells directly post chromosome mis-segregation rdcu.be/d5AC9 👇🧵 #cancer #mechanics #p53 #chromatin
January 8, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Cool story!