Iain Johnston
@mitomaths.bsky.social
Stochastic Biology Group: using maths, stats, and experiments to learn about biology and disease. We love organelles and oDNA, evolution, noise, and inference.
https://stochasticbiology.w.uib.no/
https://stochasticbiology.w.uib.no/
Reposted by Iain Johnston
How do cells assess mtDNA quality?
Local ATP and membrane-potential gradients reflect mtDNA integrity and drive intracellular purifying selection.
We introduce FAST, a scalable mtDNA QC assay in S. cerevisiae.
Great collaboration with the Schmoller Lab.
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
🧬⚡
Local ATP and membrane-potential gradients reflect mtDNA integrity and drive intracellular purifying selection.
We introduce FAST, a scalable mtDNA QC assay in S. cerevisiae.
Great collaboration with the Schmoller Lab.
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
🧬⚡
Local mitochondrial physiology defined by mtDNA quality guides purifying selection
Author summary Mitochondria are essential organelles in our cells that convert nutrients into usable cellular energy. They contain their own DNA, and mutations in this DNA can compromise mitochondrial...
journals.plos.org
January 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM
How do cells assess mtDNA quality?
Local ATP and membrane-potential gradients reflect mtDNA integrity and drive intracellular purifying selection.
We introduce FAST, a scalable mtDNA QC assay in S. cerevisiae.
Great collaboration with the Schmoller Lab.
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
🧬⚡
Local ATP and membrane-potential gradients reflect mtDNA integrity and drive intracellular purifying selection.
We introduce FAST, a scalable mtDNA QC assay in S. cerevisiae.
Great collaboration with the Schmoller Lab.
journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...
🧬⚡
Reposted by Iain Johnston
Looking for a new 📕 to read about plants??
I highly recommend the brilliant book ‘Ferns, Lessons in survival from Earth’s most adaptable plants’
Written by @fernway.bsky.social and Jacob Suissa with amazing illustrations by Laura Silburn
🌿 #FernFriday 🌿
I highly recommend the brilliant book ‘Ferns, Lessons in survival from Earth’s most adaptable plants’
Written by @fernway.bsky.social and Jacob Suissa with amazing illustrations by Laura Silburn
🌿 #FernFriday 🌿
January 9, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Looking for a new 📕 to read about plants??
I highly recommend the brilliant book ‘Ferns, Lessons in survival from Earth’s most adaptable plants’
Written by @fernway.bsky.social and Jacob Suissa with amazing illustrations by Laura Silburn
🌿 #FernFriday 🌿
I highly recommend the brilliant book ‘Ferns, Lessons in survival from Earth’s most adaptable plants’
Written by @fernway.bsky.social and Jacob Suissa with amazing illustrations by Laura Silburn
🌿 #FernFriday 🌿
1. Apply for one of the positions below (lab or theory) by Jan 18th
2. Learn interdisc skills and discover cool new things about how mitochondria move and socialise
3. Explore some of Norway's beautiful nature (both the below, Rundemanen and Gullfjellet, <10km from work)
2. Learn interdisc skills and discover cool new things about how mitochondria move and socialise
3. Explore some of Norway's beautiful nature (both the below, Rundemanen and Gullfjellet, <10km from work)
January 9, 2026 at 8:02 AM
1. Apply for one of the positions below (lab or theory) by Jan 18th
2. Learn interdisc skills and discover cool new things about how mitochondria move and socialise
3. Explore some of Norway's beautiful nature (both the below, Rundemanen and Gullfjellet, <10km from work)
2. Learn interdisc skills and discover cool new things about how mitochondria move and socialise
3. Explore some of Norway's beautiful nature (both the below, Rundemanen and Gullfjellet, <10km from work)
‼️Two new PhD positions open! One experimental, one modelling, exploring these beautiful collective dynamics in mitochondria across species. 🇳🇴, good pay, full staff benefits. [Shares much appreciated]
Lab: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Modelling: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Lab: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Modelling: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Excited to share our new review looking at how mitochondrial dynamics help resolve conflicting priorities that the cell faces! We extend the "social network" mito picture to a "societal network": trade networks, infrastructure, comms, pollution...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
December 19, 2025 at 8:24 AM
‼️Two new PhD positions open! One experimental, one modelling, exploring these beautiful collective dynamics in mitochondria across species. 🇳🇴, good pay, full staff benefits. [Shares much appreciated]
Lab: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Modelling: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Lab: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Modelling: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Reposted by Iain Johnston
Thrilled to see our review article "The evolutionary origins of synaptic proteins" highlighted on the cover of Nature Reviews Neuroscience 🤩.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
December 17, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Thrilled to see our review article "The evolutionary origins of synaptic proteins" highlighted on the cover of Nature Reviews Neuroscience 🤩.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
Mitochondria, hypercubes, and a blackboard -- what a lot of favourite things for J Evol Biol this month! Thanks to all involved for a smooth and pleasant review editorial process; academic.oup.com/jeb/article/...
December 18, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Mitochondria, hypercubes, and a blackboard -- what a lot of favourite things for J Evol Biol this month! Thanks to all involved for a smooth and pleasant review editorial process; academic.oup.com/jeb/article/...
Paradise up on the mountain trails
November 15, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Paradise up on the mountain trails
Reposted by Iain Johnston
We have wondered what a complex archaeal cell might look like ever since 2014. It’s been a long road (and the journey is far from over), but it’s a good time to pause for breath and look. These Asgard archaeal cells are a surprise! And that is the joy of being a cell biologist.
November 7, 2025 at 11:02 AM
We have wondered what a complex archaeal cell might look like ever since 2014. It’s been a long road (and the journey is far from over), but it’s a good time to pause for breath and look. These Asgard archaeal cells are a surprise! And that is the joy of being a cell biologist.
Reposted by Iain Johnston
In some species, #mitochondria have lost functions: from specific complexes to the ability to produce #ATP (and more!). We examine the evolutionary pathways of this reduction, from yeast and mistletoe to parasite "MROs":
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@mitomaths.bsky.social et al. 2025
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@mitomaths.bsky.social et al. 2025
Convergent pathways of reductive mitochondrial evolution characterized with hypercubic inference
Abstract. For a striking example of mitochondrial behaviour beyond adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation, consider mitochondrion-related organelles (MROs
doi.org
November 6, 2025 at 6:12 PM
In some species, #mitochondria have lost functions: from specific complexes to the ability to produce #ATP (and more!). We examine the evolutionary pathways of this reduction, from yeast and mistletoe to parasite "MROs":
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@mitomaths.bsky.social et al. 2025
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@mitomaths.bsky.social et al. 2025
Great to see this out there! We infer the evolutionary pathways behind patterns of AMR in Klebsiella across 102 states, finding globally consistent principles, state-specific deviations (and covariates), and validating evol predictions with new genomes. biorxiv.org/content/10.1... 1/
September 22, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Great to see this out there! We infer the evolutionary pathways behind patterns of AMR in Klebsiella across 102 states, finding globally consistent principles, state-specific deviations (and covariates), and validating evol predictions with new genomes. biorxiv.org/content/10.1... 1/
Celebrating grant award with a mountain run! MitoPhyto, a FRIPRO project, will combine modelling and microscopy to explore mitochondrial and mtDNA maintenance across non-bilaterian multicellular eukaryotes. Opportunities to come to Norway: please see next post
June 17, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Celebrating grant award with a mountain run! MitoPhyto, a FRIPRO project, will combine modelling and microscopy to explore mitochondrial and mtDNA maintenance across non-bilaterian multicellular eukaryotes. Opportunities to come to Norway: please see next post
Gratulerer med dagen alle sammen!
(non-Norway-based folks, happy Norwegian Constitution Day!)
(non-Norway-based folks, happy Norwegian Constitution Day!)
May 17, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Gratulerer med dagen alle sammen!
(non-Norway-based folks, happy Norwegian Constitution Day!)
(non-Norway-based folks, happy Norwegian Constitution Day!)
Reposted by Iain Johnston
Glad to share this review, which takes a narrative approach to explore mechanisms governing cytoplasmic inheritance. It highlights exciting advances in the field, while also pointing to the many open questions that remain. Have a read here: doi.org/10.1093/plph...
Cytoplasmic Inheritance: The Transmission of Plastid and Mitochondrial Genomes Across Cells and Generations
Abstract. In photosynthetic organisms, genetic material is stored in the nucleus and the two cytoplasmic organelles: plastids and mitochondria. While both
doi.org
May 5, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Glad to share this review, which takes a narrative approach to explore mechanisms governing cytoplasmic inheritance. It highlights exciting advances in the field, while also pointing to the many open questions that remain. Have a read here: doi.org/10.1093/plph...
Had a brilliant time at the 54th Jírovec’s Protozoological Days in Frymburk. Amazing organisms, amazing science, lots of exciting organelle work. Beautiful setting too! Thanks to all www.chromera.org/konference/5...
May 7, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Had a brilliant time at the 54th Jírovec’s Protozoological Days in Frymburk. Amazing organisms, amazing science, lots of exciting organelle work. Beautiful setting too! Thanks to all www.chromera.org/konference/5...
May trails on the way to the final Applied Statistics lecture of the semester!
May 7, 2025 at 10:57 AM
May trails on the way to the final Applied Statistics lecture of the semester!
View from the office as summer approaches
May 2, 2025 at 7:15 PM
View from the office as summer approaches
Reposted by Iain Johnston
Exciting permanent(!) #JobAlert for a #botanist to work in Bergen, Norway 🧪
PhD required, language proficiency required within two years. Apply by 25 April.
#Ecology #Restoration #Botany
PhD required, language proficiency required within two years. Apply by 25 April.
#Ecology #Restoration #Botany
NINA is expanding its expertise in vegetation ecology and restoration and is seeking a skilled and dedicated researcher to strengthen our team in Bergen.
nina-english.attract.reachmee.com/jobs/70-rese...
nina-english.attract.reachmee.com/jobs/70-rese...
April 1, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Exciting permanent(!) #JobAlert for a #botanist to work in Bergen, Norway 🧪
PhD required, language proficiency required within two years. Apply by 25 April.
#Ecology #Restoration #Botany
PhD required, language proficiency required within two years. Apply by 25 April.
#Ecology #Restoration #Botany
Reposted by Iain Johnston
Out today: Exciting intermediate between endosymbiont and organelle identified! Endosymbionts in Angomonas deanei lost nearly all bacterial cell division genes. Instead, we identified a host-encoded protein, ETP9, that became specialized for endosymbiont division. 1/2
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
March 19, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Out today: Exciting intermediate between endosymbiont and organelle identified! Endosymbionts in Angomonas deanei lost nearly all bacterial cell division genes. Instead, we identified a host-encoded protein, ETP9, that became specialized for endosymbiont division. 1/2
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Projector broke today, so a good old-school blackboard lecture on an intro to GLMs!
March 19, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Projector broke today, so a good old-school blackboard lecture on an intro to GLMs!
Reposted by Iain Johnston
Watching the US take a wrecking ball to science 💔 🤯
Reminder of the importance of doing science in the open. Put data, software, resources in public domain, where no single govt can erase them. This is our collective knowledge. Distributed data systems are essential.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reminder of the importance of doing science in the open. Put data, software, resources in public domain, where no single govt can erase them. This is our collective knowledge. Distributed data systems are essential.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Genomic data sharing: you don’t know what you’ve got (till it’s gone) - Nature Reviews Genetics
Reflecting on the core values of early data sharing agreements, the Bermuda Principles and the Fort Lauderdale Agreement, Kathryn E. Holt and Michael Inouye emphasize the need to reaffirm our commitme...
www.nature.com
March 17, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Watching the US take a wrecking ball to science 💔 🤯
Reminder of the importance of doing science in the open. Put data, software, resources in public domain, where no single govt can erase them. This is our collective knowledge. Distributed data systems are essential.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reminder of the importance of doing science in the open. Put data, software, resources in public domain, where no single govt can erase them. This is our collective knowledge. Distributed data systems are essential.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great to see this out in final form! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Continuous buildup of single-cell-specific mtDNA mutations throughout ageing, and their links with health. Mitos, scRNA, scATAC, models, ER, neuro... a smorgasbord of science! Congrats all! @syssig.bsky.social
Continuous buildup of single-cell-specific mtDNA mutations throughout ageing, and their links with health. Mitos, scRNA, scATAC, models, ER, neuro... a smorgasbord of science! Congrats all! @syssig.bsky.social
Cryptic mitochondrial DNA mutations coincide with mid-late life and are pathophysiologically informative in single cells across tissues and species - Nature Communications
Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in ageing. Here the authors report that across tissues and species, somatic mitochondrial DNA mutations in single cells (termed cryptic mutations) accumulate wi...
www.nature.com
March 7, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Great to see this out in final form! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Continuous buildup of single-cell-specific mtDNA mutations throughout ageing, and their links with health. Mitos, scRNA, scATAC, models, ER, neuro... a smorgasbord of science! Congrats all! @syssig.bsky.social
Continuous buildup of single-cell-specific mtDNA mutations throughout ageing, and their links with health. Mitos, scRNA, scATAC, models, ER, neuro... a smorgasbord of science! Congrats all! @syssig.bsky.social
Started likelihood-based approaches for model selection in STAT200 today, one of my favourite things (and behind many of our research projects)! Combined with likelihood-free methods, my claim is that this is how we turn modelling (not really falsifiable) into science (testing hypotheses with data)
February 26, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Started likelihood-based approaches for model selection in STAT200 today, one of my favourite things (and behind many of our research projects)! Combined with likelihood-free methods, my claim is that this is how we turn modelling (not really falsifiable) into science (testing hypotheses with data)
A classic to celebrate this evening's proposal submission. If you haven't heard this before, I recommend sticking with it, it's somewhat unlikely you've heard a song like this before!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxjE...
Lyrics www.metalkingdom.net/lyrics-song/...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxjE...
Lyrics www.metalkingdom.net/lyrics-song/...
Grace
YouTube video by Devin Townsend Project - Topic
www.youtube.com
February 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
A classic to celebrate this evening's proposal submission. If you haven't heard this before, I recommend sticking with it, it's somewhat unlikely you've heard a song like this before!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxjE...
Lyrics www.metalkingdom.net/lyrics-song/...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxjE...
Lyrics www.metalkingdom.net/lyrics-song/...