Sorek Lab
@soreklab.bsky.social
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Today @nature.com, it's #AlphaGenome, to decipher and determine functionality of the regulatory (very challenging) variants in our genome.
Another big step of AI for advancing life science
nature.com/articles/s41...
Another big step of AI for advancing life science
nature.com/articles/s41...
January 28, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Today @nature.com, it's #AlphaGenome, to decipher and determine functionality of the regulatory (very challenging) variants in our genome.
Another big step of AI for advancing life science
nature.com/articles/s41...
Another big step of AI for advancing life science
nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
A prophage-encoded abortive infection protein preserves host and prophage spread www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A prophage-encoded abortive infection protein preserves host and prophage spread - Nature
A Gifsy-1 prophage–encoded higher eukaryotes and prokaryotes nucleotide-binding protein, HepS, senses Siphoviridae infection, activates abortive defence by cleaving host transfer RNAs, blocks rival ph...
www.nature.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:13 PM
A prophage-encoded abortive infection protein preserves host and prophage spread www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Another cool finding of nucleotides activating antiphage defense 👇🏽
5′-phosphorylated deoxydinucleotides arising during host genome degradation activate the doughnut shaped ApeA oligomer, to cleave host
tRNAs and abort infection
✂️🧬➡️🍩✨➡️✂️☠️🦠
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
5′-phosphorylated deoxydinucleotides arising during host genome degradation activate the doughnut shaped ApeA oligomer, to cleave host
tRNAs and abort infection
✂️🧬➡️🍩✨➡️✂️☠️🦠
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
January 27, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Another cool finding of nucleotides activating antiphage defense 👇🏽
5′-phosphorylated deoxydinucleotides arising during host genome degradation activate the doughnut shaped ApeA oligomer, to cleave host
tRNAs and abort infection
✂️🧬➡️🍩✨➡️✂️☠️🦠
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
5′-phosphorylated deoxydinucleotides arising during host genome degradation activate the doughnut shaped ApeA oligomer, to cleave host
tRNAs and abort infection
✂️🧬➡️🍩✨➡️✂️☠️🦠
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
A new paper from the lab on virus-like particles called eCISs www.nature.com/articles/s41...
How bacteria evolved thousands of precision nanoinjectors?
Some bacteria don’t secrete toxins — they inject them using phage-derived machines called extracellular contractile injection systems (eCISs).
How bacteria evolved thousands of precision nanoinjectors?
Some bacteria don’t secrete toxins — they inject them using phage-derived machines called extracellular contractile injection systems (eCISs).
A comprehensive catalogue of receptor-binding domains in extracellular contractile injection systems - Nature Communications
Extracellular contractile injection systems (eCISs) are bacteriophage tail-derived toxin delivery complexes that are present in many prokaryotes. Here, the authors present an analysis of eCIS tail fib...
www.nature.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:26 PM
A new paper from the lab on virus-like particles called eCISs www.nature.com/articles/s41...
How bacteria evolved thousands of precision nanoinjectors?
Some bacteria don’t secrete toxins — they inject them using phage-derived machines called extracellular contractile injection systems (eCISs).
How bacteria evolved thousands of precision nanoinjectors?
Some bacteria don’t secrete toxins — they inject them using phage-derived machines called extracellular contractile injection systems (eCISs).
Model bacteria that lack (or have minimal) defense systems have been crucial for understanding bacterial immunity. Now, there is a model defenseless plant. One may expect that this model can accelerate discoveries on plant immunity
Decoding plant defense signaling using the defenseless mutant
Baral and Brosché
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Baral and Brosché
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
January 26, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Model bacteria that lack (or have minimal) defense systems have been crucial for understanding bacterial immunity. Now, there is a model defenseless plant. One may expect that this model can accelerate discoveries on plant immunity
Extremely well deserved! Congratulations Philip!
Join us in congratulating Philip J. Kranzusch (@kranzuschlab.bsky.social) of @danafarber.bsky.social and @harvardmed.bsky.social, winner of the 2026 NAS Award in Molecular Biology for his groundbreaking work advancing understanding of innate immunity! www.nasonline.org/award/nas-aw... #NASaward
January 22, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Extremely well deserved! Congratulations Philip!
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Our latest CRISPR ring nuclease paper focusses on Csx15 - which seems to act as of a sponge as well as a canonical phosphodiesterase. Great work led by @haotianchi.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
January 22, 2026 at 8:57 AM
Our latest CRISPR ring nuclease paper focusses on Csx15 - which seems to act as of a sponge as well as a canonical phosphodiesterase. Great work led by @haotianchi.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Loved this from @simonmaechling.bsky.social - chemistry FTW…
@dereklowe.bsky.social @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social
@dereklowe.bsky.social @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social
January 19, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Loved this from @simonmaechling.bsky.social - chemistry FTW…
@dereklowe.bsky.social @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social
@dereklowe.bsky.social @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social
Reposted by Sorek Lab
I’m thrilled to share our work on phage triggers of the bacterial immune system in its final form @natmicrobiol.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A phage protein screen identifies triggers of the bacterial innate immune system - Nature Microbiology
A library of 400 phage protein-coding genes is used to find a trove of antiphage systems, revealing systems that target tail fibre and major capsid proteins.
www.nature.com
January 18, 2026 at 10:45 PM
I’m thrilled to share our work on phage triggers of the bacterial immune system in its final form @natmicrobiol.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
A researchers’ propensity for risky projects is passed down to their doctoral students — and stays with trainees after they leave the laboratory
go.nature.com/4qvaffO
go.nature.com/4qvaffO
PhD students’ taste for risk mirrors their supervisors’
Nature - Learned risk-taking behaviours can persist for years after leaving the lab — and even after taking on a new research topic.
go.nature.com
January 18, 2026 at 1:45 PM
A researchers’ propensity for risky projects is passed down to their doctoral students — and stays with trainees after they leave the laboratory
go.nature.com/4qvaffO
go.nature.com/4qvaffO
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Out Now! A phage protein screen identifies triggers of the bacterial innate immune system #MicroSky
A phage protein screen identifies triggers of the bacterial innate immune system
Nature Microbiology, Published online: 16 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-025-02239-6A library of 400 phage protein-coding genes is used to find a trove of antiphage systems, revealing systems that target tail fibre and major capsid proteins.
go.nature.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Out Now! A phage protein screen identifies triggers of the bacterial innate immune system #MicroSky
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Our new paper is out in Nature 🎉. We show that m1Ψ in mRNA vaccines doesn’t just quiet immunity, it also directly enhance translation by reshaping ribosome dynamics in a sequence-dependent way 🧬
Full paper : rdcu.be/eY5gx
Full paper : rdcu.be/eY5gx
N1-Methylpseudouridine directly modulates translation dynamics
Nature - N1-Methylpseudouridine enhances the translation of synthetic mRNAs, independently of innate immunity.
rdcu.be
January 15, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Our new paper is out in Nature 🎉. We show that m1Ψ in mRNA vaccines doesn’t just quiet immunity, it also directly enhance translation by reshaping ribosome dynamics in a sequence-dependent way 🧬
Full paper : rdcu.be/eY5gx
Full paper : rdcu.be/eY5gx
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Save the date, please RT:
Looking forward to an exciting International Symposium @spp2330.bsky.social "New concepts in prokaryotic virus-host interactions".
October 5-7, 2026; Harnack-Haus Berlin (Germany).
@dfg.de @hhu.de @fz-juelich.de
Looking forward to an exciting International Symposium @spp2330.bsky.social "New concepts in prokaryotic virus-host interactions".
October 5-7, 2026; Harnack-Haus Berlin (Germany).
@dfg.de @hhu.de @fz-juelich.de
January 14, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Save the date, please RT:
Looking forward to an exciting International Symposium @spp2330.bsky.social "New concepts in prokaryotic virus-host interactions".
October 5-7, 2026; Harnack-Haus Berlin (Germany).
@dfg.de @hhu.de @fz-juelich.de
Looking forward to an exciting International Symposium @spp2330.bsky.social "New concepts in prokaryotic virus-host interactions".
October 5-7, 2026; Harnack-Haus Berlin (Germany).
@dfg.de @hhu.de @fz-juelich.de
Reposted by Sorek Lab
@science.org Deep contrastive learning enables genome-wide virtual screening | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Deep contrastive learning enables genome-wide virtual screening
Recent breakthroughs in protein structure prediction have opened new avenues for genome-wide drug discovery, yet existing virtual screening methods remain computationally prohibitive. We present DrugC...
www.science.org
January 9, 2026 at 6:55 PM
@science.org Deep contrastive learning enables genome-wide virtual screening | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
I'm humbled to receive the Paoletti Prize awarded by @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social 😌 and very grateful to present and past mentors !
@francoisrousset.bsky.social, chercheur en microbiologie au @ciri-lyon.bsky.social est lauréat du Prix Paoletti 2025.
👋 @cnrs-rhoneauvergne.bsky.social
buff.ly/o9MCTni
👋 @cnrs-rhoneauvergne.bsky.social
buff.ly/o9MCTni
Francois Rousset, chercheur en microbiologie | Prix Paoletti 2025
Après une thèse en microbiologie à l’Institut Pasteur sous la direction de David Bikard (2017-2020), François Rousset rejoint en 2021 l’équipe de Rotem Sorek au Weizmann Institute of Science pour son…
www.youtube.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:12 PM
I'm humbled to receive the Paoletti Prize awarded by @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social 😌 and very grateful to present and past mentors !
There are 500 olfactory (smell-sensing) receptor genes in our genome, but each olfactory neuron expresses just a single one of these. How is this regulated? I was curious about this question since learning of this 20 years ago
Now solved by Boulard and colleagues- a fundamental discovery
Now solved by Boulard and colleagues- a fundamental discovery
This went under the radar but answers a fundamental question in Epigenetics...
From many hundreds of olfactory receptor genes, each neuron selects expression of only single one (near-randomly). How?
Outstanding work from Mathieu Boulard and colleagues
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
From many hundreds of olfactory receptor genes, each neuron selects expression of only single one (near-randomly). How?
Outstanding work from Mathieu Boulard and colleagues
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
The transcription of a single olfactory receptor per neuron is enforced by epigenetic silencing of their enhancers
The ability to discriminate thousands of odors in our environment requires each olfactory neuron to express a single olfactory receptor from hundreds of available genes. The biochemical mechanism enfo...
www.biorxiv.org
January 7, 2026 at 8:38 AM
There are 500 olfactory (smell-sensing) receptor genes in our genome, but each olfactory neuron expresses just a single one of these. How is this regulated? I was curious about this question since learning of this 20 years ago
Now solved by Boulard and colleagues- a fundamental discovery
Now solved by Boulard and colleagues- a fundamental discovery
NLR-like immunity in bacteria
A new study from the Alex Gao lab. The scope of this work is incredible!!!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A new study from the Alex Gao lab. The scope of this work is incredible!!!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Diverse bacterial pattern recognition receptors sense the conserved phage proteome
Recognition of foreign molecules inside cells is critical for immunity in all domains of life. Proteins of the STAND NTPase superfamily, including eukaryotic nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain ...
www.biorxiv.org
January 5, 2026 at 1:59 PM
NLR-like immunity in bacteria
A new study from the Alex Gao lab. The scope of this work is incredible!!!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A new study from the Alex Gao lab. The scope of this work is incredible!!!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
I'm really excited to break up the holiday relaxation time with a new preprint that benchmarks AlphaFold3 (AF3)/“co-folding” methods with 2 new stringent performance tests.
Thread below - but first some links:
A longer take:
fraserlab.com/2025/12/29/k...
Preprint:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thread below - but first some links:
A longer take:
fraserlab.com/2025/12/29/k...
Preprint:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Know when to co-fold'em
This is the official web page for the James Fraser Lab at UCSF.
fraserlab.com
December 29, 2025 at 10:25 PM
I'm really excited to break up the holiday relaxation time with a new preprint that benchmarks AlphaFold3 (AF3)/“co-folding” methods with 2 new stringent performance tests.
Thread below - but first some links:
A longer take:
fraserlab.com/2025/12/29/k...
Preprint:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thread below - but first some links:
A longer take:
fraserlab.com/2025/12/29/k...
Preprint:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Bacteriophages are normally classified as either virulent or temperate. Reality is, of course, more complicated!
Here we show many bacterial isolates contain non-temperate phages that can persist through restreaking.
Thanks to all co-authors for such a great collaboration!
Here we show many bacterial isolates contain non-temperate phages that can persist through restreaking.
Thanks to all co-authors for such a great collaboration!
[1/3] Is your favorite bacterial isolate hiding a surprise lytic virus with a VERY different lifestyle? Finally I can proudly say that our paper on persistent phages is out in Nature Microbiology. rdcu.be/eWJEp. Well done @peterdoug.bsky.social
Persistent virulent phages exist across bacterial isolates
Nature Microbiology - The long-term existence of diverse virulent phages within cultures of Escherichia coli and others challenges the virulent–temperate dichotomy and points to non-canonical...
rdcu.be
December 29, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Bacteriophages are normally classified as either virulent or temperate. Reality is, of course, more complicated!
Here we show many bacterial isolates contain non-temperate phages that can persist through restreaking.
Thanks to all co-authors for such a great collaboration!
Here we show many bacterial isolates contain non-temperate phages that can persist through restreaking.
Thanks to all co-authors for such a great collaboration!
Reposted by Sorek Lab
So 2025 turned out to be a big year for de novo antibody design! Here are thoughts and predictions on the state of de novo antibody design heading into 2026 🧵
December 26, 2025 at 11:49 PM
So 2025 turned out to be a big year for de novo antibody design! Here are thoughts and predictions on the state of de novo antibody design heading into 2026 🧵
"By placing several phosphorus atoms within a radius of a few nanometres, they couple by means of the hyperfine interaction to a single, shared electron. Such a nuclear spin register enables high-fidelity multi-qubit control and the execution of small-scale quantum algorithms"
Wow
Wow
December 23, 2025 at 3:49 PM
"By placing several phosphorus atoms within a radius of a few nanometres, they couple by means of the hyperfine interaction to a single, shared electron. Such a nuclear spin register enables high-fidelity multi-qubit control and the execution of small-scale quantum algorithms"
Wow
Wow
Reposted by Sorek Lab
This variability is not noise. Most systems show multi-fold expression changes across environmental (low or high temperatures🌡️), physiological (growth stage), or spatial gradients.
For examples, some systems seem expressed at the center of biofilms, others on the biofilm edges
For examples, some systems seem expressed at the center of biofilms, others on the biofilm edges
December 15, 2025 at 9:49 PM
This variability is not noise. Most systems show multi-fold expression changes across environmental (low or high temperatures🌡️), physiological (growth stage), or spatial gradients.
For examples, some systems seem expressed at the center of biofilms, others on the biofilm edges
For examples, some systems seem expressed at the center of biofilms, others on the biofilm edges
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Bacterial genomes encode a rich repertoire of antiphage systems, but we still know surprisingly little about when these systems are actually expressed.
In this preprint, Lucas Paoli et al, ask what shapes antiphage systems expression in native contexts.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
In this preprint, Lucas Paoli et al, ask what shapes antiphage systems expression in native contexts.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Environment and physiology shape antiphage system expression
Bacteria and archaea encode on average ten antiphage systems. Quorum sensing, cellular, or transcription factors can regulate specific systems (CRISPR-Cas, CBASS). Yet, a systematic assessment of anti...
www.biorxiv.org
December 15, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Bacterial genomes encode a rich repertoire of antiphage systems, but we still know surprisingly little about when these systems are actually expressed.
In this preprint, Lucas Paoli et al, ask what shapes antiphage systems expression in native contexts.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
In this preprint, Lucas Paoli et al, ask what shapes antiphage systems expression in native contexts.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Sorek Lab
Happy to share that I’m opening my lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science!
We’ll study systems-level regulation of bacterial defense, driven by RNA-protein interactions shaping cell fate.
Now recruiting PhD students & postdocs
tinyurl.com/4yfa55vd
Please reach out and share!
We’ll study systems-level regulation of bacterial defense, driven by RNA-protein interactions shaping cell fate.
Now recruiting PhD students & postdocs
tinyurl.com/4yfa55vd
Please reach out and share!
December 9, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Happy to share that I’m opening my lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science!
We’ll study systems-level regulation of bacterial defense, driven by RNA-protein interactions shaping cell fate.
Now recruiting PhD students & postdocs
tinyurl.com/4yfa55vd
Please reach out and share!
We’ll study systems-level regulation of bacterial defense, driven by RNA-protein interactions shaping cell fate.
Now recruiting PhD students & postdocs
tinyurl.com/4yfa55vd
Please reach out and share!
Reposted by Sorek Lab
The EMBO Gold Medal 2025 was awarded to Tanmay Bharat and David Bikard: https://www.embo.org/press-releases/embo-gold-medal-2025-awarded-to-tanmay-bharat-and-david-bikard/ 🧪
At #CellBio2025, the EMBO Gold Medal was handed over to David Bikard in recognition of his pioneering work on #GeneEditing.
At #CellBio2025, the EMBO Gold Medal was handed over to David Bikard in recognition of his pioneering work on #GeneEditing.
December 10, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The EMBO Gold Medal 2025 was awarded to Tanmay Bharat and David Bikard: https://www.embo.org/press-releases/embo-gold-medal-2025-awarded-to-tanmay-bharat-and-david-bikard/ 🧪
At #CellBio2025, the EMBO Gold Medal was handed over to David Bikard in recognition of his pioneering work on #GeneEditing.
At #CellBio2025, the EMBO Gold Medal was handed over to David Bikard in recognition of his pioneering work on #GeneEditing.