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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · 12d

Congratulations @alexandregouzy.bsky.social and @pierresantucci.bsky.social!!

SFM Microbial Pathogenesis @sfmpathogenesis.bsky.social · 12d

New study shows pyrazinamide kills TB by acidifying bacterial cytosol — not via PanD/CoA depletion. A long-standing debate settled, paving the way for smarter PZA-like drugs. #MicroSky

✍️ J. Laudouze, Y. Antonenko, @alexandregouzy.bsky.social, @pierresantucci.bsky.social & coll.
📖 shorturl.at/tuz6Q

Revisited model of PZA/HPOA efficacy, supporting a pH-dependent mechanism of weak acid permeation and cytosolic acidification as main mechanism of bactericidal activity. In this model, the authors propose that the presence of glycerol potentiates PZA/HPOA efficacy by generating acidic intermediates that lower IBpH. Accordingly, β-alanine and pantothenate might mitigate this effect by acting as buffering molecules that alleviate acidosis. Finally, PanD enzymatic activity consumes protons which in turn increases IBpH. Therefore, in this model PanD minimally contributes to PZA tolerance and cannot be considered as the primary target of the drug.

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Aug 1

Our favorite technician @alexjpinto.bsky.social just got awarded with a PhD fellowship. Here’s to 4 years of exciting research in our team 🥂

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

ISSD lab _ i3S @issdlab.bsky.social · Jul 1

📣 Save the date: III ERA Chair #ImmunoHUB Annual Meeting!

📅 December 5

🔗 immunohub.i3s.up.pt/iii-immunohub-…

‼️Stay tuned for more info!

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

The Freundlich Group @freundlichgroup.bsky.social · May 25

Please consider passing around this very informative interview to everyone you know (especially non-scientists). I believe it does an excellent job explaining why taxpayers benefit from the federal government’s support of scientific research.

www.pbs.org/video/breakt...

Amanpour and Company | Breakthrough Prize-Winning Biochemist on the Deadly Cost of Funding Cuts | Season 2025

David Liu joins the show.

www.pbs.org

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

John Green @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social · Mar 10

As the U.S. Government endeavors to make tuberculosis great again, please consider preordering a signed copy of my book about our deadliest infection, its long history, and why in the 75 years since TB became curable, we've allowed over 150,000,000 people to die of the disease. everythingistb.com

cover of my new book everything is tuberculosis: the history and persistence of our deadliest infection

140 700 3.8K

Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · May 22

Authoritarians promising to protect free speech and then acting like authoritarians. Who would expect that?

Reposted by Tiago Beites

John Rubinstein @johnrubinstein.bsky.social · May 16

EtfD links beta oxidation to OxPhos in mycobacteria - recent work suggests that targeting EtfD could shorten #tubeculosis treatment.
But how does EtfD work? And how can you assay its activity?
In his final PhD manuscript @courbongautier.bsky.social provides answers!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

A) Diagram showing how EtfD transfers electrons from beta oxidation to the menaquinol pool in the membrane, linking beta oxidation to oxidative phosphorylation in mycobacteria.
B) A growth curve showing the Mycobacterium smegmatis lacking EtfD can grow when glucose is provided as the carbon source, but has a slight growth delay. Complementing the ∆etfD strain with M. tuberculosis on a plasmid rescues the defect.
C) A growth curve showing that ∆etfD M. smegmatis cannot grow on medium where the fatty acid oleic acid is the only carbon source. A plasmid with with M. tuberculosis EtfD rescues the defect.

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · May 16

Beautiful work as always! Seeing these data made my day, week, month, etc :)

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Apr 15

Long-chain fatty acids can be carbon sources for pathogens but are also potent antimicrobials. In our latest work, we explored the question of how Mycobacterium tuberculosis avoids getting killed by a preferred carbon source.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis long-chain fatty acid resistome reveals the universal stress protein TB15.3 as essential for infection

The human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) thrives in lipid-rich microenvironments. Long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) are some of the most abundant lipids encountered by Mtb during infection. Mtb...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

Tom Scriba @tomscriba.bsky.social · Mar 24

Today is the 24th of March and it's World TB Day. We typically have many activities to educate and raise awareness about TB and how important it is for us all to commit to doing more to end TB! This year feels different though.

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

John Green @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social · Mar 24

For World TB Day, PIH is hosting a webinar at 12pm EST to discuss the repercussions of recently slashed US foreign aid and the hope that remains. #worldTBday @partnersinhealth.bsky.social

Register here:
act.pih.org/worldtbday2025

Register | Turmoil, TB Care, & Taking Action

Join experts on World TB Day to discuss the history, innovations, and social justice impact of TB, the world’s deadliest infectious disease.

act.pih.org

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Mar 24

In this current political environment it is more important than ever to highlight the #WorldTBday. Let’s keep bending the arc.

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Feb 24

I’ve been thinking quite a bit on what will be our job as scientists in the AI era. I’m starting to think it will be all about finding new and meaningful questions.

AI cracks superbug problem in two days that took scientists years - BBC News

The lead researcher has told the BBC he was so astounded he assumed his computer had been hacked.

www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · Feb 21

Today is Dr Paul Farmer's 3rd death anniversary

A good day to remember the lessons he taught us, even as we face the chaos caused by the US administration's attacks on science, and global health

www.forbes.com/sites/madhuk...

Paul Farmer’s Moral Clarity Offers Hope, Amidst Chaos And Darkness

On the 3rd anniversary of Dr Paul Farmer's death, several leaders reflect on his lessons for dealing with the ongoing crisis in global health and development

www.forbes.com

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

Olivier Neyrolles @oneyrolles.bsky.social · Feb 18

Excited to have contributed to this fascinating study led by Rafael Prados Rosales! Uncovers how M. tuberculosis regulates extracellular vesicle production via VirR, shedding light on cell envelope remodeling & potential therapeutic targets! #MicroSky
@elife.bsky.social
doi.org/10.7554/eLif...

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

Olivier Neyrolles @oneyrolles.bsky.social · Feb 21

Huge thanks to @marcopsilva.bsky.social, Thales Costa and all the students for the kind invite to speak at the @i3suporto.bsky.social Student symposium! 🌟
Top-notch organization, amazing vibes, and a truly warm welcome, an unforgettable experience! 🙏
#i3Ssymposium

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

Marco Silva @marcopsilva.bsky.social · Feb 12

First time at #EMBOtuberculosis presenting a part of my PhD work through a flash talk and poster presentation. Great to finally meet the TB community! Incredible experience in India, with amazing science, wonderful people, and delicious food! 🇮🇳

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Feb 14

Missed you!

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Feb 12

What a great conference #EMBOtuberculosis has been! Amazing science, amazing food and a very friendly community! And it was a pleasure to share the work we’re developing at i3S U. Porto.

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Jan 31

Esperar pelos resultados da FCT parece a emoção da Eurovisão. A quem vai dar a Estónia os 12 pontos?

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Jan 14

Hi5 for everyone that submitted The grant today! What a journey!

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Reposted by Tiago Beites

Olivier Neyrolles @oneyrolles.bsky.social · Dec 19

🎉 Thrilled to share the first paper by @saurabhchugh09.bsky.social, a talented Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellow in our lab!

Discover how the exometabolome acts as a hidden driver of bacterial virulence and pathogenesis
#MicroSky
@cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The exometabolome as a hidden driver of bacterial virulence and pathogenesis

The traditional view of metabolism as merely supplying energy and biosynthetic precursors is undergoing a paradigm shift. Metabolic dynamics not only …

www.sciencedirect.com

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Dec 8

A very special one. My dear friends @healycl.bsky.social and @alexandregouzy.bsky.social published a paper with our common mentor @saehrt.bsky.social. On top of that, this is Alex’ first corresponding authorship!! And, of course, excellent bacterial physiology science.

Alexandre Gouzy @alexandregouzy.bsky.social · Dec 3

Happy to share my first ever (co)last author paper 🥳 reporting on how Mtb adapts its carbon diet under acid stress. A big thank you to my partners in crime @saehrt.bsky.social and @healycl.bsky.social without who this would not have been possible 😘
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

An exacerbated phosphate starvation response triggers Mycobacterium tuberculosis glycerol utilization at acidic pH | mBio

Despite the availability of antibiotic treatment, M. tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), remains a major infectious disease killer worldwide. A better understanding of the en...

journals.asm.org

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Nov 24

Ignorant drug development question. What’s missing on target-based drug development to make it truly useful? As opposed to the unbiased compound library screens that seem to be the gold standard. I may or may not be thinking on organizing a symposium to address this question.

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Tiago Beites @tiagobeites.bsky.social · Nov 17

Introducing my wonderful team at i3S - University of Porto. PhD student @marcopsilva.bsky.social and research fellow @alexjpinto.bsky.social

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