New accepted manuscript (preprint) on the evolution, phylogenetic types, expression, and fxns of a male-killing gene from a phage in a common endosymbiont of animals. Credit to many lab coauthors and led by Dr. Emilie Lefoulon. Lots of fun and insights in this one. academic.oup.com/gbe/advance-...

"Striking diversity of male-killing symbionts and their mechanisms"
by Hiroshi Arai (@haraipapilio.bsky.social), Daisuke Kageyama (@daisukekageyama.bsky.social) & co

"Why [and how] do maternally inherited endosymbionts kill male hosts?"

Find out here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Congrats, Cheryl!! 🎉

Looking forward to seeing you in our next Alumni Network seminar next week:
📅 Wednesday, August 27th
🕙 11am EST (Massachusetts) / 11am CLT (Chile) / 4pm WEST (Oeiras)
📍 over Zoom (PM for link)

@symbnet.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social @mblscience.bsky.social @ECODIM

I am quite excited! Looking forward to meeting everyone late September!!

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a PhD studentship Dr. @greghurst.bsky.social’s lab at the @liverpooluni.bsky.social supported by @ukri.org’s #BBSRC training program. With Drs. Alistair Darby and Michael Brockhurst, we seek to understand insect host’s response to symbiont evolution.

I'm excited to announce our new biorxiv preprint, wherein we investigate the evolution of the weirdest genetic locus I've ever seen! Behold the tgr genes of the social amoeba, which mediate self/non-self discrimination during facultative multicellularity 🐅 🧵 1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Our guide to bees of Pennsylvania is available for free now, you can order print copy (just have to pay shipping) and/or download PDF from Penn State Extension page: extension.psu.edu/bees-of-penn...

For every one of the 47 bee genera we have beautiful photo(s) and natural history facts

I once visited Mayan ruins in Mexico and was told that is not known how they were able to make such bright blue colors. Also heard the same about bright red ones. It turns out, at least for the red color, a fungus is responsible! Read more here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Please help get the word out - We are hiring at all levels (graduate students, technicians, and postdocs)! If you are interested in sponges, cell biology, evolution, immunity, and symbiosis, please don’t hesitate to contact me to learn more.

🧬 Shift between specialized & generalized diets in #bees is associated with evolutionary changes in their sensory genes. Generalists lose odorant receptors (ORs) and gain gustatory receptors (GRs), while specialists diversify existing genes 🌸🐝 #genomics #pollinators
academic.oup.com/g3journal/ad...

The @symbiosisalumni.bsky.social is excited to welcome our next seminar speakers, Dr. Leslie Daille and PhD candidate Lindsey Markowitz, on June 25th at 4pm WEST via zoom.

Please reach out if you are interested in attending.

Free biotech labs, equipment, and training are all bundled into student-driven discoveries and teacher growth. Student publications? Yep. Industry partner? Naturally. This is a must watch highlight reel of Sarah Bordenstein digging into @wolbachiaproj.bsky.social.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAun...

Come work with me (literally!! This role will be working with me directly!)

Cool unique role for someone interested in life sci, sci comm, and outreach/education!

Our first seminar will be held next week, May27-28th, 2025. Please take note of the differences in dates for folks located in different time zones:

📆 May 27-28th, 2025
🕐 8pm on May 27th Lisbon time / 3pm on May 27th New York time/ 3pm on May 27th Santiago time / 7am on May 28th New Zealand time

New paper where we suggest bacteria in the honeybee stomach may be more interesting to study than generally thought.

doi.org/10.1007/s002...

New preprint ex @bolinabug.bsky.social (+ @daisukekageyama.bsky.social & @scottishwormboy.bsky.social) on the pronounced secondary expansion of Spiroplasma and Rickettsia genomes in lacewings doi.org/10.1101/2025... #symbiosky 1/2

Hit a (easy) trail around Tussey Mtn? 👀

🎉 We’re hiring! Two ERC-funded #PostdocJobs on insect–phytopathogen mutualisms are available in my lab. Explore the chemical and molecular evolution of symbioses!
🧪Chemical ecology: tinyurl.com/chem-ecol-symb
🦠Phytopathology & mutualisms: tinyurl.com/symb-plantpath
#SymbioSky #PlantPathology

Consider taking a few minutes to submit a public comment against the Trump administration's decision to alter the Endangered Species Act to no longer cover habitat loss here:
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...

You can read more about the harms here:
www.npr.org/2025/04/17/n...

@haraipapilio.bsky.social paper on evolution of Wolbachia MK mechanism through prophage acquisition in molina butterflies - avoiding suppression by the host. Now out! #symbiosky www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti.... With @daisukekageyama.bsky.social @bolinabug.bsky.social and others

#MBL course updates! ⚠️ If you're interested in microscopy or symbiosis, read on...

🔬 Two weeks remain to apply for AI@MBL: bit.ly/43vIT0u
🐙 Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis is extending its deadline to April 14: bit.ly/4ig81fJ

#sciencestartshere

Alumna here strongly urging students interested in symbiosis to apply. This course has amazing instructors that are expertly studying symbioses in challenging non-model systems. I left the course with more technical skills & built connections internationally. Reach out if you have Qs!

I'm happy to announce we're shipping out our first orders of Claridge Traps light sheets! If you're tired of stringing a sheet between two trees, why not support a fellow entomologist and his growing insect trap business? Use the discount code "Bluesky" to get 10% off your order for the next month.