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Reposted by Ben Adler

Aaron Whiteley @aaronwhiteley.bsky.social · 4h

Panoptes guards the CBASS pathway (bacterial cGAS-STING). One facet of this work that I find particularly exciting is the genetic linkage between Panoptes and CBASS, which significantly co-occur in bacterial genomes. What other phage defense systems may be genetically (and functionally) linked?

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Aaron Whiteley @aaronwhiteley.bsky.social · 4h

Our work on the Panoptes antiphage system is published! Here we find that Panoptes "watches" the cytosol for phage immune evasion proteins–captured in this illustration by Clair Huffine of Insight Illustrations. A beautiful example of the effector triggered immunity paradigm.

Illustration depicting a bacterium under assault by phage. The bacterium “sees” phage immune evasion proteins and protects itself using a newly described antiphage system called Panoptes, named for the many-eyed mythical giant Argus Panoptes. Credit: Clair Huffine Insight Illustrations LLC

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Aaron Whiteley @aaronwhiteley.bsky.social · 4h

Check out the complementary story from @doudna-lab.bsky.social led by @erinedoherty.bsky.social and @benadler.bsky.social Their work on OptE oligomerization is particularly crucial to completing our understanding of Panoptes. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature

Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.

www.nature.com

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 19h

This is how the Craspedochiton zefranki do.

Joachim Frank @joachim123.bsky.social · 1d

I'm excited to report that a species has been named after my son Ze Frank, "in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science communication, which have inspired curiosity, wonder, and deeper public engagement with the natural world"

The certificate by Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance, issued in Voncina, 2025, spells out that a newly described species of chiton has been formally named Craspedochiton zefranki. This is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science communication, which have inspired curiosity, wonder, and deeper public engagement with the natural world.

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Michael Brockhurst @brockhurstlab.bsky.social · 2d

New preprint!

Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠

Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!

An epic effort by Rosanna Wright

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

Resistance mutation supply modulates the benefit of CRISPR immunity against virulent phages

Only a fraction of bacterial genomes encode CRISPR-Cas systems but the selective causes of this variation are unexplained. How naturally virulent bacteriophages (phages) select for CRISPR immunity has...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Erin Green @erinrgreen.bsky.social · 3d

Job alert ‼️ UChicago Micro is hiring! Open to tenured/tenure track faculty at all levels in any area of microbiology. Come join our amazing and growing department. apply.interfolio.com/174404

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Joe Peters Lab @joepeterslab.bsky.social · 5d

The Peters lab is looking for a new team member! The role transposons play in evolution, basic mechanisms regulating transposition, and applying transposons as tools for genome modification with a special focus on guide RNA-directed transposition. cornell.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/CornellCaree...

Technician III - Department of Microbiology

Position Summary This position will be in the lab of Dr. Joseph E. Peters in the Department of Microbiology. Research in the Peters’ lab broadly involves deciphering mechanisms in genome stability and...

cornell.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Ashley Sullivan @aesully98.bsky.social · 4d

A little late to the Panoptes party, but I’m delighted to share that our paper is published! 👁️ www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The Panoptes system uses decoy cyclic nucleotides to defend against phage - Nature

The Panoptes antiphage system defends bacteria by detecting phage-encoded counter-defences that sequester cyclic nucleotide signals, triggering membrane disruption and highlighting a broader strategy of sensing immune evasion through second-messenger surveillance.

www.nature.com

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 5d

Good luck Martin (not that you need the luck)!

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 5d

Thanks Luuk!

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

Congratulations Allison!

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Allison G @assemblerag.bsky.social · 7d

Most plasmids described in E. coli are small compared to the megaplasmids we identified here! Check out the preprint if you want to learn about these mysterious large elements and their potential functions 🧬. I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to work on this in @banfieldlab.bsky.social

bioRxiv Microbiology @biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 7d

Megaplasmids associate with Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.30.679422v1

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bioRxiv Microbiology @biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 8d

Droplet-based Random Barcode Transposon-site Sequencing (Droplet RB-TnSeq) to characterize phage-host interactions https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.29.679331v1

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Malcolm White @mfwhite2.bsky.social · 6d

My pleasure @erinedoherty.bsky.social and @benmorehouse.bsky.social - for me this was the stand-out discovery of the last year in the field

Erin Doherty @erinedoherty.bsky.social · 6d

And thanks to @mfwhite2.bsky.social for this great perspective on both works! www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Bacteria use a decoy defence molecule to set a trap for viruses

Some bacterial-infecting viruses use ‘sponges’ to mop up defence molecules, but bacteria can fight back by responding when a sponge captures decoy molecules.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Doudna Lab @doudna-lab.bsky.social · 6d

New paper online at @nature.com from co-leads @erinedoherty.bsky.social + @benadler.bsky.social !

Erin Doherty @erinedoherty.bsky.social · 6d

Now online at @nature.com we show how the Panoptes defense system protects against viruses that attempt immune evasion - and expands our understanding of the role of oligonucleotides in immunity.

Check out this work co-led with @benadler.bsky.social here:

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature

Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Erin Doherty @erinedoherty.bsky.social · 6d

This also leads to a major constraint for the evolution of viral proteins that inhibit immune signaling, which we explored in recent pre-print co-led with @jnoms.bsky.social

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

Divergent viral phosphodiesterases for immune signaling evasion

Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) and other short oligonucleotides play fundamental roles in immune system activation in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. In response, viruses use phosphodiesterase...

www.biorxiv.org

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Erin Doherty @erinedoherty.bsky.social · 6d

Now online at @nature.com we show how the Panoptes defense system protects against viruses that attempt immune evasion - and expands our understanding of the role of oligonucleotides in immunity.

Check out this work co-led with @benadler.bsky.social here:

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature

Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.

www.nature.com

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

Thanks Jason! Looking forward to hearing your travels across the Atlantic and CyberSpace

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Jason Nomburg @jnoms.bsky.social · 6d

Huge congrats for such an amazing story, @benadler.bsky.social and @erinedoherty.bsky.social!!

Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

Today in @nature.com , we highlight how a cousin of CRISPR-Cas10, mCpol, establishes an evolutionary trap in anti-phage immune systems.

Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature

Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Vivek Mutalik @vivekmutalik.bsky.social · 6d

Super cool paper by @benadler.bsky.social @erinedoherty.bsky.social

#phage #phagesky

Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

Today in @nature.com , we highlight how a cousin of CRISPR-Cas10, mCpol, establishes an evolutionary trap in anti-phage immune systems.

Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature

Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.

www.nature.com

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

Thanks Vivek!

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Reposted by Ben Adler

Innovative Genomics Institute @innovativegenomics.bsky.social · 6d

Out today in @nature.com, a new paper from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab, co-first authors @erinedoherty.bsky.social + @benadler.bsky.social and collaborators at @ucsandiego.bsky.social unveils a powerful new defense strategy in the arms war between viruses + microbes. Read here: ow.ly/mPQI50X5g68

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Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 6d

Thanks Jase! We should catch up soon 🙂