Welcome to the newest members of the Becker Lab here @ithacacollege.bsky.social! Thank you to the wonderful @hannahgreich.bsky.social PhycoSymbiosis lab @sunyesf.bsky.social for our initial population of Aiptasia. Looking forward to some science!
February 4, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Welcome to the newest members of the Becker Lab here @ithacacollege.bsky.social! Thank you to the wonderful @hannahgreich.bsky.social PhycoSymbiosis lab @sunyesf.bsky.social for our initial population of Aiptasia. Looking forward to some science!
In marine invertebrates 💙, test for DNA incorporation of EU!
#Nematostella ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
#Aiptasia ⚠️ EU in DNA
#Ctenophores ✅ EU only in RNA
@ruthstyfhals.bsky.social @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social
#Platynereis ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
@leonieadelmann.bsky.social @tessmarraiblelabs.bsky.social
#Nematostella ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
#Aiptasia ⚠️ EU in DNA
#Ctenophores ✅ EU only in RNA
@ruthstyfhals.bsky.social @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social
#Platynereis ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
@leonieadelmann.bsky.social @tessmarraiblelabs.bsky.social
February 1, 2026 at 9:35 PM
In marine invertebrates 💙, test for DNA incorporation of EU!
#Nematostella ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
#Aiptasia ⚠️ EU in DNA
#Ctenophores ✅ EU only in RNA
@ruthstyfhals.bsky.social @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social
#Platynereis ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
@leonieadelmann.bsky.social @tessmarraiblelabs.bsky.social
#Nematostella ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
#Aiptasia ⚠️ EU in DNA
#Ctenophores ✅ EU only in RNA
@ruthstyfhals.bsky.social @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social
#Platynereis ⚠️ EU in RNA+DNA
@leonieadelmann.bsky.social @tessmarraiblelabs.bsky.social
Thanks to all authors for their efforts in getting this paper out there! We found integrins facilitated the specific uptake of symbionts in coral and Aiptasia larvae, shedding new light on the mechanisms of symbiosis establishment in cnidarians.
See the second January issue:
link.springer.com/journal/4431...
The cover shows work by Meghan Ferguson @micro-megs.bsky.social and Annika Guse @annikaguse.bsky.social
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social showing symbiont-specific uptake in cnidarian larvae via integrins.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/journal/4431...
The cover shows work by Meghan Ferguson @micro-megs.bsky.social and Annika Guse @annikaguse.bsky.social
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social showing symbiont-specific uptake in cnidarian larvae via integrins.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
January 30, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Thanks to all authors for their efforts in getting this paper out there! We found integrins facilitated the specific uptake of symbionts in coral and Aiptasia larvae, shedding new light on the mechanisms of symbiosis establishment in cnidarians.
New #GENETICS report from @pcleves.bsky.social et al. shows the use of a simple electroporation protocol to introduce various genetic constructs into Aiptasia zygotes, a small sea anemone and an emerging model to study coral biology. buff.ly/5aQpQ1S
December 29, 2025 at 2:02 PM
New #GENETICS report from @pcleves.bsky.social et al. shows the use of a simple electroporation protocol to introduce various genetic constructs into Aiptasia zygotes, a small sea anemone and an emerging model to study coral biology. buff.ly/5aQpQ1S
You know I'm going for an interview at an aquarium today... But I cannot decide whether I should wait until I have the job to talk about the Aiptasia I noticed.
November 26, 2025 at 1:18 PM
You know I'm going for an interview at an aquarium today... But I cannot decide whether I should wait until I have the job to talk about the Aiptasia I noticed.
🍾 Melanie Dörr @mela-doerr.bsky.social succesfully 🥂 defended her thesis "Engineering Coral Resilience: Functional Testing of Probiotic Bacterial Isolates in Aiptasia Under Thermal Stress", supervised by Christian Voolstra - Congratulations! 🎊
October 29, 2025 at 3:52 PM
🍾 Melanie Dörr @mela-doerr.bsky.social succesfully 🥂 defended her thesis "Engineering Coral Resilience: Functional Testing of Probiotic Bacterial Isolates in Aiptasia Under Thermal Stress", supervised by Christian Voolstra - Congratulations! 🎊
Hi folks! Is anyone recruiting masters students that pay a livable stipend? I have an excellent senior who is an incredible researcher and seeking a position. She is top notch and really interested in mechanistic questions- currently working on Aiptasia, Astrangia and Nematostella.
October 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Hi folks! Is anyone recruiting masters students that pay a livable stipend? I have an excellent senior who is an incredible researcher and seeking a position. She is top notch and really interested in mechanistic questions- currently working on Aiptasia, Astrangia and Nematostella.
Beautiful work on characterizing the symbiosome of Aiptasia. Further evidence that “ongoing digestion” is central to a stable endosymbiosis.
We're excited to share with everyone a preprint of our manuscript that resolves the cellular origins of the symbiosome in cnidarian-algal symbiosis through proteomics of the symbiosome, RNAi, and CRISPR/Cas9 experiments. ⬇️
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Read on below!
1/12 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Read on below!
1/12 🧵
October 17, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Beautiful work on characterizing the symbiosome of Aiptasia. Further evidence that “ongoing digestion” is central to a stable endosymbiosis.
New paper from the lab. Molecular characterization of the symbiont-containing organelle with proteomics and reverse genetics in Aiptasia and coral.
We're excited to share with everyone a preprint of our manuscript that resolves the cellular origins of the symbiosome in cnidarian-algal symbiosis through proteomics of the symbiosome, RNAi, and CRISPR/Cas9 experiments. ⬇️
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Read on below!
1/12 🧵
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Read on below!
1/12 🧵
October 13, 2025 at 10:02 PM
New paper from the lab. Molecular characterization of the symbiont-containing organelle with proteomics and reverse genetics in Aiptasia and coral.
We performed CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis on this gene in Aiptasia and found it caused a mosaic phenotype, with mutant animals exhibiting both low and high symbiont density regions that correlated with mutation frequency. 8/12 🧵
October 13, 2025 at 10:00 PM
We performed CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis on this gene in Aiptasia and found it caused a mosaic phenotype, with mutant animals exhibiting both low and high symbiont density regions that correlated with mutation frequency. 8/12 🧵
We first developed a method to isolate the symbiosome from the sea anemone, Aiptasia, using simple biochemistry techniques. The key was the use of an antibody for RHBG, a symbiosomal ammonium transporter, to track the isolation of the symbiosome. 2/12 🧵
October 13, 2025 at 10:00 PM
We first developed a method to isolate the symbiosome from the sea anemone, Aiptasia, using simple biochemistry techniques. The key was the use of an antibody for RHBG, a symbiosomal ammonium transporter, to track the isolation of the symbiosome. 2/12 🧵
Last chapter of my PhD is out now! This project got me excited about the various roles of immune regulators like NF-kB. Drosophila taught me a lot about this concept, and I'm happy to apply my knowledge to Aiptasia. I will always treasure my time with the fly journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Stem cell-specific NF-κB is required for stem cell survival and epithelial regeneration upon intestinal damage
Summary: Stem cell-intrinsic NF-κB activity is essential to prevent apoptosis and ensure proper intestinal epithelial repair following injury.
journals.biologists.com
September 19, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Last chapter of my PhD is out now! This project got me excited about the various roles of immune regulators like NF-kB. Drosophila taught me a lot about this concept, and I'm happy to apply my knowledge to Aiptasia. I will always treasure my time with the fly journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Regulatory role of NADPH oxidases in symbiosis and dysbiosis in the sea anemone Aiptasia - @frontiersin.bsky.social Marine Science
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
September 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Regulatory role of NADPH oxidases in symbiosis and dysbiosis in the sea anemone Aiptasia - @frontiersin.bsky.social Marine Science
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
Got some Berghia nudibranchs (sea slugs) for my reef tank last night. They're hopefully going to eat up the stupid Aiptasia anemones that got into the tank and are starting to take over. #ReefTank #nudibranch #SeaSlugs
August 22, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Got some Berghia nudibranchs (sea slugs) for my reef tank last night. They're hopefully going to eat up the stupid Aiptasia anemones that got into the tank and are starting to take over. #ReefTank #nudibranch #SeaSlugs
What is that? I smell a new song that you should go and listen to NOW!!! antiberry.bandcamp.com/track/aiptasia
aiptasia, by antiberry
track by antiberry
antiberry.bandcamp.com
August 2, 2025 at 2:03 PM
What is that? I smell a new song that you should go and listen to NOW!!! antiberry.bandcamp.com/track/aiptasia
My first dive into Raman microscopy! 🔬 Our latest heat stress experiments on Aiptasia raised more questions than answers — until a few days of Raman spectroscopy with Dr. Peter Mojzeš at @charlesuni.cuni.cz helped connect the dots. Grateful for the collaboration and excited about what’s ahead!
July 30, 2025 at 3:43 AM
My first dive into Raman microscopy! 🔬 Our latest heat stress experiments on Aiptasia raised more questions than answers — until a few days of Raman spectroscopy with Dr. Peter Mojzeš at @charlesuni.cuni.cz helped connect the dots. Grateful for the collaboration and excited about what’s ahead!
This one's for my pale anemone enjoyers.
July 29, 2025 at 7:51 PM
This one's for my pale anemone enjoyers.
.
specially #anemone
aiptasia undata (Martens)
#seaanemone #collage #collageart #collageartist #art #artists #analogcollage #collageoftheday #handcut #papercollage #collagework #cutandpaste
girl by Winslow
Pels
specially #anemone
aiptasia undata (Martens)
#seaanemone #collage #collageart #collageartist #art #artists #analogcollage #collageoftheday #handcut #papercollage #collagework #cutandpaste
girl by Winslow
Pels
July 25, 2025 at 12:58 AM
.
specially #anemone
aiptasia undata (Martens)
#seaanemone #collage #collageart #collageartist #art #artists #analogcollage #collageoftheday #handcut #papercollage #collagework #cutandpaste
girl by Winslow
Pels
specially #anemone
aiptasia undata (Martens)
#seaanemone #collage #collageart #collageartist #art #artists #analogcollage #collageoftheday #handcut #papercollage #collagework #cutandpaste
girl by Winslow
Pels
In cnidarians, Rab proteins play a key role in symbiosis by mediating symbiosome stabilization within host cells.
In Aiptasia, Rab5a localizes to symbiosomes only when they contain viable, newly acquired symbionts (Fig from Chen et al. 2004: doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...)
But there's a twist...
In Aiptasia, Rab5a localizes to symbiosomes only when they contain viable, newly acquired symbionts (Fig from Chen et al. 2004: doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...)
But there's a twist...
July 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
In cnidarians, Rab proteins play a key role in symbiosis by mediating symbiosome stabilization within host cells.
In Aiptasia, Rab5a localizes to symbiosomes only when they contain viable, newly acquired symbionts (Fig from Chen et al. 2004: doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...)
But there's a twist...
In Aiptasia, Rab5a localizes to symbiosomes only when they contain viable, newly acquired symbionts (Fig from Chen et al. 2004: doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...)
But there's a twist...
Anemonas tomadas ayer en #Torrevieja.
Creemos que son Aiptasia Mutabilis, porque son más comunes, aunque también podrían ser Aiptasia Couchii, que son extremadamente difíciles de diferenciar.
¿Cuál crees tu que es?
#Anemona #VidaMarina #Oceano #Oceanographic #Mediterraneo #MarineLife
Creemos que son Aiptasia Mutabilis, porque son más comunes, aunque también podrían ser Aiptasia Couchii, que son extremadamente difíciles de diferenciar.
¿Cuál crees tu que es?
#Anemona #VidaMarina #Oceano #Oceanographic #Mediterraneo #MarineLife
July 4, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Anemonas tomadas ayer en #Torrevieja.
Creemos que son Aiptasia Mutabilis, porque son más comunes, aunque también podrían ser Aiptasia Couchii, que son extremadamente difíciles de diferenciar.
¿Cuál crees tu que es?
#Anemona #VidaMarina #Oceano #Oceanographic #Mediterraneo #MarineLife
Creemos que son Aiptasia Mutabilis, porque son más comunes, aunque también podrían ser Aiptasia Couchii, que son extremadamente difíciles de diferenciar.
¿Cuál crees tu que es?
#Anemona #VidaMarina #Oceano #Oceanographic #Mediterraneo #MarineLife
Spent the week in Cambridge with @benkinsjenkins.bsky.social testing this custom made microscope to live image Aiptasia larvae. Got some cool videos that we hope to share very soon! Thanks for hosting me Ben!
July 4, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Spent the week in Cambridge with @benkinsjenkins.bsky.social testing this custom made microscope to live image Aiptasia larvae. Got some cool videos that we hope to share very soon! Thanks for hosting me Ben!
Nudibranch happy with it's first meal upon arrival in Spain
@annikaguse.bsky.social
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
@multicellgenome.bsky.social
#Nudibranch #predation #anemone #aiptasia #sciencecommunication
@annikaguse.bsky.social
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
@multicellgenome.bsky.social
#Nudibranch #predation #anemone #aiptasia #sciencecommunication
May 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Nudibranch happy with it's first meal upon arrival in Spain
@annikaguse.bsky.social
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
@multicellgenome.bsky.social
#Nudibranch #predation #anemone #aiptasia #sciencecommunication
@annikaguse.bsky.social
@lmumuenchen.bsky.social
@multicellgenome.bsky.social
#Nudibranch #predation #anemone #aiptasia #sciencecommunication
"I'm putting this rock in rock jail, because it is being naughty." - a thing I never thought I'd say before I started building a reef tank.
To be fair, the rock is a good rock; it's what's growing on it (aiptasia and clove polyps) that's misbehaving and must be taught the error of its ways.
To be fair, the rock is a good rock; it's what's growing on it (aiptasia and clove polyps) that's misbehaving and must be taught the error of its ways.
May 25, 2025 at 4:07 PM
"I'm putting this rock in rock jail, because it is being naughty." - a thing I never thought I'd say before I started building a reef tank.
To be fair, the rock is a good rock; it's what's growing on it (aiptasia and clove polyps) that's misbehaving and must be taught the error of its ways.
To be fair, the rock is a good rock; it's what's growing on it (aiptasia and clove polyps) that's misbehaving and must be taught the error of its ways.
Pretty sure the other guys are aiptasia... these look like clove polyps, I think?
May 24, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Pretty sure the other guys are aiptasia... these look like clove polyps, I think?
Oh man I’m sorry I’ve been away so long….work/travel was killin me. In the meantime what you missed: adding bergia nudibranchs to the sump to kill my aiptasia reservoir and a sea urchin lost a patch of spines…but in think it was damage and not sick, he’s acting fine now!
May 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Oh man I’m sorry I’ve been away so long….work/travel was killin me. In the meantime what you missed: adding bergia nudibranchs to the sump to kill my aiptasia reservoir and a sea urchin lost a patch of spines…but in think it was damage and not sick, he’s acting fine now!