Alex Crits-Christoph
@acritschristoph.bsky.social
Computational microbiologist
I like to post about: microbial genomics, microbial ecology, evolution, micro+plant biotechnology, climate, symbiosis, virology, ag, sci publishing and policy
I like to post about: microbial genomics, microbial ecology, evolution, micro+plant biotechnology, climate, symbiosis, virology, ag, sci publishing and policy
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
Hungary 1956
'Well over a 100k people fled the country seeking asylum. Among them was a young geneticist named George Rédei, who headed for the Austrian border with a small vial of seeds tucked in his pocket.
The seeds belonged to a spindly weed in the mustard family called Arabidopsis thaliana.'
'Well over a 100k people fled the country seeking asylum. Among them was a young geneticist named George Rédei, who headed for the Austrian border with a small vial of seeds tucked in his pocket.
The seeds belonged to a spindly weed in the mustard family called Arabidopsis thaliana.'
How a humble weed became a superstar of biology
Arabidopsis thaliana was always an unlikely candidate for the limelight. But 25 years ago, the diminutive thale cress launched the botanical world into the molecular era.
knowablemagazine.org
November 6, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Hungary 1956
'Well over a 100k people fled the country seeking asylum. Among them was a young geneticist named George Rédei, who headed for the Austrian border with a small vial of seeds tucked in his pocket.
The seeds belonged to a spindly weed in the mustard family called Arabidopsis thaliana.'
'Well over a 100k people fled the country seeking asylum. Among them was a young geneticist named George Rédei, who headed for the Austrian border with a small vial of seeds tucked in his pocket.
The seeds belonged to a spindly weed in the mustard family called Arabidopsis thaliana.'
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
It’s really remarkable how thin the bench of climate change deniers is and how deep the poverty of their arguments. They haven’t come up with anything new in decades and can only fall back on conspiracies to explain their lack of success.
Joe Rogan has one of the world's most popular podcasts. Unfortunately, like nearly all of the most popular online shows, his tends to spread climate misinformation. For @climateconnections.bsky.social I scrutinize his recent episode with octogenarian climate contrarians Lindzen & Happer 🧵 (1/11)
Five ways Joe Rogan misleads listeners about climate change » Yale Climate Connections
Rogan exposes millions to climate denial. Let’s break down his tactics.
yaleclimateconnections.org
November 7, 2025 at 6:21 PM
It’s really remarkable how thin the bench of climate change deniers is and how deep the poverty of their arguments. They haven’t come up with anything new in decades and can only fall back on conspiracies to explain their lack of success.
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
🚨vConTACT3 preprint live!🚨(Peer Review soon...!)
vConTACT3 delivers a unified, scalable, and transparent framework for genome-based virus taxonomy — helping translate big viral data into systematic classification.
🔗 Read the preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Improvements details below 👇
vConTACT3 delivers a unified, scalable, and transparent framework for genome-based virus taxonomy — helping translate big viral data into systematic classification.
🔗 Read the preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Improvements details below 👇
Scalable and systematic hierarchical virus taxonomy with vConTACT3
Viruses are key players in diverse ecosystems, but studying their impacts is technically and taxonomically challenging. Taxonomic complexities derive from undersampling, diverse DNA and RNA genomes wi...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:36 PM
🚨vConTACT3 preprint live!🚨(Peer Review soon...!)
vConTACT3 delivers a unified, scalable, and transparent framework for genome-based virus taxonomy — helping translate big viral data into systematic classification.
🔗 Read the preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Improvements details below 👇
vConTACT3 delivers a unified, scalable, and transparent framework for genome-based virus taxonomy — helping translate big viral data into systematic classification.
🔗 Read the preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Improvements details below 👇
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
Our method for genome size estimation from long-read overlaps is now published 🥳
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
Genome size estimation from long read overlaps
AbstractMotivation. Accurate genome size estimation is an important component of genomic analyses such as assembly and coverage calculation, though existin
academic.oup.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Our method for genome size estimation from long-read overlaps is now published 🥳
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
Bacteria can sense when a virus starts shredding their genome — by detecting methylated mononucleotides.
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Bacteria can sense when a virus starts shredding their genome — by detecting methylated mononucleotides.
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
Newly released Stockholm Declaration recommends the following reforms to publishing:
1. Academia resumes control of publishing
2. Incentive systems to merit quality, not quantity
3. Independent fraud detection and prevention
4. Legislation and policies to protect science quality and integrity
1. Academia resumes control of publishing
2. Incentive systems to merit quality, not quantity
3. Independent fraud detection and prevention
4. Legislation and policies to protect science quality and integrity
Reformation of science publishing: the Stockholm Declaration | Royal Society Open Science
Science relies on integrity and trustworthiness. But scientists under career pressure
are lured to purchase fake publications from ‘paper mills’ that use AI-generated data,
text and image fabrication....
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Newly released Stockholm Declaration recommends the following reforms to publishing:
1. Academia resumes control of publishing
2. Incentive systems to merit quality, not quantity
3. Independent fraud detection and prevention
4. Legislation and policies to protect science quality and integrity
1. Academia resumes control of publishing
2. Incentive systems to merit quality, not quantity
3. Independent fraud detection and prevention
4. Legislation and policies to protect science quality and integrity
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
After 5 years of waiting, the new #CRISPR classification by Makarova et al. is out @natmicrobiol.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An updated evolutionary classification of CRISPR–Cas systems including rare variants - Nature Microbiology
An exploration of previously undescribed variants from the long tail of the CRISPR–Cas distribution.
www.nature.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:49 PM
After 5 years of waiting, the new #CRISPR classification by Makarova et al. is out @natmicrobiol.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Amazing paper, especially love this figure of what differentiates broad host range phages: especially Diversity Generating Retroelements and multiple methyltransferases
November 7, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Amazing paper, especially love this figure of what differentiates broad host range phages: especially Diversity Generating Retroelements and multiple methyltransferases
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
🚨New preprint out!
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 5:26 PM
🚨New preprint out!
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
If you work with or rely on academic journals - don't miss this strange, funny, horrifying story about what happened when @carloschaccour.bsky.social published a paper on a malaria breakthrough in a prestigious journal – and AI came for the letters page. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/s...
The Editor Got a Letter From ‘Dr. B.S.’ So Did a Lot of Other Editors.
www.nytimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:37 PM
If you work with or rely on academic journals - don't miss this strange, funny, horrifying story about what happened when @carloschaccour.bsky.social published a paper on a malaria breakthrough in a prestigious journal – and AI came for the letters page. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/s...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
How's this for energy abundance? Millions of Aussies will start receiving three hours of free power each day in 2026. This is what happens when you make rooftop solar less than a buck a watt!!
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
November 6, 2025 at 12:46 AM
How's this for energy abundance? Millions of Aussies will start receiving three hours of free power each day in 2026. This is what happens when you make rooftop solar less than a buck a watt!!
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
3. It confirms the prediction we made in our 2011 paper that Naomiviridae are far more ubiquitous than the previous metagenomic data would suggest, exactly because of the underrepresentation of phages with modified DNA. cc @bejalab.bsky.social
www.cell.com/current-biol...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
A new family of globally distributed lytic roseophages with unusual deoxythymidine to deoxyuridine substitution
Rihtman et al. report the discovery of two novel roseophages containing deoxyuridine
(dU) instead of the canonical nucleobase deoxythymidine. Such a substitution results
in resistance to a commonly us...
www.cell.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
3. It confirms the prediction we made in our 2011 paper that Naomiviridae are far more ubiquitous than the previous metagenomic data would suggest, exactly because of the underrepresentation of phages with modified DNA. cc @bejalab.bsky.social
www.cell.com/current-biol...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
🚨 NEW: The majority holder of the world's genetic sequence data is a bad actor who can cut off access to critics and competing services. We've tolerated this for years, and now it threatens the pandemic treaty. Time for WHO to step in. With @ctrlalttim.com: www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/to-f...
To Finish the Pandemic Agreement, WHO Needs a Trustworthy Viral Database | Think Global Health
Online platforms for sharing virus sequences are in disarray. The World Health Organization has a chance to build something new
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
🚨 NEW: The majority holder of the world's genetic sequence data is a bad actor who can cut off access to critics and competing services. We've tolerated this for years, and now it threatens the pandemic treaty. Time for WHO to step in. With @ctrlalttim.com: www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/to-f...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
We found that overall virus-community diversity remains stable, but individual populations show clear diel and depth-linked shifts, with distinct viral archetypes peaking at day or night.
Read the full story on BioRxiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Lead author: Alfonso Carrillo
Read the full story on BioRxiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Lead author: Alfonso Carrillo
Sub-daily Bermuda Atlantic Time Series virus sampling reveals taxonomy, host, and functional differences at the population, but not community level
Ocean microbes contribute to biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem function, but they do so under top-down pressure imposed by viruses. While viruses are increasingly understood spatially and beginning ...
doi.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:01 PM
We found that overall virus-community diversity remains stable, but individual populations show clear diel and depth-linked shifts, with distinct viral archetypes peaking at day or night.
Read the full story on BioRxiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Lead author: Alfonso Carrillo
Read the full story on BioRxiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Lead author: Alfonso Carrillo
That's a 636 vote difference. Very happy to have donated to John McAuliff, thanks to @climatecabinet.org
If you'd like to make an impact, consider supporting 2026 local races with big outcomes for climate policy through climatecabinet.org. Each dollar goes further
www.fauquier.com/elections/br...
If you'd like to make an impact, consider supporting 2026 local races with big outcomes for climate policy through climatecabinet.org. Each dollar goes further
www.fauquier.com/elections/br...
BREAKING: Democrat John McAuliff flips state House seat
John McAuliff, of Fauquier County’s Old Tavern, was elected Tuesday night to represent northern Fauquier County and most of Loudoun County, defeating incumbent Republican Geary Higgins.
www.fauquier.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:49 AM
That's a 636 vote difference. Very happy to have donated to John McAuliff, thanks to @climatecabinet.org
If you'd like to make an impact, consider supporting 2026 local races with big outcomes for climate policy through climatecabinet.org. Each dollar goes further
www.fauquier.com/elections/br...
If you'd like to make an impact, consider supporting 2026 local races with big outcomes for climate policy through climatecabinet.org. Each dollar goes further
www.fauquier.com/elections/br...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
A thread about keeping one’s head above water under the current conditions and not being incapacitated by rage, fear, despair or some mixture of those (1/11)
October 31, 2025 at 2:22 PM
A thread about keeping one’s head above water under the current conditions and not being incapacitated by rage, fear, despair or some mixture of those (1/11)
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
Public Utilities Commissioners are climate policymakers and we finally started acting like it
🎉 Peter Hubbard just scored a home run with his win for Georgia PSC! ⚡️Time to knock affordable energy and good jobs investment out of the park! 🌟
November 5, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Public Utilities Commissioners are climate policymakers and we finally started acting like it
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
🧬 🦠 🏙️
Urban vs rural lifestyles create dramatically different gut microbiomes. But how do these different gut microbiomes affect the host?
Excited to share our new paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Urban vs rural lifestyles create dramatically different gut microbiomes. But how do these different gut microbiomes affect the host?
Excited to share our new paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 5, 2025 at 2:04 AM
🧬 🦠 🏙️
Urban vs rural lifestyles create dramatically different gut microbiomes. But how do these different gut microbiomes affect the host?
Excited to share our new paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Urban vs rural lifestyles create dramatically different gut microbiomes. But how do these different gut microbiomes affect the host?
Excited to share our new paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
OMG.
Arena BioWorks, an ambitious biomedical institute backed by billionaires, abruptly shuts down www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a... via @statnews.com
Arena BioWorks, an ambitious biomedical institute backed by billionaires, abruptly shuts down www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a... via @statnews.com
Arena BioWorks, an ambitious biomedical institute backed by billionaires, abruptly shuts down
Exclusive: Arena Bioworks, the buzzy research institute that launched with $500 million to support a decade of scientific R&D, is abruptly shutting down, STAT has learned.
www.statnews.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:40 AM
OMG.
Arena BioWorks, an ambitious biomedical institute backed by billionaires, abruptly shuts down www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a... via @statnews.com
Arena BioWorks, an ambitious biomedical institute backed by billionaires, abruptly shuts down www.statnews.com/2025/11/04/a... via @statnews.com
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
🏆 Victory! Alicia Johnson just brought home the win for clean energy and lower costs. Let’s keep building a brighter future at the Georgia PSC! 🌞
November 5, 2025 at 1:43 AM
🏆 Victory! Alicia Johnson just brought home the win for clean energy and lower costs. Let’s keep building a brighter future at the Georgia PSC! 🌞
Great win. Here's why it mattered: www.volts.wtf/p/pay-attent...
November 5, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Great win. Here's why it mattered: www.volts.wtf/p/pay-attent...
Reposted by Alex Crits-Christoph
Some good news: Brazil's fight against deforestation is paying climate dividends.
Brazil records biggest annual fall in emissions in 15 years, notably thanks to fight against deforestation
The gross emissions of Latin America's biggest country fell by 16.7% year-on-year, according to Brazil's Climate Observatory, a network of environmental NGOs.
www.lemonde.fr
November 4, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Some good news: Brazil's fight against deforestation is paying climate dividends.