Christian Loyo
@christianloyo.bsky.social
Postdoc at Fred Hutch | MIT Biology PhD 🦫 | UW-Madison Alum 🧀 | Interested in all things microbes! | Chicano 🇺🇸🇲🇽 | He/Him
Reposted by Christian Loyo
Friday Afternoon Seminars are back!
Kicking things off are @pravrutharaman.bsky.social from the @harmitmalik.bsky.social Lab and @christianloyo.bsky.social from Human Biology’s Salama Lab. Can’t wait to see everyone today at 4:00 pm in Pelton for two great talks!
Kicking things off are @pravrutharaman.bsky.social from the @harmitmalik.bsky.social Lab and @christianloyo.bsky.social from Human Biology’s Salama Lab. Can’t wait to see everyone today at 4:00 pm in Pelton for two great talks!
October 10, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Friday Afternoon Seminars are back!
Kicking things off are @pravrutharaman.bsky.social from the @harmitmalik.bsky.social Lab and @christianloyo.bsky.social from Human Biology’s Salama Lab. Can’t wait to see everyone today at 4:00 pm in Pelton for two great talks!
Kicking things off are @pravrutharaman.bsky.social from the @harmitmalik.bsky.social Lab and @christianloyo.bsky.social from Human Biology’s Salama Lab. Can’t wait to see everyone today at 4:00 pm in Pelton for two great talks!
Reposted by Christian Loyo
Widespread purine bias in bacterial genes driven by runaway transcription - www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Widespread purine bias in bacterial genes driven by runaway transcription
Genes in many bacteria are rich in purine nucleotides and poor in pyrimidines. We show that this purine preference is critical for gene expression because it prevents premature transcription terminati...
www.biorxiv.org
September 9, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Widespread purine bias in bacterial genes driven by runaway transcription - www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Christian Loyo
Combination of large-scale phylogenomic analysis, mouse lethality experiments and bacterial growth assays shows sheds light on how a pandemic clone of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was able to spread worldwide
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Wave succession in the pandemic clone of Vibrio parahaemolyticus driven by gene loss - Nature Ecology & Evolution
A combination of large-scale phylogenomic analysis, mouse lethality experiments and bacterial growth assays shows that gene loss in the putrescine utilization pathway has enhanced biofilm formation an...
www.nature.com
August 27, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Combination of large-scale phylogenomic analysis, mouse lethality experiments and bacterial growth assays shows sheds light on how a pandemic clone of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was able to spread worldwide
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
When I started my postdoc a little over a month ago, I expressed worry to my PI about the loss of funding opportunities from the federal government to which she countered saying that "maybe the private fellowships will invest more deeply." Seems that won't be the case.
Having a hard time processing this. HHMI is pausing all competitions. Very demoralizing for early career scientists like me @hhmi.org
May 16, 2025 at 6:15 PM
When I started my postdoc a little over a month ago, I expressed worry to my PI about the loss of funding opportunities from the federal government to which she countered saying that "maybe the private fellowships will invest more deeply." Seems that won't be the case.
I will miss working with B. subtilis, but I adore observing Helicobacter pylori squiggle under the microscope and see their distinct helical shape. I could just sit here all day and watch them!
April 18, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I will miss working with B. subtilis, but I adore observing Helicobacter pylori squiggle under the microscope and see their distinct helical shape. I could just sit here all day and watch them!
Love seeing science tattoos and showing off my own 😁 my first was a DNA helix, because it’s my favorite molecule, and second was a microscope/sun, an homage to my first microscope that used sunlight as a light source and helped fuel my curiosity for biology.
April 16, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Love seeing science tattoos and showing off my own 😁 my first was a DNA helix, because it’s my favorite molecule, and second was a microscope/sun, an homage to my first microscope that used sunlight as a light source and helped fuel my curiosity for biology.
Reposted by Christian Loyo
This article does a great job describing the lives of young American scientists:
“You roll up your sleeves, try to make or discover something useful and then let the scientific community try to punch holes in your work to make sure that it’s sound”
“You roll up your sleeves, try to make or discover something useful and then let the scientific community try to punch holes in your work to make sure that it’s sound”
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/o...
Really important piece to share widely. Too many Americans don’t know how severe a threat this Administration poses to our scientific infrastructure, global leadership, and health security
Really important piece to share widely. Too many Americans don’t know how severe a threat this Administration poses to our scientific infrastructure, global leadership, and health security
Opinion | The Uncertain Fate of the Young American Scientist (Gift Article)
Young researchers are choosing between staying in science and staying in the United States.
www.nytimes.com
April 4, 2025 at 6:00 PM
This article does a great job describing the lives of young American scientists:
“You roll up your sleeves, try to make or discover something useful and then let the scientific community try to punch holes in your work to make sure that it’s sound”
“You roll up your sleeves, try to make or discover something useful and then let the scientific community try to punch holes in your work to make sure that it’s sound”
Excited to share that my first first author paper from grad school is up now at PLOS Genetics @plos.org! dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
A phage-encoded counter-defense inhibits an NAD-degrading anti-phage defense system
Author summary Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages or phages) are widespread and abundant across the planet. Bacteria have a variety of immune systems, often found on mobile genetic elements, to combat ...
dx.plos.org
April 3, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Excited to share that my first first author paper from grad school is up now at PLOS Genetics @plos.org! dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
Reposted by Christian Loyo
By age 24, I patented a cancer device, interned at top medical centers, was accepted to a university known for Nobel Laureates.
Yet, being Navajo, I felt the disconnect of being a scientist vs an object of study.
I am not a product of DEI. I persevered despite science ictnews.org/news/databac...
Yet, being Navajo, I felt the disconnect of being a scientist vs an object of study.
I am not a product of DEI. I persevered despite science ictnews.org/news/databac...
‘DataBack’: The fight for genomic data sovereignty
Arizona scientist wants more transparency and equity from researchers in the handling of Indigenous DNA
ictnews.org
March 28, 2025 at 2:55 PM
By age 24, I patented a cancer device, interned at top medical centers, was accepted to a university known for Nobel Laureates.
Yet, being Navajo, I felt the disconnect of being a scientist vs an object of study.
I am not a product of DEI. I persevered despite science ictnews.org/news/databac...
Yet, being Navajo, I felt the disconnect of being a scientist vs an object of study.
I am not a product of DEI. I persevered despite science ictnews.org/news/databac...
Reposted by Christian Loyo
If you are interested in phage satellites, we hope you'll enjoy this. Fun collaboration with the Rocha, Seed, Bikard, and Chen labs! rdcu.be/efkvG
Genetics, ecology and evolution of phage satellites
Nature Reviews Microbiology - In this Review, Penadés et al. explore the genetics, potential origins and life cycle of phage satellites, and they discuss the impact of these elements on the...
rdcu.be
March 27, 2025 at 11:28 AM
If you are interested in phage satellites, we hope you'll enjoy this. Fun collaboration with the Rocha, Seed, Bikard, and Chen labs! rdcu.be/efkvG
Reposted by Christian Loyo
An antisense RNA regulates production of DnaA and affects sporulation in Bacillus subtilis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.18.638791v1
February 20, 2025 at 2:18 AM
An antisense RNA regulates production of DnaA and affects sporulation in Bacillus subtilis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.18.638791v1
Reposted by Christian Loyo
@asm.org this better not be anticipatory obedience. I have 5 lab members planning on going to ASM microbe this year. I will absolutely pivot to another meeting if ASM gives in to anti-DEI efforts.
@vscooper.micropopbio.org and @mostlymicrobes.bsky.social while downloading scientist spotlights for teaching from the site; ASM has also scrubbed the entire IDEAA page including resources on LGBTQ+ scientists at asm.org/IDEAA/resources/pride-month
February 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM
@asm.org this better not be anticipatory obedience. I have 5 lab members planning on going to ASM microbe this year. I will absolutely pivot to another meeting if ASM gives in to anti-DEI efforts.
Reposted by Christian Loyo
ASM website screenshots from the wayback machine in December '24 (web.archive.org/web/20241211...) vs today. Pretty disappointing!! 🧪
February 2, 2025 at 6:54 PM
ASM website screenshots from the wayback machine in December '24 (web.archive.org/web/20241211...) vs today. Pretty disappointing!! 🧪
Reposted by Christian Loyo
Identification of insertion sites for the integrative and conjugative element Tn916 in the Bacillus subtilis chromosome https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.28.635231v1
January 29, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Identification of insertion sites for the integrative and conjugative element Tn916 in the Bacillus subtilis chromosome https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.28.635231v1
Reposted by Christian Loyo
I'm excited to share that my third first-author publication from grad school has been published in JBAC:
doi.org/10.1128/jb.0...
doi.org/10.1128/jb.0...
Activation and modulation of the host response to DNA damage by an integrative and conjugative element | Journal of Bacteriology
Bacterial genomes typically contain mobile genetic elements, including bacteriophages
(viruses) and integrative and conjugative elements, that affect host physiology. ICEs
can excise from the chromoso...
journals.asm.org
January 26, 2025 at 9:23 PM
I'm excited to share that my third first-author publication from grad school has been published in JBAC:
doi.org/10.1128/jb.0...
doi.org/10.1128/jb.0...
Reposted by Christian Loyo
DefensePredictor: A Machine Learning Model to Discover Novel Prokaryotic Immune Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.08.631726v1
January 9, 2025 at 8:18 AM
DefensePredictor: A Machine Learning Model to Discover Novel Prokaryotic Immune Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.08.631726v1
Excited to share that my graduate work is up on bioRxiv! I found that some SPβ-like phages of B. subtilis have a counter-defense system that inhibits NADase activity from the SpbK anti-phage defense during phage infection and activation of SpbK.
A phage-encoded counter-defense inhibits an NAD-degrading anti-phage defense system https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.23.630042v1
December 23, 2024 at 6:44 PM
Excited to share that my graduate work is up on bioRxiv! I found that some SPβ-like phages of B. subtilis have a counter-defense system that inhibits NADase activity from the SpbK anti-phage defense during phage infection and activation of SpbK.
Thesis submitted to my committee! 🎉🥳 I’m still in disbelief that my thesis defense is only two weeks away
December 2, 2024 at 9:50 PM
Thesis submitted to my committee! 🎉🥳 I’m still in disbelief that my thesis defense is only two weeks away
Reposted by Christian Loyo
Bacillus on the Blue place, starting small, but hopefully extending to keep the conversation active
[it was also gorwing slow on Twitter]
go.bsky.app/BfusVyD
[it was also gorwing slow on Twitter]
go.bsky.app/BfusVyD
November 19, 2024 at 9:48 AM
Bacillus on the Blue place, starting small, but hopefully extending to keep the conversation active
[it was also gorwing slow on Twitter]
go.bsky.app/BfusVyD
[it was also gorwing slow on Twitter]
go.bsky.app/BfusVyD
The last couple days I’ve had a number of new followers and folks from Twitter find me here, so I think it’s time I (re)introduce myself. My name is Christian and I’m finishing my PhD in Alan Grossman’s lab at MIT studying antiphage defense and counter-defense in B. subtilis
November 11, 2024 at 7:37 PM
The last couple days I’ve had a number of new followers and folks from Twitter find me here, so I think it’s time I (re)introduce myself. My name is Christian and I’m finishing my PhD in Alan Grossman’s lab at MIT studying antiphage defense and counter-defense in B. subtilis
Reposted by Christian Loyo
Transcription termination and antitermination are critical for the fitness and function of the integrative and conjugative element Tn916 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.05.611371v1
Transcription termination and antitermination are critical for the fitness and function of the integrative and conjugative element Tn916 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.05.611371v1
Premature expression of genes in mobile genetic elements can be detrimental to their bacterial hosts
www.biorxiv.org
September 6, 2024 at 5:17 AM
Transcription termination and antitermination are critical for the fitness and function of the integrative and conjugative element Tn916 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.05.611371v1
Anti-viral defense in Archaea! I saw this work presented at the SACNAS Conference a couple months ago and had the pleasure to meet Luis and chat MGEs with him. Really excited to see Luis' work out on BioRxiv now!
Genetic elements and defense systems drive diversification and evolution in Asgard archaea https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.22.586370v1
Genetic elements and defense systems drive diversification and evolution in Asgard archaea https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.22.586370v1
Asgard Archaea are of great interest as the progenitors of Eukaryotes, but little is known about the
www.biorxiv.org
March 25, 2024 at 6:23 PM
Anti-viral defense in Archaea! I saw this work presented at the SACNAS Conference a couple months ago and had the pleasure to meet Luis and chat MGEs with him. Really excited to see Luis' work out on BioRxiv now!
Reposted by Christian Loyo
Analysis and culturing of the prototypic crAssphage reveals a phage-plasmid lifestyle https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.20.585998v1
Analysis and culturing of the prototypic crAssphage reveals a phage-plasmid lifestyle https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.20.585998v1
The prototypic crAssphage (Carjivirus communis) is one of the most abundant, prevalent, and persiste
www.biorxiv.org
March 21, 2024 at 3:17 AM
Analysis and culturing of the prototypic crAssphage reveals a phage-plasmid lifestyle https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.20.585998v1
I could watch the simulations of DNA getting packaged into a phage head all day. Really cool work.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The structure and physical properties of a packaged bacteriophage particle - Nature
Multiresolution computational simulations generate all-atom models of a complete packaged virus particle.
www.nature.com
March 7, 2024 at 11:16 PM
I could watch the simulations of DNA getting packaged into a phage head all day. Really cool work.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...