Leo Kiss
@leokiss.bsky.social
Interested in Ubiquitin, Proteostasis and Signaling
Scientist at @mpibiochem.bsky.social
Alumnus of @mrclmb.bsky.social
Scientist at @mpibiochem.bsky.social
Alumnus of @mrclmb.bsky.social
Pinned
Leo Kiss
@leokiss.bsky.social
· Jul 9
Excited about #Ubiquitin and protein degradation?
Have a look at my recent talk at the @danafarber.bsky.social Targeted Protein Degradation Webinar Series now out on YouTube. Here, I talk about my recent publication (see Blue-torial below)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpg0...
Have a look at my recent talk at the @danafarber.bsky.social Targeted Protein Degradation Webinar Series now out on YouTube. Here, I talk about my recent publication (see Blue-torial below)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpg0...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Take a look at our newest Tools of the Trade article on how to decode ubiquitin signals using UbiREAD! 👇
Have a look at this Tools of the Trade Article I wrote for @natrevmcb.nature.com on decoding #ubiquitin signals inside cells using UbiREAD!
Many thanks to @lisaheinke.bsky.social for the opportunity to write this TotT!
Many thanks to @lisaheinke.bsky.social for the opportunity to write this TotT!
ICYMI: New Online! Decoding ubiquitin signals inside cells
November 4, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Take a look at our newest Tools of the Trade article on how to decode ubiquitin signals using UbiREAD! 👇
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Mechanism of #autophagy initiation by transmembrane selective autophagy receptors
@elias-adriaenssens.bsky.social & @martenslab.bsky.social review emerging mechanistic differences between soluble and transmembrane autophagy receptors
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@elias-adriaenssens.bsky.social & @martenslab.bsky.social review emerging mechanistic differences between soluble and transmembrane autophagy receptors
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
November 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Mechanism of #autophagy initiation by transmembrane selective autophagy receptors
@elias-adriaenssens.bsky.social & @martenslab.bsky.social review emerging mechanistic differences between soluble and transmembrane autophagy receptors
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@elias-adriaenssens.bsky.social & @martenslab.bsky.social review emerging mechanistic differences between soluble and transmembrane autophagy receptors
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Have a look at this Tools of the Trade Article I wrote for @natrevmcb.nature.com on decoding #ubiquitin signals inside cells using UbiREAD!
Many thanks to @lisaheinke.bsky.social for the opportunity to write this TotT!
Many thanks to @lisaheinke.bsky.social for the opportunity to write this TotT!
ICYMI: New Online! Decoding ubiquitin signals inside cells
Decoding ubiquitin signals inside cells
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, Published online: 31 October 2025; doi:10.1038/s41580-025-00919-zIn this Tools of the Trade article, Kiss (Schulman lab) discusses the development of UbiREAD, a method that delivers in vitro-ubiquitinated protein reporters into cells to systematically assess how different ubiquitin chain configurations affect protein stability and degradation.
bit.ly
November 4, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Have a look at this Tools of the Trade Article I wrote for @natrevmcb.nature.com on decoding #ubiquitin signals inside cells using UbiREAD!
Many thanks to @lisaheinke.bsky.social for the opportunity to write this TotT!
Many thanks to @lisaheinke.bsky.social for the opportunity to write this TotT!
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Excited to share the peer-reviewed version of our work, now online in @embojournal.org! Big thanks to our reviewers and @hvodermaier.bsky.social for facilitating this process. Looking forward to continuing this fun collaboration with @michaelnadbio.bsky.social!
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
October 30, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Excited to share the peer-reviewed version of our work, now online in @embojournal.org! Big thanks to our reviewers and @hvodermaier.bsky.social for facilitating this process. Looking forward to continuing this fun collaboration with @michaelnadbio.bsky.social!
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Great opportunity for a postdoc position!
A #postdoc position in atypical #ubiquitin signalling and protein binder engineering is opening soon in my lab at DTU Bioengineering! Get in touch if you are interested.
October 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Great opportunity for a postdoc position!
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Fascinated by protein homeostasis, stem cells and development? I am recruiting PhD candidates through the fabulous IMPRS-CellDevoSys program. This place is buzzing with great science and brilliant minds. Come join!
If you are interested in a PhD in the area of "Mechanisms of Genome Stability" and "Functional Genomics of Proteome Remodelling," apply now for a PhD @mpi-cbg.de! Overview of all participating RGLs: imprs.mpi-cbg.de/5761/researc...
October 21, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Fascinated by protein homeostasis, stem cells and development? I am recruiting PhD candidates through the fabulous IMPRS-CellDevoSys program. This place is buzzing with great science and brilliant minds. Come join!
Reposted by Leo Kiss
How can mitophagy be an effective quality control mechanism if mtDNA mutations reach high enough levels to cause disease?
This question led us into a dark path, full of concepts of evolutionary genetics, germline stem cell biology and mito-nuclear compatibility.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This question led us into a dark path, full of concepts of evolutionary genetics, germline stem cell biology and mito-nuclear compatibility.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Ubiquitin-mediated mitophagy regulates the inheritance of mitochondrial DNA mutations
Mitochondrial synthesis of adenosine triphosphate is essential for eukaryotic life but is dependent on the cooperation of two genomes: nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). mtDNA mutates ~15 times as...
www.science.org
October 10, 2025 at 8:45 AM
How can mitophagy be an effective quality control mechanism if mtDNA mutations reach high enough levels to cause disease?
This question led us into a dark path, full of concepts of evolutionary genetics, germline stem cell biology and mito-nuclear compatibility.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This question led us into a dark path, full of concepts of evolutionary genetics, germline stem cell biology and mito-nuclear compatibility.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
RNF114 and RNF166 exemplify a new E3 ligases family that recognizes #MARUbylation –hybrid ADP-ribose/ubiquitin modifications– and extends them with K11-linked polyubiquitin
@jnpruneda.bsky.social @michaelnadbio.bsky.social and colleagues
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@jnpruneda.bsky.social @michaelnadbio.bsky.social and colleagues
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
October 6, 2025 at 3:07 PM
RNF114 and RNF166 exemplify a new E3 ligases family that recognizes #MARUbylation –hybrid ADP-ribose/ubiquitin modifications– and extends them with K11-linked polyubiquitin
@jnpruneda.bsky.social @michaelnadbio.bsky.social and colleagues
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@jnpruneda.bsky.social @michaelnadbio.bsky.social and colleagues
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Reposted by Leo Kiss
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Ubiquitin precursor with C-terminal extension promotes proteostasis and longevity
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Ubiquitin precursor with C-terminal extension promotes proteostasis and longevity
Ubiquitin is a conserved modifier regulating the stability and function of numerous target proteins. In all eukaryotes, polyubiquitin precursors are g…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 25, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Ubiquitin precursor with C-terminal extension promotes proteostasis and longevity
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Allosteric activation of a ubiquitin ligase by an internal kinase domain! Congratulations to our team member Thornton Fokkens for this fascinating discovery in a neglected disease area with strong therapeutic need. Many thanks to all our great collaborators!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A Leishmania virulence factor harnesses an allosteric kinase switch to regulate its ubiquitin ligase activity
Stringent control of ubiquitylation is a central requirement of signaling specificity in eukaryotes. Here, we discover a domain module integrating pro…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Allosteric activation of a ubiquitin ligase by an internal kinase domain! Congratulations to our team member Thornton Fokkens for this fascinating discovery in a neglected disease area with strong therapeutic need. Many thanks to all our great collaborators!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
A few months ago, our review “The Molecular Toolbox for Linkage Type-Specific Analysis of Ubiquitin Signaling” 🧬🧰🛠️ came out in ChemBioChem. Time to give it a spotlight!
chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
September 16, 2025 at 7:45 AM
A few months ago, our review “The Molecular Toolbox for Linkage Type-Specific Analysis of Ubiquitin Signaling” 🧬🧰🛠️ came out in ChemBioChem. Time to give it a spotlight!
chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Leo Kiss
The BUB1 and BUBR1 paralogs scaffold the kinetochore fibrous corona | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congratulations @vcmentowski.bsky.social for solving a remarkably challenging molecular puzzle
Congratulations @vcmentowski.bsky.social for solving a remarkably challenging molecular puzzle
The BUB1 and BUBR1 paralogs scaffold the kinetochore fibrous corona
The kinetochore fibrous corona docks on CENP-E and a second elusive receptor identified as the checkpoint protein BUB1.
www.science.org
September 15, 2025 at 4:50 AM
The BUB1 and BUBR1 paralogs scaffold the kinetochore fibrous corona | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congratulations @vcmentowski.bsky.social for solving a remarkably challenging molecular puzzle
Congratulations @vcmentowski.bsky.social for solving a remarkably challenging molecular puzzle
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Why are α-synuclein aggregates in Parkinson’s disease (PD) toxic at the cell biological level?
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
ScienceDirect.com | Science, health and medical journals, full text articles and books.
authors.elsevier.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Why are α-synuclein aggregates in Parkinson’s disease (PD) toxic at the cell biological level?
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Happy to share our work on the structure and function of the unusual E3 ligase ZNFX1 @cp-cell.bsky.social. It uses a nucleic acid-activated transthiolation mechanism, ubiquitinating and clustering RNA to protect cells in an immune response. @clausenlab.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
A split-site E3 ligase mechanism enables ZNFX1 to ubiquitinate and cluster single-stranded RNA into ubiquitin-coated nucleoprotein particles
Grabarczyk et al. show the structure and mechanism of a non-canonical ubiquitin ligase,
which is activated through nucleic-acid-induced oligomerization and is critical for
cell survival during immune ...
www.cell.com
August 27, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Happy to share our work on the structure and function of the unusual E3 ligase ZNFX1 @cp-cell.bsky.social. It uses a nucleic acid-activated transthiolation mechanism, ubiquitinating and clustering RNA to protect cells in an immune response. @clausenlab.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
A new paper reports direct ubiquitination of a small molecule BRD1732 in cells. BR31732 ubiquitination is E3 ligase-dependent and leads to inhibition of proteasomal degradation.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Highly specific intracellular ubiquitination of a small molecule - Nature Chemical Biology
Li et al. discovered that the cytotoxic synthetic small molecule BRD1732 is directly ubiquitinated in cells. Ubiquitination of BRD1732 is E3 ligase dependent and leads to inhibition of proteasomal deg...
www.nature.com
August 21, 2025 at 4:25 PM
A new paper reports direct ubiquitination of a small molecule BRD1732 in cells. BR31732 ubiquitination is E3 ligase-dependent and leads to inhibition of proteasomal degradation.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Excited to see this work published online at @cp-cell.bsky.social today!
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
August 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Excited to see this work published online at @cp-cell.bsky.social today!
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Super excited to share our new #preprint on #BioRxiv ✨
We reveal the structural basis of a partnership between the ER membrane complex (EMC) and the P5A-ATPase Spf1 — an insertase–dislocase duo that coordinates membrane protein biogenesis and quality control.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We reveal the structural basis of a partnership between the ER membrane complex (EMC) and the P5A-ATPase Spf1 — an insertase–dislocase duo that coordinates membrane protein biogenesis and quality control.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Structural basis of an EMC:Spf1 insertase-dislocase complex in the eukaryotic endoplasmic reticulum
Most eukaryotic membrane proteins are inserted into the membrane at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This essential but error-prone process relies on molecular quality control machineries to prevent mi...
www.biorxiv.org
August 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Super excited to share our new #preprint on #BioRxiv ✨
We reveal the structural basis of a partnership between the ER membrane complex (EMC) and the P5A-ATPase Spf1 — an insertase–dislocase duo that coordinates membrane protein biogenesis and quality control.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We reveal the structural basis of a partnership between the ER membrane complex (EMC) and the P5A-ATPase Spf1 — an insertase–dislocase duo that coordinates membrane protein biogenesis and quality control.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Curious about the structure and functional analysis of one of the most abundant and enigmatic extracellular #chaperones and one of the highest genetic risk factor for developing late onset #Alzheimer’s disease? Check out our paper on Clusterin/ApoJ!
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
Structural analyses define the molecular basis of clusterin chaperone function
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - The authors reveal a three-domain architecture of glycoprotein clusterin and show that the hydrophobic tails are crucial for clusterin’s functions...
rdcu.be
August 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Curious about the structure and functional analysis of one of the most abundant and enigmatic extracellular #chaperones and one of the highest genetic risk factor for developing late onset #Alzheimer’s disease? Check out our paper on Clusterin/ApoJ!
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Excited to share our latest study in @natcomms.nature.com , where we characterize the chaperone function of the ER membrane protein complex (EMC)—supporting membrane protein biogenesis beyond insertion!
1/9
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1/9
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The EMC acts as a chaperone for membrane proteins - Nature Communications
Membrane proteins are essential for any cell but difficult to fold. Here, the authors show that the EMC acts as a chaperone for membrane proteins. They dissect client recognition and provide a molecul...
www.nature.com
August 5, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Excited to share our latest study in @natcomms.nature.com , where we characterize the chaperone function of the ER membrane protein complex (EMC)—supporting membrane protein biogenesis beyond insertion!
1/9
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1/9
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Leo Kiss
And it's out!
I'm thrilled to share our new paper (Adriaenssens et al., Nat Cell Biol 2025).
This paper describes a new mechanism for the initiation of autophagosome biogenesis.
We found that this WIPI-ATG13-driven pathway is preferentially used by a group of transmembrane autophagy receptors.
I'm thrilled to share our new paper (Adriaenssens et al., Nat Cell Biol 2025).
This paper describes a new mechanism for the initiation of autophagosome biogenesis.
We found that this WIPI-ATG13-driven pathway is preferentially used by a group of transmembrane autophagy receptors.
July 25, 2025 at 9:43 AM
And it's out!
I'm thrilled to share our new paper (Adriaenssens et al., Nat Cell Biol 2025).
This paper describes a new mechanism for the initiation of autophagosome biogenesis.
We found that this WIPI-ATG13-driven pathway is preferentially used by a group of transmembrane autophagy receptors.
I'm thrilled to share our new paper (Adriaenssens et al., Nat Cell Biol 2025).
This paper describes a new mechanism for the initiation of autophagosome biogenesis.
We found that this WIPI-ATG13-driven pathway is preferentially used by a group of transmembrane autophagy receptors.
Reposted by Leo Kiss
Very happy to see our contribution to a better understanding of Hsp70/90 #chaperones online! Congrats and a big thank you to all co-authors, collaborators and reviewers! #proteostasis @poepsel-lab.bsky.social @crc1430.bsky.social @unidue-zmb.bsky.social
New online: Conformational plasticity of a BiP–GRP94 chaperone complex
Conformational plasticity of a BiP–GRP94 chaperone complex
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Published online: 14 July 2025; doi:10.1038/s41594-025-01619-0BiP–glucose-regulated protein 94 chaperones are critical to the proper folding of secretory and transmembrane proteins. Brenner et al. provide biochemical and structural insight into a conserved mechanism of chaperone cooperation underlying this quality control process.
go.nature.com
July 15, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Very happy to see our contribution to a better understanding of Hsp70/90 #chaperones online! Congrats and a big thank you to all co-authors, collaborators and reviewers! #proteostasis @poepsel-lab.bsky.social @crc1430.bsky.social @unidue-zmb.bsky.social
Reposted by Leo Kiss
#proteostasis UbiREAD deciphers proteasomal degradation code of homotypic and branched K48 and K63 ubiquitin chains: Molecular Cell www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
UbiREAD deciphers proteasomal degradation code of homotypic and branched K48 and K63 ubiquitin chains
Ubiquitin chains determine the fates of their modified proteins, including proteasomal
degradation. Kiss et al. present UbiREAD, a technology to monitor cellular degradation
and deubiquitination at hi...
www.cell.com
July 9, 2025 at 5:54 PM
#proteostasis UbiREAD deciphers proteasomal degradation code of homotypic and branched K48 and K63 ubiquitin chains: Molecular Cell www.cell.com/molecular-ce...