Pierre Lê-Bury
@pierrelebury.bsky.social
Multi-omics enthusiast & official plague doctor, focused on physiopathology, immunology and molecular pathogenesis.
Postdoctoral researcher | ImVA-HB / IDMIT @cea.fr | @yersiniaunit.bsky.social @pasteur.fr.
Postdoctoral researcher | ImVA-HB / IDMIT @cea.fr | @yersiniaunit.bsky.social @pasteur.fr.
Pinned
Pierre Lê-Bury
@pierrelebury.bsky.social
· May 29
Attenuation of virulence in Yersinia pestis across three plague pandemics
Yersinia pestis has spilled over from wild rodent reservoirs to commensal rodents and humans, causing three historically recorded pandemics. Depletion in the copy number of the plasmid-encoded virulen...
www.science.org
1/12 - New in @science.org !
☠️ Curious of what happened to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the Black Death, throughout plague pandemics?
Check out our new study 👇
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
☠️ Curious of what happened to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the Black Death, throughout plague pandemics?
Check out our new study 👇
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
Pour chaque vie, la science agit.
Le Pasteurdon, c’est maintenant !
Soutenez la recherche et celles et ceux qui la font avancer ↘️ pasteurdon.fr
#Pasteurdon
Le Pasteurdon, c’est maintenant !
Soutenez la recherche et celles et ceux qui la font avancer ↘️ pasteurdon.fr
#Pasteurdon
October 8, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Pour chaque vie, la science agit.
Le Pasteurdon, c’est maintenant !
Soutenez la recherche et celles et ceux qui la font avancer ↘️ pasteurdon.fr
#Pasteurdon
Le Pasteurdon, c’est maintenant !
Soutenez la recherche et celles et ceux qui la font avancer ↘️ pasteurdon.fr
#Pasteurdon
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
💊 🧬 Insightful dive into in-host bacterial evolution under antimicrobial pressure, a work from @csavin.bsky.social and @pierrelebury.bsky.social in our lab at @pasteur.fr
🦠 14 years, one patient, one superbug
@yersiniaunit.bsky.social scientists tracked Yersinia enterocolitica mutations as it developed antibiotic resistance over 14 years. Unprecedented view of bacterial evolution under treatment pressure 💊
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40595576/
#AMR #yersinia
@yersiniaunit.bsky.social scientists tracked Yersinia enterocolitica mutations as it developed antibiotic resistance over 14 years. Unprecedented view of bacterial evolution under treatment pressure 💊
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40595576/
#AMR #yersinia
September 23, 2025 at 6:22 AM
💊 🧬 Insightful dive into in-host bacterial evolution under antimicrobial pressure, a work from @csavin.bsky.social and @pierrelebury.bsky.social in our lab at @pasteur.fr
Great collaboration with @csavin.bsky.social at @yersiniaunit.bsky.social in @pasteur.fr, as well as @julmini.bsky.social @chrudetours.bsky.social @univparissaclay.bsky.social @cea.fr @ap-hp.bsky.social
📖 Out in @natcomms.nature.com @natureportfolio.nature.com 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
📖 Out in @natcomms.nature.com @natureportfolio.nature.com 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 23, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Great collaboration with @csavin.bsky.social at @yersiniaunit.bsky.social in @pasteur.fr, as well as @julmini.bsky.social @chrudetours.bsky.social @univparissaclay.bsky.social @cea.fr @ap-hp.bsky.social
📖 Out in @natcomms.nature.com @natureportfolio.nature.com 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
📖 Out in @natcomms.nature.com @natureportfolio.nature.com 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1/8 - New in @natcomms.nature.com !
☣️ Meet Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye) — a lesser-known but still dangerous cousin of Yersinia pestis.
We uncover how this invasive pathogen can survive and adapt for 14 years inside a human host under constant antibiotic pressure 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
☣️ Meet Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye) — a lesser-known but still dangerous cousin of Yersinia pestis.
We uncover how this invasive pathogen can survive and adapt for 14 years inside a human host under constant antibiotic pressure 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
In-host evolution of Yersinia enterocolitica during a chronic human infection - Nature Communications
This study documents the evolution of antibiotic resistance and major growth defects in Yersinia enterocolitica in a patient over 14 years, revealing genetic changes that shed light on bacterial adapt...
www.nature.com
July 1, 2025 at 6:05 PM
1/8 - New in @natcomms.nature.com !
☣️ Meet Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye) — a lesser-known but still dangerous cousin of Yersinia pestis.
We uncover how this invasive pathogen can survive and adapt for 14 years inside a human host under constant antibiotic pressure 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
☣️ Meet Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye) — a lesser-known but still dangerous cousin of Yersinia pestis.
We uncover how this invasive pathogen can survive and adapt for 14 years inside a human host under constant antibiotic pressure 👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Very clear explanation by @alicelebreton.bsky.social of our article about plague virulence reduction, in Le Monde (in French)!
Après que la peste a tout dévasté sur son passage, que devient-elle?
Lors de chacune des trois pandémies historiques, un même mécanisme a conduit à la mise en sourdine de sa virulence, ce qui favoriserait sa persistence dans des populations de rongeurs fragmentées.
www.lemonde.fr/sciences/art...
Lors de chacune des trois pandémies historiques, un même mécanisme a conduit à la mise en sourdine de sa virulence, ce qui favoriserait sa persistence dans des populations de rongeurs fragmentées.
www.lemonde.fr/sciences/art...
La peste sait mettre la pédale douce
CARTE BLANCHE. Une collaboration internationale a mis le doigt sur une modalité génétique d’atténuation de la virulence commune aux trois pandémies de pestes historiques, explique Alice Lebreton, dans...
www.lemonde.fr
June 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Very clear explanation by @alicelebreton.bsky.social of our article about plague virulence reduction, in Le Monde (in French)!
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
#NatMicroPicks
The plague virulence! 💀🦠
During plague epidemics, virulence gene pla in Yersinia pestis often becomes depleted, which reduces the pathogen's lethality and may help it survive in less susceptible hosts when transmission conditions worsen.
#MicroSky
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The plague virulence! 💀🦠
During plague epidemics, virulence gene pla in Yersinia pestis often becomes depleted, which reduces the pathogen's lethality and may help it survive in less susceptible hosts when transmission conditions worsen.
#MicroSky
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Attenuation of virulence in Yersinia pestis across three plague pandemics
Yersinia pestis has spilled over from wild rodent reservoirs to commensal rodents and humans, causing three historically recorded pandemics. Depletion in the copy number of the plasmid-encoded virulen...
www.science.org
June 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
#NatMicroPicks
The plague virulence! 💀🦠
During plague epidemics, virulence gene pla in Yersinia pestis often becomes depleted, which reduces the pathogen's lethality and may help it survive in less susceptible hosts when transmission conditions worsen.
#MicroSky
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The plague virulence! 💀🦠
During plague epidemics, virulence gene pla in Yersinia pestis often becomes depleted, which reduces the pathogen's lethality and may help it survive in less susceptible hosts when transmission conditions worsen.
#MicroSky
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
🦠 The plague bacillus became less virulent, extending the duration of two major pandemics. @yersiniaunit.bsky.social @pierrelebury.bsky.social @mcmasteruniversity.bsky.social @ravneetksidhu.bsky.social
The plague bacillus became less virulent, prolonging the duration of two major pandemics
Scientists at the Institut Pasteur and McMaster University have discovered that the evolution of a gene in the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, may have prolonged the duration of...
www.pasteur.fr
June 2, 2025 at 2:42 PM
🦠 The plague bacillus became less virulent, extending the duration of two major pandemics. @yersiniaunit.bsky.social @pierrelebury.bsky.social @mcmasteruniversity.bsky.social @ravneetksidhu.bsky.social
Picking up our publication on Black Death and plague pandemics: here are interesting historical thoughs about the well known but deceptive (not so) medieval plague doctor costume
There is some news about the Black Death... are we taking bets on how the media is going to illustrate it?
.....
.....
May 31, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Picking up our publication on Black Death and plague pandemics: here are interesting historical thoughs about the well known but deceptive (not so) medieval plague doctor costume
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
Our work on the facial skin microbiome of non-human primates is out in mSystems!
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
The microbiome of the human facial skin is unique compared to that of other hominids | mSystems
Understanding how and why human skin bacteria differ from our closest animal relatives
provides crucial insights into human evolution and health. While we have known that
human facial skin hosts disti...
journals.asm.org
May 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Our work on the facial skin microbiome of non-human primates is out in mSystems!
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
IIDR researchers have discovered that a single gene in Yersinia pestis — the bacteria that causes bubonic #plague — was responsible for keeping pandemics like the Black Death burning for hundreds of years. Learn more about this evolutionary phenomenon in our all-new explainer video. #IDSky
May 29, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
Two great papers in @science.org this month on the #evolution of #vector-borne #pathogens
1 #Yersinia pestis attenuates virulence over 3 pandemics
2 Ancient #Borrelia genomes trace the rise of louse-borne relapsing fever
Fascinating reads (links below)
1 #Yersinia pestis attenuates virulence over 3 pandemics
2 Ancient #Borrelia genomes trace the rise of louse-borne relapsing fever
Fascinating reads (links below)
May 30, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Two great papers in @science.org this month on the #evolution of #vector-borne #pathogens
1 #Yersinia pestis attenuates virulence over 3 pandemics
2 Ancient #Borrelia genomes trace the rise of louse-borne relapsing fever
Fascinating reads (links below)
1 #Yersinia pestis attenuates virulence over 3 pandemics
2 Ancient #Borrelia genomes trace the rise of louse-borne relapsing fever
Fascinating reads (links below)
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
New in 𝘚𝘊𝘐𝘌𝘕𝘊𝘌:
Plague Plays the Long Game
As plague pandemics decimated rodent populations, 𝘠𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘴 adapted
Virulence gene 𝘱𝘭𝘢 lost late in outbreaks ➡️ strains with reduced lethality ➡️ pathogen can persist, spread across highly fragmented host networks
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Plague Plays the Long Game
As plague pandemics decimated rodent populations, 𝘠𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘴 adapted
Virulence gene 𝘱𝘭𝘢 lost late in outbreaks ➡️ strains with reduced lethality ➡️ pathogen can persist, spread across highly fragmented host networks
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
May 29, 2025 at 9:51 PM
New in 𝘚𝘊𝘐𝘌𝘕𝘊𝘌:
Plague Plays the Long Game
As plague pandemics decimated rodent populations, 𝘠𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘴 adapted
Virulence gene 𝘱𝘭𝘢 lost late in outbreaks ➡️ strains with reduced lethality ➡️ pathogen can persist, spread across highly fragmented host networks
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Plague Plays the Long Game
As plague pandemics decimated rodent populations, 𝘠𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘴 adapted
Virulence gene 𝘱𝘭𝘢 lost late in outbreaks ➡️ strains with reduced lethality ➡️ pathogen can persist, spread across highly fragmented host networks
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
1/12 - New in @science.org !
☠️ Curious of what happened to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the Black Death, throughout plague pandemics?
Check out our new study 👇
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
☠️ Curious of what happened to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the Black Death, throughout plague pandemics?
Check out our new study 👇
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Attenuation of virulence in Yersinia pestis across three plague pandemics
Yersinia pestis has spilled over from wild rodent reservoirs to commensal rodents and humans, causing three historically recorded pandemics. Depletion in the copy number of the plasmid-encoded virulen...
www.science.org
May 29, 2025 at 6:10 PM
1/12 - New in @science.org !
☠️ Curious of what happened to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the Black Death, throughout plague pandemics?
Check out our new study 👇
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
☠️ Curious of what happened to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the Black Death, throughout plague pandemics?
Check out our new study 👇
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
White smoke, we have a new pope and also 16 new anti-phages systems in sedentary integrons (SCIs) !
In collaboration with the Rocha lab, we show in our new paper that cassettes of these large platforms encode many known anti-phage defenses, and uncovered 16 new ones.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
In collaboration with the Rocha lab, we show in our new paper that cassettes of these large platforms encode many known anti-phage defenses, and uncovered 16 new ones.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Sedentary chromosomal integrons as biobanks of bacterial antiphage defense systems
Integrons are genetic systems that drive bacterial adaptation by acquiring, expressing, and shuffling gene cassettes. While mobile integrons are well known for spreading antibiotic resistance genes, t...
www.science.org
May 9, 2025 at 11:41 AM
White smoke, we have a new pope and also 16 new anti-phages systems in sedentary integrons (SCIs) !
In collaboration with the Rocha lab, we show in our new paper that cassettes of these large platforms encode many known anti-phage defenses, and uncovered 16 new ones.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
In collaboration with the Rocha lab, we show in our new paper that cassettes of these large platforms encode many known anti-phage defenses, and uncovered 16 new ones.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
Habemus paper! Our story on integron-encoded anti-phage defenses is now out in @science.org! 16 new systems, small versions of known ones, and a lot more in this highly-collaborative study.
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially my supervisor @epcrocha.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/bapt...
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially my supervisor @epcrocha.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/bapt...
White smoke, we have a new pope and also 16 new anti-phages systems in sedentary integrons (SCIs) !
In collaboration with the Rocha lab, we show in our new paper that cassettes of these large platforms encode many known anti-phage defenses, and uncovered 16 new ones.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
In collaboration with the Rocha lab, we show in our new paper that cassettes of these large platforms encode many known anti-phage defenses, and uncovered 16 new ones.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Sedentary chromosomal integrons as biobanks of bacterial antiphage defense systems
Integrons are genetic systems that drive bacterial adaptation by acquiring, expressing, and shuffling gene cassettes. While mobile integrons are well known for spreading antibiotic resistance genes, t...
www.science.org
May 9, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Habemus paper! Our story on integron-encoded anti-phage defenses is now out in @science.org! 16 new systems, small versions of known ones, and a lot more in this highly-collaborative study.
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially my supervisor @epcrocha.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/bapt...
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially my supervisor @epcrocha.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/bapt...
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
La tribune du mouvement Stand Up for Science France parue ce matin dans Le Monde (texte complet et signataires en ALT). Mobilisons-nous le 7 mars pour défendre la recherche scientifique et l'université ! #StandUpforScience #StandUpforScienceFrance
March 4, 2025 at 12:50 PM
La tribune du mouvement Stand Up for Science France parue ce matin dans Le Monde (texte complet et signataires en ALT). Mobilisons-nous le 7 mars pour défendre la recherche scientifique et l'université ! #StandUpforScience #StandUpforScienceFrance
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
New updates on our plague vaccine: we now report that the type 3 secretion system is important for innate and adaptative immunity mechanisms and useful for protection in our live Yersinia pseudotuberculosis producing the F1 pseudocapsule 👇
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 25, 2025 at 7:41 PM
New updates on our plague vaccine: we now report that the type 3 secretion system is important for innate and adaptative immunity mechanisms and useful for protection in our live Yersinia pseudotuberculosis producing the F1 pseudocapsule 👇
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Pierre Lê-Bury
Following criticisms raised concerning our article www.nature.com/articles/s41..., we just confirmed our original conclusions, demonstrating that the rs2549794 variant near the ERAP2 locus displays a strong positive selection signal associated with the Black Death ☠️
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reply to: Insufficient evidence for natural selection associated with the Black Death - Nature
Nature - Reply to: Insufficient evidence for natural selection associated with the Black Death
www.nature.com
February 24, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Following criticisms raised concerning our article www.nature.com/articles/s41..., we just confirmed our original conclusions, demonstrating that the rs2549794 variant near the ERAP2 locus displays a strong positive selection signal associated with the Black Death ☠️
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...