Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
@stepelka.bsky.social
scientist, assoc. professor,
molecular biology, plant-microbe-insect interactions, virology, microbiome
coffee lover ☕
molecular biology, plant-microbe-insect interactions, virology, microbiome
coffee lover ☕
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
"As HOLOBIONTS, insects are associated with diverse microbiota (Bacteria, Archaea, eucaryotic microorganisms, and viruses) that affect their fitness (positively or negatively)." Sidenote: microbes that do not impact fitness are also part of the holobiont www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Bacteria associated with the cereal leaf beetle act as the insect’s allies in adapting to protease inhibitors, but impair its development in laboratory condition - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Bacteria associated with the cereal leaf beetle act as the insect’s allies in adapting to protease inhibitors, but impair its development in laboratory condition
www.nature.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
"As HOLOBIONTS, insects are associated with diverse microbiota (Bacteria, Archaea, eucaryotic microorganisms, and viruses) that affect their fitness (positively or negatively)." Sidenote: microbes that do not impact fitness are also part of the holobiont www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Ally or adversary?
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 15, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Ally or adversary?
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
SALICYLIC ACID SENSOR1 reveals the propagation of an SA hormone surge during plant pathogen advance | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
SALICYLIC ACID SENSOR1 reveals the propagation of an SA hormone surge during plant pathogen advance
Salicylic acid (SA) is a key phytohormone that orchestrates immune responses against pathogens, including Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. The timing and extent of SA accumulation are tightly controlled...
www.science.org
October 11, 2025 at 8:59 AM
SALICYLIC ACID SENSOR1 reveals the propagation of an SA hormone surge during plant pathogen advance | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia impedes Bacillus biocontrol of tomato wilt disease by degrading its lipopeptide antibiotics
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia impedes Bacillus biocontrol of tomato wilt disease by degrading its lipopeptide antibiotics
Abstract. Harnessing antibiotic-producing microorganisms that antagonize pathogens represents a sustainable approach for plant disease management. However,
academic.oup.com
September 24, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia impedes Bacillus biocontrol of tomato wilt disease by degrading its lipopeptide antibiotics
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Interested in attending the EMBO Lecture Course, entitled "RNA virus infection and host immune responses," hosted in Faridabad, India, on 11 – 14 February 2026?
sign up here:
meetings.embo.org/event/26-rna...
sign up here:
meetings.embo.org/event/26-rna...
RNA virus infection and host immune responses
The India I EMBO Lecture Course on “RNA virus infection and host immune responses” addresses cutting-edge research in emerging and reemerging RNA viruses, with particular emphasis on fundamental infe…
meetings.embo.org
September 11, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Interested in attending the EMBO Lecture Course, entitled "RNA virus infection and host immune responses," hosted in Faridabad, India, on 11 – 14 February 2026?
sign up here:
meetings.embo.org/event/26-rna...
sign up here:
meetings.embo.org/event/26-rna...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
🧪 #RNAsky
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
RNAcanvas: interactive drawing and exploration of nucleic acid structures
Abstract. Two-dimensional drawing of nucleic acid structures, particularly RNA structures, is fundamental to the communication of nucleic acids research. H
academic.oup.com
August 28, 2025 at 10:33 PM
🧪 #RNAsky
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Excited to share our new preprint co-led by @jnoms.bsky.social!
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Divergent viral phosphodiesterases for immune signaling evasion
Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) and other short oligonucleotides play fundamental roles in immune system activation in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. In response, viruses use phosphodiesterase...
www.biorxiv.org
August 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Excited to share our new preprint co-led by @jnoms.bsky.social!
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
So actually potato comes from tomato! 🤯🤯
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Ancient hybridization underlies tuberization and radiation of the potato lineage
Genomic and functional analyses reveal that the potato lineage originated from a homoploid
interspecific hybridization event between the Tomato and Etuberosum lineages 8–9 million
years ago. The alter...
www.cell.com
August 1, 2025 at 8:38 AM
So actually potato comes from tomato! 🤯🤯
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Out now in its final peer-reviewed form @asm.org's Journal of Virology!
doi.org/10.1128/jvi....
@dome-vienna.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu @amersocvirology.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1128/jvi....
@dome-vienna.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu @amersocvirology.bsky.social
June 13, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Out now in its final peer-reviewed form @asm.org's Journal of Virology!
doi.org/10.1128/jvi....
@dome-vienna.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu @amersocvirology.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1128/jvi....
@dome-vienna.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu @amersocvirology.bsky.social
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
🚨Microbiologists!
Can you recommend a bacteria collection to deposit a strain type? I’m already working with @westerdijkinst.bsky.social (amazingly efficient), but have contacted others and no luck.
Thank you!
Can you recommend a bacteria collection to deposit a strain type? I’m already working with @westerdijkinst.bsky.social (amazingly efficient), but have contacted others and no luck.
Thank you!
May 14, 2025 at 8:16 PM
🚨Microbiologists!
Can you recommend a bacteria collection to deposit a strain type? I’m already working with @westerdijkinst.bsky.social (amazingly efficient), but have contacted others and no luck.
Thank you!
Can you recommend a bacteria collection to deposit a strain type? I’m already working with @westerdijkinst.bsky.social (amazingly efficient), but have contacted others and no luck.
Thank you!
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
March 31, 2025 at 8:40 AM
On May 12th, we celebrate International Plant Health Day.
Nothing without them
#PlantHealth #OneHealth
Nothing without them
#PlantHealth #OneHealth
May 12, 2025 at 8:00 AM
On May 12th, we celebrate International Plant Health Day.
Nothing without them
#PlantHealth #OneHealth
Nothing without them
#PlantHealth #OneHealth
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
So nice to see more and more work on visualizing interactions to dive into replication cycles… here with acanthamoeba and giant viruses ! Congrats @willemsenanouk.bsky.social !
New work out!
Spearheaded by Lotte, we have developed a single-molecule messenger RNA fluorescence in situ hybridisation (smFISH) protocol for #giantViruses in an #Acanthamoeba host.
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
1/4
#ProtistsOnSky #MicroSky @dome-vienna.bsky.social @cemess.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu
Spearheaded by Lotte, we have developed a single-molecule messenger RNA fluorescence in situ hybridisation (smFISH) protocol for #giantViruses in an #Acanthamoeba host.
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
1/4
#ProtistsOnSky #MicroSky @dome-vienna.bsky.social @cemess.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu
May 11, 2025 at 8:54 AM
So nice to see more and more work on visualizing interactions to dive into replication cycles… here with acanthamoeba and giant viruses ! Congrats @willemsenanouk.bsky.social !
New "toy" almost ready
April 23, 2025 at 9:26 AM
New "toy" almost ready
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
We cordially invite you to the Experimental Plant Biology conference #PSEBP2025 which will be held at the University of Warsaw.
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
PSEPB2025 » Strona główna
psepb2025.pl
March 20, 2025 at 8:57 AM
We cordially invite you to the Experimental Plant Biology conference #PSEBP2025 which will be held at the University of Warsaw.
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
March 31, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
A must-read for any microbiome researcher 🦠📐and a new addition to our #bestpractices series
Planning and describing a microbiome data analysis by @amydwillis.bsky.social and @davidandacat.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Planning and describing a microbiome data analysis by @amydwillis.bsky.social and @davidandacat.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Planning and describing a microbiome data analysis - Nature Microbiology
We provide guidance on the planning, execution and description of statistical analyses in microbiome studies.
www.nature.com
February 21, 2025 at 2:48 PM
A must-read for any microbiome researcher 🦠📐and a new addition to our #bestpractices series
Planning and describing a microbiome data analysis by @amydwillis.bsky.social and @davidandacat.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Planning and describing a microbiome data analysis by @amydwillis.bsky.social and @davidandacat.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We cordially invite you to the Experimental Plant Biology conference #PSEBP2025 which will be held at the University of Warsaw.
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
PSEPB2025 » Strona główna
psepb2025.pl
March 20, 2025 at 8:57 AM
We cordially invite you to the Experimental Plant Biology conference #PSEBP2025 which will be held at the University of Warsaw.
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
I will chair, together with Magda Krzymowska, a session on Plant Biotic Interactions.
Registration opens in a few days.
#plantsci
psepb2025.pl
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
1/ Transposable elements are often called "jumping genes" because they mobilize within genomes. 🧬
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
March 17, 2025 at 11:56 AM
1/ Transposable elements are often called "jumping genes" because they mobilize within genomes. 🧬
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
What's that? The world is insane, but you need your wonderfully-alien-yet-beautiful critters?
Say. No. More. 😎
Welcome to the microscopic world of #whitefly pupae. Under your nose & on your plants, these tiny bugs are suckin' juices & lookin' snazzy [adults, not so much]
#Hemiptera #Aleyrodidae
Say. No. More. 😎
Welcome to the microscopic world of #whitefly pupae. Under your nose & on your plants, these tiny bugs are suckin' juices & lookin' snazzy [adults, not so much]
#Hemiptera #Aleyrodidae
March 12, 2025 at 10:44 PM
What's that? The world is insane, but you need your wonderfully-alien-yet-beautiful critters?
Say. No. More. 😎
Welcome to the microscopic world of #whitefly pupae. Under your nose & on your plants, these tiny bugs are suckin' juices & lookin' snazzy [adults, not so much]
#Hemiptera #Aleyrodidae
Say. No. More. 😎
Welcome to the microscopic world of #whitefly pupae. Under your nose & on your plants, these tiny bugs are suckin' juices & lookin' snazzy [adults, not so much]
#Hemiptera #Aleyrodidae
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Individual leaf microbiota tunes a genetic regulatory network to promote leaf growth
@cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social from Gabriel Castrillo
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
@cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social from Gabriel Castrillo
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
Individual leaf microbiota tunes a genetic regulatory network to promote leaf growth
Custódio et al. reveal a microbiota-driven mechanism that requires the repression
of a plant defense genetic circuit. This mechanism modulates the growth-defense trade-off
to prioritize leaf growth ov...
www.cell.com
March 1, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Individual leaf microbiota tunes a genetic regulatory network to promote leaf growth
@cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social from Gabriel Castrillo
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
@cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social from Gabriel Castrillo
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Co jest największym skarbem naszej Pracowni? Nie zaskoczę - nie sprzęty czy zbiory danych (a trochę mózgów ponagrywaliśmy i poskanowaliśmy), ale ludzie, którzy mimo wszystkich przeciwności dalej chcą robić naukę i dociekać co z tą samotnością.. #SkarbyNaukowców #3procentnanaukę #pokolenieNCN
February 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Co jest największym skarbem naszej Pracowni? Nie zaskoczę - nie sprzęty czy zbiory danych (a trochę mózgów ponagrywaliśmy i poskanowaliśmy), ale ludzie, którzy mimo wszystkich przeciwności dalej chcą robić naukę i dociekać co z tą samotnością.. #SkarbyNaukowców #3procentnanaukę #pokolenieNCN
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
A link between yogurt intake and reduce risk of colon cancer, from cohort of over 130,00 participants, with inverse relationship to Bifidobacterium in gut microbiome
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... open-access
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... open-access
February 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
A link between yogurt intake and reduce risk of colon cancer, from cohort of over 130,00 participants, with inverse relationship to Bifidobacterium in gut microbiome
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... open-access
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... open-access
Genetic variability in the 3'UTR RNA1 of tomato torrado virus - implications for virus #transmission by whiteflies
The next paper from our lab
with Marta Budziszewska - the lead scientist
🦠🍅
#torradovirus #plantscience #virology #plantpathology
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The next paper from our lab
with Marta Budziszewska - the lead scientist
🦠🍅
#torradovirus #plantscience #virology #plantpathology
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Genetic variability in the 3'UTR RNA1 of tomato torrado virus: implications for virus transmission by whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum from plant to plant
Tomato torrado virus (ToTV) is a whitefly-transmitted pathogen causing tomato necrosis. ToTV’s genome consists of two positive single-stranded RNAs, w…
www.sciencedirect.com
February 7, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Genetic variability in the 3'UTR RNA1 of tomato torrado virus - implications for virus #transmission by whiteflies
The next paper from our lab
with Marta Budziszewska - the lead scientist
🦠🍅
#torradovirus #plantscience #virology #plantpathology
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The next paper from our lab
with Marta Budziszewska - the lead scientist
🦠🍅
#torradovirus #plantscience #virology #plantpathology
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...