Saravanan Palani
@syncellbiolab.bsky.social
Asst Professor, Dept of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science
Cell biology, Cytoskeleton, Cell cycle, Synthetic biology, Evolution.
Lab webpage: https://syncellbiolab.weebly.com
Alumnus of UniWarwick|DKFZ|MKU|VIT
Cell biology, Cytoskeleton, Cell cycle, Synthetic biology, Evolution.
Lab webpage: https://syncellbiolab.weebly.com
Alumnus of UniWarwick|DKFZ|MKU|VIT
Pinned
We’re on the cover of @embojournal.org
Odin, from Norse mythology, emerges from the Odinarchaeota yellowstonii genome, holding FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 the ancestral twins of tubulin highlighting their evolutionary divergence in Asgard archaea. 👉 shorturl.at/n7iZE
#archaea #evolution #tubulin #cytoskeleton
Odin, from Norse mythology, emerges from the Odinarchaeota yellowstonii genome, holding FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 the ancestral twins of tubulin highlighting their evolutionary divergence in Asgard archaea. 👉 shorturl.at/n7iZE
#archaea #evolution #tubulin #cytoskeleton
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
SAVE THE DATE!
The next instalment of the long-running Bacterial and Archaeal Cell Division Conference will take place at www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels..., Italy from the 20th to 23rd of April 2027.
Organisers: me, @s-lab.bsky.social, @awehenkel.bsky.social.
More info soon.
#MicroSky
The next instalment of the long-running Bacterial and Archaeal Cell Division Conference will take place at www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels..., Italy from the 20th to 23rd of April 2027.
Organisers: me, @s-lab.bsky.social, @awehenkel.bsky.social.
More info soon.
#MicroSky
www.marriott.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:14 PM
SAVE THE DATE!
The next instalment of the long-running Bacterial and Archaeal Cell Division Conference will take place at www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels..., Italy from the 20th to 23rd of April 2027.
Organisers: me, @s-lab.bsky.social, @awehenkel.bsky.social.
More info soon.
#MicroSky
The next instalment of the long-running Bacterial and Archaeal Cell Division Conference will take place at www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels..., Italy from the 20th to 23rd of April 2027.
Organisers: me, @s-lab.bsky.social, @awehenkel.bsky.social.
More info soon.
#MicroSky
Thanks very much, Hiral
December 10, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Thanks very much, Hiral
Thanks very much, Marko
December 10, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Thanks very much, Marko
Thanks, Sunil
December 10, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Thanks, Sunil
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
Twelve scientists from Chile, India, Nigeria, Singapore and Taiwan have been selected as new EMBO Global Investigators – Congratulations to the new cohort! 🧪
Read the press release:
https://www.embo.org/press-releases/twelve-scientists-become-embo-global-investigators/
#funding #training
Read the press release:
https://www.embo.org/press-releases/twelve-scientists-become-embo-global-investigators/
#funding #training
December 9, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Twelve scientists from Chile, India, Nigeria, Singapore and Taiwan have been selected as new EMBO Global Investigators – Congratulations to the new cohort! 🧪
Read the press release:
https://www.embo.org/press-releases/twelve-scientists-become-embo-global-investigators/
#funding #training
Read the press release:
https://www.embo.org/press-releases/twelve-scientists-become-embo-global-investigators/
#funding #training
Honored and super excited to join the EMBO Global Investigator Programme! Heartfelt thanks to @embo.org for this recognition.
This achievement belongs to my fantastic team at Indian Institute of Science, and to all mentors, colleagues & collaborators whose support truly made it possible. ✨
This achievement belongs to my fantastic team at Indian Institute of Science, and to all mentors, colleagues & collaborators whose support truly made it possible. ✨
Twelve scientists from Chile, India, Nigeria, Singapore and Taiwan have been selected as new EMBO Global Investigators – Congratulations to the new cohort! 🧪
Read the press release:
https://www.embo.org/press-releases/twelve-scientists-become-embo-global-investigators/
#funding #training
Read the press release:
https://www.embo.org/press-releases/twelve-scientists-become-embo-global-investigators/
#funding #training
December 9, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Honored and super excited to join the EMBO Global Investigator Programme! Heartfelt thanks to @embo.org for this recognition.
This achievement belongs to my fantastic team at Indian Institute of Science, and to all mentors, colleagues & collaborators whose support truly made it possible. ✨
This achievement belongs to my fantastic team at Indian Institute of Science, and to all mentors, colleagues & collaborators whose support truly made it possible. ✨
We’re on the cover of @embojournal.org
Odin, from Norse mythology, emerges from the Odinarchaeota yellowstonii genome, holding FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 the ancestral twins of tubulin highlighting their evolutionary divergence in Asgard archaea. 👉 shorturl.at/n7iZE
#archaea #evolution #tubulin #cytoskeleton
Odin, from Norse mythology, emerges from the Odinarchaeota yellowstonii genome, holding FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 the ancestral twins of tubulin highlighting their evolutionary divergence in Asgard archaea. 👉 shorturl.at/n7iZE
#archaea #evolution #tubulin #cytoskeleton
November 3, 2025 at 11:54 AM
We’re on the cover of @embojournal.org
Odin, from Norse mythology, emerges from the Odinarchaeota yellowstonii genome, holding FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 the ancestral twins of tubulin highlighting their evolutionary divergence in Asgard archaea. 👉 shorturl.at/n7iZE
#archaea #evolution #tubulin #cytoskeleton
Odin, from Norse mythology, emerges from the Odinarchaeota yellowstonii genome, holding FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 the ancestral twins of tubulin highlighting their evolutionary divergence in Asgard archaea. 👉 shorturl.at/n7iZE
#archaea #evolution #tubulin #cytoskeleton
Wow 🤩! Amazing! Many congratulations Omaya and Team!
October 31, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Wow 🤩! Amazing! Many congratulations Omaya and Team!
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
🚨Our collaboration with @centriolelab.bsky.social & @gautamdey.bsky.social is out today in @cp-cell.bsky.social
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
October 31, 2025 at 2:42 PM
🚨Our collaboration with @centriolelab.bsky.social & @gautamdey.bsky.social is out today in @cp-cell.bsky.social
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
We show that #Expansion #Microscopy is a broad-spectrum modality for Euks, enabling 3D phenotypic maps rooted to phylogeny.
#ProtistsOnSky #SciComm #SciSky
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
Glad to share our paper out today @NatureEcoEvo: “Serial innovations by Asgard archaea shaped the DNA replication machinery of the early eukaryotic ancestor”. www.nature.com/articles/s41... #microsky #archaeasky
Serial innovations by Asgard archaea shaped the DNA replication machinery of the early eukaryotic ancestor - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Phylogenetic and biochemical analyses show a diversity of components of the DNA replication machinery in different Asgard archaea that contributed to the eukaryotic DNA replication machinery.
www.nature.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Glad to share our paper out today @NatureEcoEvo: “Serial innovations by Asgard archaea shaped the DNA replication machinery of the early eukaryotic ancestor”. www.nature.com/articles/s41... #microsky #archaeasky
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
Happy to share that our story on the bacterial archaellum was published today in @natmicrobiol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
September 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Happy to share that our story on the bacterial archaellum was published today in @natmicrobiol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
4/ Huge thanks to co-authors Sudipta, @jayantik.bsky.social, Jeevan & Amruta.
Grateful to @sshekhr.bsky.social lab for support throughout, and to the @PLOSGenetics editors & reviewers for their thoughtful feedback 🙏
Grateful to @sshekhr.bsky.social lab for support throughout, and to the @PLOSGenetics editors & reviewers for their thoughtful feedback 🙏
sky.social
September 9, 2025 at 6:22 PM
4/ Huge thanks to co-authors Sudipta, @jayantik.bsky.social, Jeevan & Amruta.
Grateful to @sshekhr.bsky.social lab for support throughout, and to the @PLOSGenetics editors & reviewers for their thoughtful feedback 🙏
Grateful to @sshekhr.bsky.social lab for support throughout, and to the @PLOSGenetics editors & reviewers for their thoughtful feedback 🙏
3/ Strikingly, the “minor” isoform Tpm2 can fully substitute for Tpm1 to protect & organize actin cables.
This supports a concentration-dependent, formin-independent model of Tpm binding and reveals unexpected redundancy between paralogs.
This supports a concentration-dependent, formin-independent model of Tpm binding and reveals unexpected redundancy between paralogs.
September 9, 2025 at 6:22 PM
3/ Strikingly, the “minor” isoform Tpm2 can fully substitute for Tpm1 to protect & organize actin cables.
This supports a concentration-dependent, formin-independent model of Tpm binding and reveals unexpected redundancy between paralogs.
This supports a concentration-dependent, formin-independent model of Tpm binding and reveals unexpected redundancy between paralogs.
2/ We show that Tpm1 & Tpm2 protect equally well from cofilin-mediated actin filament severing in collab
@sshekhr.bsky.social lab and Sudipta.
Despite Tpm1 being ~5–6x more abundant, both share overlapping biochemical activities, revealing Tpm2’s latent protective role in cells.
@sshekhr.bsky.social lab and Sudipta.
Despite Tpm1 being ~5–6x more abundant, both share overlapping biochemical activities, revealing Tpm2’s latent protective role in cells.
September 9, 2025 at 6:22 PM
2/ We show that Tpm1 & Tpm2 protect equally well from cofilin-mediated actin filament severing in collab
@sshekhr.bsky.social lab and Sudipta.
Despite Tpm1 being ~5–6x more abundant, both share overlapping biochemical activities, revealing Tpm2’s latent protective role in cells.
@sshekhr.bsky.social lab and Sudipta.
Despite Tpm1 being ~5–6x more abundant, both share overlapping biochemical activities, revealing Tpm2’s latent protective role in cells.
1/ New functional tropomyosin probes, we show that Tpm1&Tpm2 colocalize on actin cables and bind filaments nucleated by either formin challenging the long-held model of strict Tpm–formin pairing. Tpm levels also regulate endocytosis by balancing linear & branched actin networks.
September 9, 2025 at 6:22 PM
1/ New functional tropomyosin probes, we show that Tpm1&Tpm2 colocalize on actin cables and bind filaments nucleated by either formin challenging the long-held model of strict Tpm–formin pairing. Tpm levels also regulate endocytosis by balancing linear & branched actin networks.
How do cells keep their #actin “highways” stable?🚦
Our paper @PLOS Genetics reveals surprising teamwork (and backup plans!) between tropomyosin isoforms in yeast. #imaging #cytoskeleton #celldivision
This work was brilliantly led by @anubhavdhar.bsky.social @bagyasree.bsky.social
t.co/RvUrzad5tL
Our paper @PLOS Genetics reveals surprising teamwork (and backup plans!) between tropomyosin isoforms in yeast. #imaging #cytoskeleton #celldivision
This work was brilliantly led by @anubhavdhar.bsky.social @bagyasree.bsky.social
t.co/RvUrzad5tL
September 9, 2025 at 6:22 PM
How do cells keep their #actin “highways” stable?🚦
Our paper @PLOS Genetics reveals surprising teamwork (and backup plans!) between tropomyosin isoforms in yeast. #imaging #cytoskeleton #celldivision
This work was brilliantly led by @anubhavdhar.bsky.social @bagyasree.bsky.social
t.co/RvUrzad5tL
Our paper @PLOS Genetics reveals surprising teamwork (and backup plans!) between tropomyosin isoforms in yeast. #imaging #cytoskeleton #celldivision
This work was brilliantly led by @anubhavdhar.bsky.social @bagyasree.bsky.social
t.co/RvUrzad5tL
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
For some three billion years, unicellular organisms ruled Earth. Then, around one billion years ago, a new chapter of life began
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
How did life get multicellular? Five simple organisms could have the answer
Single-celled species that often stick together in colonies have researchers rethinking the origin of animals.
go.nature.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:19 AM
For some three billion years, unicellular organisms ruled Earth. Then, around one billion years ago, a new chapter of life began
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
go.nature.com/3JyRV4S
Thank you very much, Nika.
August 10, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Thank you very much, Nika.
Thrilled to see our work published in @embojournal.org
#asgard #archaea #cytoskeleton #tubulin #FtsZ
We sincerely appreciate the constructive peer review and the reviewers’ thoughtful, supportive feedback, which greatly strengthened our work.
#asgard #archaea #cytoskeleton #tubulin #FtsZ
We sincerely appreciate the constructive peer review and the reviewers’ thoughtful, supportive feedback, which greatly strengthened our work.
Insights into the origins of the #tubulin / #FtsZ superfamily: @syncellbiolab.bsky.social, Pananghat Gayathri et al show that two #Asgard archaeal paralogs OdinFtsZ1 and OdinFtsZ2 form distinct filamental structures, and employ different modes of membrane tethering
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
August 8, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Thrilled to see our work published in @embojournal.org
#asgard #archaea #cytoskeleton #tubulin #FtsZ
We sincerely appreciate the constructive peer review and the reviewers’ thoughtful, supportive feedback, which greatly strengthened our work.
#asgard #archaea #cytoskeleton #tubulin #FtsZ
We sincerely appreciate the constructive peer review and the reviewers’ thoughtful, supportive feedback, which greatly strengthened our work.
#collaboration with the fantastic labs of Gayathri, Vinoth, @kuruhoornambi, @iamsamayp. Funded and supported by @India_Alliance, @DBTIndia, @ANRFIndia, @serbonline, @iiscbangalore, @IISERPune, @NCBS_Bangalore & @niserbbs
August 8, 2025 at 11:26 AM
#collaboration with the fantastic labs of Gayathri, Vinoth, @kuruhoornambi, @iamsamayp. Funded and supported by @India_Alliance, @DBTIndia, @ANRFIndia, @serbonline, @iiscbangalore, @IISERPune, @NCBS_Bangalore & @niserbbs
🎉🍾Excited to share our #Asgardarchaea #odin #cytoskeleton study published in
@embojournal.org Dual FtsZ proteins in Odinarchaeon form distinct filaments shedding light on tubulin/FtsZ evolution. Brilliantly led by @jayantik.bsky.social
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@embojournal.org Dual FtsZ proteins in Odinarchaeon form distinct filaments shedding light on tubulin/FtsZ evolution. Brilliantly led by @jayantik.bsky.social
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
August 8, 2025 at 11:26 AM
🎉🍾Excited to share our #Asgardarchaea #odin #cytoskeleton study published in
@embojournal.org Dual FtsZ proteins in Odinarchaeon form distinct filaments shedding light on tubulin/FtsZ evolution. Brilliantly led by @jayantik.bsky.social
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@embojournal.org Dual FtsZ proteins in Odinarchaeon form distinct filaments shedding light on tubulin/FtsZ evolution. Brilliantly led by @jayantik.bsky.social
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
This was fun! Folding whole proteomes… looking at tomogram, looking at genomes🤩 lots to discover!🧬🧶
An Asgard archaeon from a modern analog of ancient microbial mats
It has been proposed that eukaryotic cells evolved via symbiosis between sulfate-reducing bacteria and hydrogen-producing archaea. Here we describe a highly enriched culture of a novel Asgard archaeon...
www.biorxiv.org
July 23, 2025 at 7:11 AM
This was fun! Folding whole proteomes… looking at tomogram, looking at genomes🤩 lots to discover!🧬🧶
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
How does evolution shape ancient cellular processes? Our new paper uncovers the mosaic evolution of conserved and diverging endocytic traits in fungi!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Mosaic evolution of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in fungi
Picco et al. take an evolutionary approach to study clathrin-mediated endocytosis
in a fungal clade and discover that the process is evolving in a mosaic fashion. The
early phase of endocytosis has sh...
www.cell.com
July 10, 2025 at 3:31 PM
How does evolution shape ancient cellular processes? Our new paper uncovers the mosaic evolution of conserved and diverging endocytic traits in fungi!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
Hello microscopy and imaging experts and enthusiasts!
We are looking for a staff scientist to join us here in Geneva to work on microscopy and image analysis projects! See the link for the job announcement (in French and in English).
Please apply and/or repost!
jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
We are looking for a staff scientist to join us here in Geneva to work on microscopy and image analysis projects! See the link for the job announcement (in French and in English).
Please apply and/or repost!
jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
July 7, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Hello microscopy and imaging experts and enthusiasts!
We are looking for a staff scientist to join us here in Geneva to work on microscopy and image analysis projects! See the link for the job announcement (in French and in English).
Please apply and/or repost!
jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
We are looking for a staff scientist to join us here in Geneva to work on microscopy and image analysis projects! See the link for the job announcement (in French and in English).
Please apply and/or repost!
jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
Reposted by Saravanan Palani
How do cells switch on the actin assembly at endocytic sites? How can this on-switch evolve? Check out our new preprint!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
June 24, 2025 at 7:22 PM
How do cells switch on the actin assembly at endocytic sites? How can this on-switch evolve? Check out our new preprint!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...