Hansi Weissensteiner
@whansi.bsky.social
Senior Researcher / Mitochondriac @meduniibk.bsky.social
We develop and apply methods to study #mitochondria #genomes #mtdna #haplogroups #heteroplasmy in #cancer .e.g. #prostate or #ageing related diseases #ngs #longreads
We develop and apply methods to study #mitochondria #genomes #mtdna #haplogroups #heteroplasmy in #cancer .e.g. #prostate or #ageing related diseases #ngs #longreads
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
Faulty mitochondria cause deadly diseases: fixing them is about to get a lot easier.
CRISPR-based tools can’t easily access the DNA in these organelles, but researchers are finding other ways in
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
CRISPR-based tools can’t easily access the DNA in these organelles, but researchers are finding other ways in
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Faulty mitochondria cause deadly diseases: fixing them is about to get a lot easier
CRISPR-based tools can’t easily access the DNA in these organelles, but researchers are finding other ways in.
www.nature.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Faulty mitochondria cause deadly diseases: fixing them is about to get a lot easier.
CRISPR-based tools can’t easily access the DNA in these organelles, but researchers are finding other ways in
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
CRISPR-based tools can’t easily access the DNA in these organelles, but researchers are finding other ways in
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
New paper - MAPL strikes again! Interested in mitochondrial signalling, inflammation, lysosome biology, pyroptosis, and Parkinson's disease? Have a look, there's something for everyone! Feeling grateful! @mitocollier.bsky.social Funded by #CIHR, @asapresearch.parkinsonsroadmap.org.
rdcu.be/eKKz1 🇨🇦
rdcu.be/eKKz1 🇨🇦
October 14, 2025 at 11:50 AM
New paper - MAPL strikes again! Interested in mitochondrial signalling, inflammation, lysosome biology, pyroptosis, and Parkinson's disease? Have a look, there's something for everyone! Feeling grateful! @mitocollier.bsky.social Funded by #CIHR, @asapresearch.parkinsonsroadmap.org.
rdcu.be/eKKz1 🇨🇦
rdcu.be/eKKz1 🇨🇦
Structural insights into DdCBE in action enable high-precision mitochondrial DNA editing
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Structural insights into DdCBE in action enable high-precision mitochondrial DNA editing
Based on cryo-EM structures of functioning DdCBE, Xiang et al. developed a model to
guide TALE-recognition region and spacer length design. Application of the model and
an engineered editor with a 2–3...
www.cell.com
September 21, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Structural insights into DdCBE in action enable high-precision mitochondrial DNA editing
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Somatic mtDNA mutations at intermediate levels of heteroplasmy are a source of functional heterogeneity among primary leukemic cells
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
Somatic mtDNA mutations at intermediate levels of heteroplasmy are a source of functional heterogeneity among primary leukemic cells
Somatic mtDNA mutations undergo positive selection, shaping cell fitness and contributing to functional heterogeneity.
www.science.org
September 16, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Somatic mtDNA mutations at intermediate levels of heteroplasmy are a source of functional heterogeneity among primary leukemic cells
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
Nuclear mitochondrial DNA transfer revisited: From genomic noise to hallmark of aging
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Nuclear mitochondrial DNA transfer revisited: From genomic noise to hallmark of aging
Nuclear insertions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) segments (NUMTs) represent an evolutionarily conserved phenomenon originating from the ancient endosym…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 6, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Nuclear mitochondrial DNA transfer revisited: From genomic noise to hallmark of aging
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reversible compromise of physiological resilience by accumulation of heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reversible compromise of physiological resilience by accumulation of heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations
Somatically acquired mitochondrial DNA mutations accumulate with age, but the mechanisms and consequences are poorly understood. Here we show that transient injuries induce a burst of persistent mtDNA...
www.science.org
September 5, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Reversible compromise of physiological resilience by accumulation of heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Mitochondria protect against an intracellular pathogen by restricting access to folate
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Mitochondria protect against an intracellular pathogen by restricting access to folate
As major consumers of cellular metabolites, mitochondria are poised to compete with invading microbes for the nutrients that they need to grow. Whether cells exploit mitochondrial metabolism to protec...
www.science.org
August 15, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Mitochondria protect against an intracellular pathogen by restricting access to folate
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
“A mitochondrial electron surplus induces sleep”
Mitochondrial origins of the pressure to sleep www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mitochondrial origins of the pressure to sleep www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mitochondrial origins of the pressure to sleep - Nature
Research on Drosophila neurons shows links between the need to sleep and aerobic metabolism, indicating that the pressure to sleep may have a mitochondrial origin.
www.nature.com
July 17, 2025 at 2:11 AM
“A mitochondrial electron surplus induces sleep”
Mitochondrial origins of the pressure to sleep www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mitochondrial origins of the pressure to sleep www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
A big day for preventing mitochondrial diseases from transmitting to the next generation
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
July 17, 2025 at 1:25 AM
A big day for preventing mitochondrial diseases from transmitting to the next generation
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
8 healthy babies after Mitochondrial Donation treatment - Press Office - Newcastle University share.google/iaZoEyfgHHd9...
Eight babies born after Mitochondrial donation
The UK’s pioneering licensed IVF technique to reduce the risk of mitochondrial diseases carried out in Newcastle has seen eight babies born, published research shows.
share.google
July 17, 2025 at 7:18 AM
8 healthy babies after Mitochondrial Donation treatment - Press Office - Newcastle University share.google/iaZoEyfgHHd9...
Thanks for citing HaploGrep 2!
July 14, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Thanks for citing HaploGrep 2!
Selfish mutations promote age-associated erosion of mtDNA integrity in mammals
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Selfish mutations promote age-associated erosion of mtDNA integrity in mammals - Nature Communications
Mutations in mtDNA contribute to mitochondrial disease and aging only if they rise in abundance. Here, the authors show that deleterious mutations reach high abundance by hitchhiking on genomes that h...
www.nature.com
July 2, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Selfish mutations promote age-associated erosion of mtDNA integrity in mammals
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Donor genetics and storage conditions influence mitochondrial DNA and extracellular vesicle levels in RBC units insight.jci.org/articles/vie...
JCI Insight -
Donor genetics and storage conditions influence mitochondrial DNA and extracellular vesicle levels in RBC units
insight.jci.org
June 11, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Donor genetics and storage conditions influence mitochondrial DNA and extracellular vesicle levels in RBC units insight.jci.org/articles/vie...
Exciting preprint from @rahulg603.bsky.social and colleagues!
Mechanism of age-related accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations in human blood
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Mechanism of age-related accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations in human blood
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Mechanism of age-related accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations in human blood
One of the strongest signatures of aging is an accumulation of mutant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy. Here we investigate the mechanism underlying this phenomenon by calling mtDNA sequence, ab...
www.biorxiv.org
May 30, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Exciting preprint from @rahulg603.bsky.social and colleagues!
Mechanism of age-related accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations in human blood
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Mechanism of age-related accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations in human blood
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Mitochondria Are More Than Powerhouses—They’re the Motherboard of the Cell
great work by Martin Picard
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
great work by Martin Picard
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
The Hidden Social Lives of Mitochondria
When these energy-giving organelles thrive, so do we
www.scientificamerican.com
May 22, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Mitochondria Are More Than Powerhouses—They’re the Motherboard of the Cell
great work by Martin Picard
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
great work by Martin Picard
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
🥁 NEW:
Commentary in @cellcellpress.bsky.social!
by @msabrysarhan.bsky.social Giacomo Antonello @whansi.bsky.social @cengoni.bsky.social @dmascalzoni.bsky.social @leviwaldron1.bsky.social Nicola Segata, Christian Fuchsberger
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
1/4
Commentary in @cellcellpress.bsky.social!
by @msabrysarhan.bsky.social Giacomo Antonello @whansi.bsky.social @cengoni.bsky.social @dmascalzoni.bsky.social @leviwaldron1.bsky.social Nicola Segata, Christian Fuchsberger
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
1/4
Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat?
Human DNA is unavoidably present in metagenomic analyses of human microbiomes. While
current protocols remove human DNA before submission to public repositories, mitochondrial
DNA (mtDNA) has been ove...
www.cell.com
May 16, 2025 at 10:55 AM
🥁 NEW:
Commentary in @cellcellpress.bsky.social!
by @msabrysarhan.bsky.social Giacomo Antonello @whansi.bsky.social @cengoni.bsky.social @dmascalzoni.bsky.social @leviwaldron1.bsky.social Nicola Segata, Christian Fuchsberger
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
1/4
Commentary in @cellcellpress.bsky.social!
by @msabrysarhan.bsky.social Giacomo Antonello @whansi.bsky.social @cengoni.bsky.social @dmascalzoni.bsky.social @leviwaldron1.bsky.social Nicola Segata, Christian Fuchsberger
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
1/4
Exciting news! Our commentary is finally out, cudos to the team at EURAC (BZ) and CIBIO (TN) 👏
Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat? www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat? www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat?
Human DNA is unavoidably present in metagenomic analyses of human microbiomes. While
current protocols remove human DNA before submission to public repositories, mitochondrial
DNA (mtDNA) has been ove...
www.cell.com
May 16, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Exciting news! Our commentary is finally out, cudos to the team at EURAC (BZ) and CIBIO (TN) 👏
Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat? www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat? www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Mitochondria – the CEO of the cell
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article-...
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article-...
Mitochondria – the CEO of the cell
Summary: In light of research advances recognizing the roles mitochondria play in directing cellular processes and behaviors, we propose reframing mitochondria as the chief executive organelle of the ...
journals.biologists.com
May 4, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Mitochondria – the CEO of the cell
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article-...
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article-...
Mitochondrial DNA disease discovery through evaluation of genotype and phenotype data: The Solve-RD experience
www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltex...
www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltex...
Mitochondrial DNA disease discovery through evaluation of genotype and phenotype data: The Solve-RD experience
Exome and genome reanalysis from the Solve-RD cohort done with an automated mtDNA-filtering
pipeline and MitoPhen-based HPO phenotype similarity scoring uncovered previously
undiagnosed mtDNA variants...
www.cell.com
May 1, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Mitochondrial DNA disease discovery through evaluation of genotype and phenotype data: The Solve-RD experience
www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltex...
www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltex...
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
The brain’s energy landscape as a potential window into brain health
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
(study led by Martin Picard and Michel Thiebaut de Schotten)
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
(study led by Martin Picard and Michel Thiebaut de Schotten)
First map of human brain mitochondria is ‘groundbreaking’ achievement
Hundreds of cubes of human brain tissue help scientists to chart the energy-making capabilities of various brain regions.
www.nature.com
March 27, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The brain’s energy landscape as a potential window into brain health
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
(study led by Martin Picard and Michel Thiebaut de Schotten)
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
(study led by Martin Picard and Michel Thiebaut de Schotten)
Mitochondrial DNA signals driving immune responses: Why, How, Where?
biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
Mitochondrial DNA signals driving immune responses: Why, How, Where? - Cell Communication and Signaling
There has been a recent expansion in our understanding of DNA-sensing mechanisms. Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative and proteostatic stresses, instability and impaired disposal of nucleoids cause t...
biosignaling.biomedcentral.com
April 24, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Mitochondrial DNA signals driving immune responses: Why, How, Where?
biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
Mitochondrial transplantation: Triumphs, challenges, and impacts on nuclear genome remodelling
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Mitochondrial transplantation: Triumphs, challenges, and impacts on nuclear genome remodelling
Mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles of eukaryotic cells that play crucial roles in cell functioning and homeostasis, including ATP generation f…
www.sciencedirect.com
April 21, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Mitochondrial transplantation: Triumphs, challenges, and impacts on nuclear genome remodelling
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Hansi Weissensteiner
Not really my announcement to make--I am but a lesser co-author--but IQ-TREE 3 has just been released!
(Most credit to Minh Bui and @roblanfear.bsky.social and their labs)
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
(Most credit to Minh Bui and @roblanfear.bsky.social and their labs)
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
IQ-TREE 3: Phylogenomic Inference Software using Complex Evolutionary Models
ecoevorxiv.org
April 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Not really my announcement to make--I am but a lesser co-author--but IQ-TREE 3 has just been released!
(Most credit to Minh Bui and @roblanfear.bsky.social and their labs)
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
(Most credit to Minh Bui and @roblanfear.bsky.social and their labs)
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
Cells are swapping their mitochondria. What does this mean for our health?
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Cells are swapping their mitochondria. What does this mean for our health?
Researchers are studying why the energy factories are moving between cells and whether the process can be harnessed to treat cancer and other diseases.
www.nature.com
April 11, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Cells are swapping their mitochondria. What does this mean for our health?
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Small molecules restore mutant mitochondrial DNA polymerase activity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Small molecules restore mutant mitochondrial DNA polymerase activity - Nature
An activator of DNA polymerase γ restores function to disease-causing mutant variants and demonstrates a potential route to treatments for inherited mitochondrial disorders involving POLG mutations.
www.nature.com
April 11, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Small molecules restore mutant mitochondrial DNA polymerase activity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...