Florian Fournes
@flofournes.bsky.social
Bacterial Genomes Adaptation_ CBI-Université de Toulouse 🇨🇵
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Pleased to share our recent article in PNAS - a collaboration with @jessicaandreani.bsky.social & Pablo Radicella, with important roles played by many members of each team.
A tripartite protein complex promotes DNA transport during natural transformation in Firmicutes www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A tripartite protein complex promotes DNA transport during natural transformation in Firmicutes www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A tripartite protein complex promotes DNA transport during natural transformation in Firmicutes | PNAS
Natural genetic transformation is a conserved mechanism of bacterial horizontal gene
transfer, which is directed entirely by the recipient cell and...
www.pnas.org
November 26, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Pleased to share our recent article in PNAS - a collaboration with @jessicaandreani.bsky.social & Pablo Radicella, with important roles played by many members of each team.
A tripartite protein complex promotes DNA transport during natural transformation in Firmicutes www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A tripartite protein complex promotes DNA transport during natural transformation in Firmicutes www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Finally out from @daganlab.bsky.social! 🌱🦠🧬 Evolution of the Plant-Associated Pantoea was Accompanied by Plasmid Domestication Events url: academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
Evolution of the Plant-Associated Pantoea was Accompanied by Plasmid Domestication Events
Abstract. Plasmids are important drivers of evolutionary transformations and ecological adaptation in prokaryotes. Plasmids supplying the host with benefic
academic.oup.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Finally out from @daganlab.bsky.social! 🌱🦠🧬 Evolution of the Plant-Associated Pantoea was Accompanied by Plasmid Domestication Events url: academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Fast assembly and in vivo coalescence of ParB biocondensates involved in bacterial DNA partition https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.27.684735v1
October 27, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Fast assembly and in vivo coalescence of ParB biocondensates involved in bacterial DNA partition https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.27.684735v1
Reposted by Florian Fournes
🦠🔬🤖🧑💻 #mAIcrobe is out! With @pinholab.bsky.social's lab, we launched an open-source framework for high-throughput bacterial image analysis. By rockstars A. Brito & B. Saraiva et al, making #DeepLearning for phenotyping accessible! Easy to use, plus model training
📜 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
📜 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 22, 2025 at 11:10 AM
🦠🔬🤖🧑💻 #mAIcrobe is out! With @pinholab.bsky.social's lab, we launched an open-source framework for high-throughput bacterial image analysis. By rockstars A. Brito & B. Saraiva et al, making #DeepLearning for phenotyping accessible! Easy to use, plus model training
📜 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
📜 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Chromosome replication and cell division cycles are not synchronized in Staphylococcus aureus, with cells exhibiting two segregated origins of replication at the start of the cell cycle
#bacteria #microbiology
#bacteria #microbiology
Chromosome segregation dynamics during the cell cycle of Staphylococcus aureus - Nature Communications
Our understanding of chromosome organization and dynamics in spherical bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, remains limited. Here, the authors show that chromosome replication and cell division cycles are not synchronized in S. aureus, with cells exhibiting two segregated origins of replication at the start of the cell cycle.
bit.ly
October 21, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Chromosome replication and cell division cycles are not synchronized in Staphylococcus aureus, with cells exhibiting two segregated origins of replication at the start of the cell cycle
#bacteria #microbiology
#bacteria #microbiology
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Delighted to announce our latest work on how Wadjet loads onto and establishes topological entrapment of plasmid DNA prior to initiating loop extrusion. At @gruberlab.bsky.social, Dubochet Center for Imaging and BSI @igbmc.bsky.social
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
October 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Delighted to announce our latest work on how Wadjet loads onto and establishes topological entrapment of plasmid DNA prior to initiating loop extrusion. At @gruberlab.bsky.social, Dubochet Center for Imaging and BSI @igbmc.bsky.social
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
🤩 Exciting Summer! 🤩 Two of my former postdocs in Switzerland🇨🇭 obtained Lecturer positions (Maîtres de Conférences) in French universities 🇨🇵 : congrats to Antonio Frandi and Florian Fournès !!!! 👏 La relève est assurée! All the best to both of you for this new start. 🤩
September 5, 2025 at 12:16 PM
🤩 Exciting Summer! 🤩 Two of my former postdocs in Switzerland🇨🇭 obtained Lecturer positions (Maîtres de Conférences) in French universities 🇨🇵 : congrats to Antonio Frandi and Florian Fournès !!!! 👏 La relève est assurée! All the best to both of you for this new start. 🤩
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Our Wadjet-II paper by @roisnehamelinf.bsky.social is out in polished form: www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...
September 5, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Our Wadjet-II paper by @roisnehamelinf.bsky.social is out in polished form: www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...
With a great preview by @kevincorbett.bsky.social & @amardeeep.bsky.social highlighting the potential of Wadjets:
Wadjet—Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.
www.cell.com/structure/fu...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
I’m excited that the work by Diego Ramirez and Lei Yin is out, where they gained several key insights into what provides the force underlying bacterial cell division doi.org/10.1101/2025....
To divide, cells must first bend the membrane inward, a process that’s energetically expensive
To divide, cells must first bend the membrane inward, a process that’s energetically expensive
The interplay of membrane tension and FtsZ filament condensation on the initiation and progression of cell division in B. subtilis
The first step of cell division is deforming the planar cell membrane inward towards the cytoplasm. As deforming membranes is energetically costly, biology has developed various protein systems to acc...
doi.org
May 20, 2025 at 5:17 PM
I’m excited that the work by Diego Ramirez and Lei Yin is out, where they gained several key insights into what provides the force underlying bacterial cell division doi.org/10.1101/2025....
To divide, cells must first bend the membrane inward, a process that’s energetically expensive
To divide, cells must first bend the membrane inward, a process that’s energetically expensive
Reposted by Florian Fournes
The Escherichia coli replication initiator DnaA is titrated on the chromosome www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The Escherichia coli replication initiator DnaA is titrated on the chromosome - Nature Communications
A DNA-binding protein, DnaA, regulates the initiation of chromosomal replication in bacteria. Here, Olivi et al. show that the bacterial chromosome sequesters DnaA in a growth rate-dependent manner, s...
www.nature.com
August 22, 2025 at 12:35 PM
The Escherichia coli replication initiator DnaA is titrated on the chromosome www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
For those who love bacterial replicons, The ultimate review, from our lab, signed by the master of their evolution.
@val-meve.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@val-meve.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Taming wild replicons: evolution and domestication of large extrachromosomal replicons
Bacterial genomes often contain extrachromosomal replicons (ERs), ranging from small, mobile plasmids to large, stably inherited elements, such as meg…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 20, 2025 at 10:28 AM
For those who love bacterial replicons, The ultimate review, from our lab, signed by the master of their evolution.
@val-meve.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@val-meve.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Giant extrachromosomal element “Inocle” potentially expands the adaptive capacity of the human oral microbiome. #BacterialExtrachromosomalElements #OralMicrobiome @natcomms.nature.com 🧬
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
August 16, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Giant extrachromosomal element “Inocle” potentially expands the adaptive capacity of the human oral microbiome. #BacterialExtrachromosomalElements #OralMicrobiome @natcomms.nature.com 🧬
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Excited to share our paper published in @currentbiology.bsky.social that explores the consequences of having multiple genomes in a bacterial model system and it’s benefits in a multidrug environment ! www.cell.com/current-biol...
March 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Excited to share our paper published in @currentbiology.bsky.social that explores the consequences of having multiple genomes in a bacterial model system and it’s benefits in a multidrug environment ! www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Excited to share another study from my lab @fordhamchem now out @narjournal.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1093/nar/.... Most bacterial DNA polymerases must interact with the sliding clamp DnaN for their function, but we show that it’s more complicated in B. subtilis DNA replication. (1/4)
The B. subtilis replicative polymerases bind the sliding clamp with different strengths to tune their activity in DNA replication
Abstract. Ring-shaped sliding clamp proteins are essential components of the replication machinery across all domains of life. DNA polymerases bind the cla
doi.org
August 5, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Excited to share another study from my lab @fordhamchem now out @narjournal.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1093/nar/.... Most bacterial DNA polymerases must interact with the sliding clamp DnaN for their function, but we show that it’s more complicated in B. subtilis DNA replication. (1/4)
One of the best places to conduct scientific research with a wonderfull project and a great PI!!
🔬 🧫 The Collier lab is hiring a new Postdoc! 🧬 🧪
We are looking for a motivated candidate to study mechanisms controlling DNA replication in Alphaproteobacteria with complex genomes.
--> Apply by 30th August 2025 using this link:
tinyurl.com/y5e5pm59
We are looking for a motivated candidate to study mechanisms controlling DNA replication in Alphaproteobacteria with complex genomes.
--> Apply by 30th August 2025 using this link:
tinyurl.com/y5e5pm59
July 28, 2025 at 12:15 PM
One of the best places to conduct scientific research with a wonderfull project and a great PI!!
Reposted by Florian Fournes
And the story is published now!🍾
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access link: rdcu.be/exnOc
Many years in the making, great collaboration with @archaellum.bsky.social & @tunglejic.bsky.social
Thanks @ukri.org BBSRC & @leverhulme.ac.uk for funding, reviewers & editor!! 🙏
#microsky #archaeasky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access link: rdcu.be/exnOc
Many years in the making, great collaboration with @archaellum.bsky.social & @tunglejic.bsky.social
Thanks @ukri.org BBSRC & @leverhulme.ac.uk for funding, reviewers & editor!! 🙏
#microsky #archaeasky
July 22, 2025 at 9:06 PM
And the story is published now!🍾
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access link: rdcu.be/exnOc
Many years in the making, great collaboration with @archaellum.bsky.social & @tunglejic.bsky.social
Thanks @ukri.org BBSRC & @leverhulme.ac.uk for funding, reviewers & editor!! 🙏
#microsky #archaeasky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access link: rdcu.be/exnOc
Many years in the making, great collaboration with @archaellum.bsky.social & @tunglejic.bsky.social
Thanks @ukri.org BBSRC & @leverhulme.ac.uk for funding, reviewers & editor!! 🙏
#microsky #archaeasky
Reposted by Florian Fournes
One of my favourite serendipitous results from the lab came about because we were long-read sequencing bacterial:
Vibrio cholerae, which is "supposed to" have TWO circular chromosomes (3 + 1 million base pairs) often has just ONE fused chromosome (4 Mbp).
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/n)
Vibrio cholerae, which is "supposed to" have TWO circular chromosomes (3 + 1 million base pairs) often has just ONE fused chromosome (4 Mbp).
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/n)
Prevalent chromosome fusion in Vibrio cholerae O1 - Nature Communications
The pathogenic bacterium Vibrio cholerae typically has two circular chromosomes. Here, Cuénod et al. analyse 467 clinical isolates and identify several independent chromosome fusion events that are li...
www.nature.com
July 1, 2025 at 2:16 PM
One of my favourite serendipitous results from the lab came about because we were long-read sequencing bacterial:
Vibrio cholerae, which is "supposed to" have TWO circular chromosomes (3 + 1 million base pairs) often has just ONE fused chromosome (4 Mbp).
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/n)
Vibrio cholerae, which is "supposed to" have TWO circular chromosomes (3 + 1 million base pairs) often has just ONE fused chromosome (4 Mbp).
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/n)
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Just learned that Frank Stahl (of the Meselson and Stahl DNA replication experiment ("the most beautiful experiment in biology") died at the beginning of April, to no fanfare. Here's a lovely video of them reminiscing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-tn...
The Most Beautiful Experiment: Meselson and Stahl
YouTube video by Science Communication Lab
www.youtube.com
June 26, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Just learned that Frank Stahl (of the Meselson and Stahl DNA replication experiment ("the most beautiful experiment in biology") died at the beginning of April, to no fanfare. Here's a lovely video of them reminiscing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-tn...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
After a PhD and two postdocs, I’m very proud to be joining the CNRS as a Chargé de recherche, this is a meaningful milestone. Huge thanks to Claude Bruand, @michaelglickman.bsky.social, and @oneyrolles.bsky.social for their guidance and support. Olivier, let’s turn this into exciting discoveries!
June 12, 2025 at 2:35 PM
After a PhD and two postdocs, I’m very proud to be joining the CNRS as a Chargé de recherche, this is a meaningful milestone. Huge thanks to Claude Bruand, @michaelglickman.bsky.social, and @oneyrolles.bsky.social for their guidance and support. Olivier, let’s turn this into exciting discoveries!
Reposted by Florian Fournes
New tenure track assistant professor position in molecular microbiology in our department @dmf-unil.bsky.social @unil.bsky.social! We are casting a wide net for an experimental molecular microbiologist. Apply here: wwwfbm.unil.ch/releve/appli...
DMF: Tenure Track Assistant Professor towards Associate Professor in Molecular Microbiology - Site des postulations FBM
wwwfbm.unil.ch
June 10, 2025 at 1:53 PM
New tenure track assistant professor position in molecular microbiology in our department @dmf-unil.bsky.social @unil.bsky.social! We are casting a wide net for an experimental molecular microbiologist. Apply here: wwwfbm.unil.ch/releve/appli...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Reposted by Florian Fournes
Marie Curie fellowship, post-doc hosting oppotunity in my lab. MSCA Post-doctoral Fellowship at IBPC Paris on RNA modifications in bacteria (FRANCE) 🦠💫 euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/hosting...
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
May 21, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Marie Curie fellowship, post-doc hosting oppotunity in my lab. MSCA Post-doctoral Fellowship at IBPC Paris on RNA modifications in bacteria (FRANCE) 🦠💫 euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/hosting...
Reposted by Florian Fournes
At least 10% of the V. cholerae integron cassettes have novel antiphage activities (see below). Considering that there are 25,000 distinct cassettes of unknown function, integrons constitute an extraordinary and almost inexhaustible reservoir of antiphage functions!
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 3:26 PM
At least 10% of the V. cholerae integron cassettes have novel antiphage activities (see below). Considering that there are 25,000 distinct cassettes of unknown function, integrons constitute an extraordinary and almost inexhaustible reservoir of antiphage functions!
Reposted by Florian Fournes
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 Florian Fournes
Biofilm architecture determines the dissemination of conjugative plasmids
#PNAS from @sbigot.bsky.social, @knutdrescher.bsky.social labs
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#PNAS from @sbigot.bsky.social, @knutdrescher.bsky.social labs
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Biofilm architecture determines the dissemination of conjugative plasmids | PNAS
Plasmid conjugation is a contact-dependent horizontal gene transfer mechanism that
significantly contributes to the dissemination of antibiotic res...
www.pnas.org
April 27, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Biofilm architecture determines the dissemination of conjugative plasmids
#PNAS from @sbigot.bsky.social, @knutdrescher.bsky.social labs
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#PNAS from @sbigot.bsky.social, @knutdrescher.bsky.social labs
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...