And also the bacterial telomere protection paper by Maya, Nicolas, & Ania is out:

doi.org/10.1038/s443...

Great experience with @reviewcommons.org
& @embojournal.org

Feels just right to have the manuscript reviewed without having to target a specific journal from the start.

How do SMC complexes load onto DNA to get ready for loop extrusion?

@roisnehamelinf.bsky.social & co discovered that Wadjet, an SMC complex involved in bacterial DNA immunity, performs some impressive molecular gymnastics 🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️.

Check out the new paper: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...

Something a bit different from the Gruber lab: More than 10 years ago, we (and others) tried to linearize the B. subtilis chromosome using a phage telomere (successfully used before in E. coli). But it did not work.

Now, 20+ years later, our lab revisits the hinge using the anti-plasmid SMC complex Wadjet. We show that the SMC hinge is a DNA gate—an obstacle bypass gate selective for ssDNA, used to navigate chromosomal barriers during DNA loop extrusion.

Glad to share the work of @yli18smc.bsky.social and co on Lamassu, a bacterial defense system related to Rad50/Mre11 (RM). While RM carefully trims DNA ends for repair, Lamassu chops up the host chromosome. Our study reveals how it is regulated to minimize damage, activating only during infection.

Happy to share the beautiful structure of a Wadjet SMC complex by @roisnehamelinf.bsky.social, with support from the DCI and @drhonsworth.bsky.social ! This is a type II Wadjet with unique characteristics including a tandem KITE subunit, distinct coiled coil architecture and a deviant hinge.

…and heaven knows they need it.

Our new work on the Wadjet (JET) anti-plasmid defence system is out:

authors.elsevier.com/a/1iXM53vVUP...

Showing structures of SMC complexes on extruded DNA (first time?)

and blockage (!) of DNA extrusion by obstacles on DNA

and more...

🌞❄️🌞

This is an AF2 prediction. Clearly no hinge domain unlike in Smc5 and Smc6 typically found.

(Otherwise they clearly do look like SMC proteins)

This looks great; congratulations!!

I have a quick question if I may: the Smc5/6-related proteins in archaea do not look like typical SMC proteins to me. They seem short and lack a hinge (see comparison of coiled coil predictions below). Are all of them like this or did I just pick odd ones?

Our little paper on CTP usage by the ParB-like virulence regulator VirB is now out in CommsBio www.nature.com/articles/s42...

Great work by PhD student
@hammamantar.bsky.social

First preprint 📢 on bsky: New work on the Wadjet defence system by @roisnehamelinf.bsky.social & @drhonsworth.bsky.social revealing beautiful & exciting structures of JET on plasmid DNA. With loop extrusion, obstacles, DNA bending, kinking, cleavage 🦠🧫 🧪
t.co/RaO7IO3zDk 
With help from @DCI_Lausanne

Finally we have a lab logo....