Kumaran Ramamurthi
ramamurthilab.bsky.social
Kumaran Ramamurthi
@ramamurthilab.bsky.social
Sock afficionado and scientist @NCI @NIH studying protein localization in bacteria. We also design artificial bacteria to deliver chemotherapeutics to #cancer cells. All views are my own.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=t9UM04YAAAAJ&hl=en
Pinned
Immunization with peptides can elicit antigen-specific T cell responses, but they're not widely used because they are poorly immunogenic and are rapidly cleared. Domenico D'Atri solves this by using our "SSHEL" platform (synthetic bacterial spores) .
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Immunization with peptide encapsulated within synthetic spores activates T cell responses and reduces tumor growth | mBio
Effective delivery of antigens to the immune system is essential for activating the adaptive immune system. Synthetic Spore Husk-Encased Lipids (SSHELs) are synthetic bacterial spore-like particles, w...
journals.asm.org
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
#MicrobiologyMonday: Bacteria swarm, but DYK they also "swash"? This flagella-independent movement is tied to fermentation: as cells ferment sugars, they create local osmolarity gradients, which generate a wave of fluid driving expansion. #JBacteriology: asm.social/2Gh
November 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
My reviewing style has changed over time. Rather than litigate every little thing, and pushing my own ideas, I focus only on 2 things:
(1) Are the claims interesting/important?
(2) Does the evidence support the claims?

Most of my reviews these days are short and focused.
November 8, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
"Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives."

― Carl Sagan, born 9 November 1934

Video Credit: @planetarysociety.bsky.social

#PaleBlueDot 🔭 🧪 #CarlSagan
November 9, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
Ray: Just a note to say STC is officially back up and running!! You can view our new home via smallthingsconsidered.blog
November 3, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
both are right: the best is marine microbiology
November 2, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
The stringent response does not influence ribosome pausing in Bacillus subtilis

@narjournal.bsky.social from Leendert Hamoen

academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
The stringent response does not influence ribosome pausing in Bacillus subtilis
Abstract. The stringent response represses translation and is activated when cells enter the stationary phase and intracellular amino acid levels drop. Bac
academic.oup.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
These were the dinosaurs that faced the asteroid.

Some of the last survivors. They lived in New Mexico, 66 million years ago. Among them was Alamosaurus, the size of a jetplane.

We unveiled them, and their true age, today in a new paper in
@science.org !
October 23, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
Come be my chair at The University of Arizona! We have great bike riding, hiking, and of course, science! arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Department Head, Department of Immunobiology
Strategic LeadershipDevelop and execute a bold vision for the Department of Immunobiology that advances understanding of how immune and micr...
arizona.csod.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
With the functional link!
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
New in JB: Bhattacharya, Zhang, & Yu review the current state of knowledge around protein trafficking across the membrane by gram-positive bacteria with a focus on the model organisms Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
@asm.org
#JBacteriology
October 21, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Mandatory viewing for microbiologists...
Episode 112 of #MattersMicrobial! Dr. Petra Levin joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss bacterial cell size, pH, and antibiotic sensitivity. PLEASE spread the #GoodMicrobialWord. Petra is inspirational. @univpugetsound @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv

youtu.be/YPNAvJYAq-s?...
October 17, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
Episode 112 of #MattersMicrobial! Dr. Petra Levin joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss bacterial cell size, pH, and antibiotic sensitivity. PLEASE spread the #GoodMicrobialWord. Petra is inspirational. @univpugetsound @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv

youtu.be/YPNAvJYAq-s?...
October 17, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
We're now recruiting early career group leaders at the Crick to lead ambitious research programmes and explore bold scientific questions.

Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.

Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
October 9, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
We're hiring! Check out our ad and please re-post or forward to interested #Microbiology parties: apply.interfolio.com/174783
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
UChicago Microbiology is searching for tenured or tenure-track faculty working in host-pathogens interactions, viral and bacterial pathogenesis, and emerging infectious diseases. Come join our vibrant Department! microbiology.uchicago.edu
Apply here apply.interfolio.com/174404
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 5, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
Humans began travelling into space in 1961 with single orbits of the Earth. Now Bacillus subtilis!

👉

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#subtiwiki

Thank you @joergstuelke.bsky.social for the reading recommendation!
Effects of extreme acceleration, microgravity, and deceleration on Bacillus subtilis onboard a suborbital space flight - npj Microgravity
npj Microgravity - Effects of extreme acceleration, microgravity, and deceleration on Bacillus subtilis onboard a suborbital space flight
www.nature.com
October 6, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
"Cascading failure" is my new favorite term
Curiosity calls for science.

Making sense of spaghetti physics: "Why does the strand break like that?"

🍝

#science #physics #pasta #interesting
September 28, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Immunization with peptides can elicit antigen-specific T cell responses, but they're not widely used because they are poorly immunogenic and are rapidly cleared. Domenico D'Atri solves this by using our "SSHEL" platform (synthetic bacterial spores) .
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Immunization with peptide encapsulated within synthetic spores activates T cell responses and reduces tumor growth | mBio
Effective delivery of antigens to the immune system is essential for activating the adaptive immune system. Synthetic Spore Husk-Encased Lipids (SSHELs) are synthetic bacterial spore-like particles, w...
journals.asm.org
September 12, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
Super cool Pseudomonas-Bacillus interaction paper in @natmicrobiol.nature.com from Yun Chen
with @gabrieleberg.bsky.social

Phenazines shape Gram+ abundance & influence Bacillus cell biology

Phenazines contribute to microbiome dynamics by targeting topoisomerase IV
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 11, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
Check out our new paper: a review of translational coupling, the phenomenon where translation of one prokaryotic gene can promote translation of the gene downstream. We cover the history, and delve into the mechanism, which is still not fully understood. journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Translational coupling of neighboring genes in prokaryotes | Journal of Bacteriology
Prokaryotic genes are arranged in operons, with functionally related genes often located adjacent to one another (1). There are several ways in which the operonic organization of genes facilitates the...
journals.asm.org
September 11, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Kumaran Ramamurthi
The endoribonuclease Rae1 from Bacillus subtilis cleaves mRNA upstream of stalled ribosomes - academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
The endoribonuclease Rae1 from Bacillus subtilis cleaves mRNA upstream of stalled ribosomes
Abstract. The ribosome-associated endoribonuclease 1 (Rae1) cleaves messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in a translation-dependent manner. Here, we identify a new Rae1
academic.oup.com
September 9, 2025 at 10:39 AM