Tiffany Taylor
@taylorlabgroup.bsky.social
Professor of Microbial Ecology and Evolution at the Life Sciences Department at the University of Bath. Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow. Children's author evolution/genetics. Mum.
https://tiffanybtaylor.wordpress.com/
https://tiffanybtaylor.wordpress.com/
Finally, the GnT motif mutation rates determined for Pseudomonas closely match those determined for Salmonella, so we're confident that our calculated rates for GnT motifs can be used to both find and quantify T:A→G:C mutation hotspots in many other species of bacteria. (8/8)
August 13, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Finally, the GnT motif mutation rates determined for Pseudomonas closely match those determined for Salmonella, so we're confident that our calculated rates for GnT motifs can be used to both find and quantify T:A→G:C mutation hotspots in many other species of bacteria. (8/8)
GnT motifs are very short (≥8bp depending on G tract length), which means these hotspots are very common elements in bacterial genomes! For example, Pseudomonas fluorescens has hotspot GnT motifs that can cause a non-synonymous mutation in ~20% of reading frames. (7/8)
August 13, 2025 at 4:37 PM
GnT motifs are very short (≥8bp depending on G tract length), which means these hotspots are very common elements in bacterial genomes! For example, Pseudomonas fluorescens has hotspot GnT motifs that can cause a non-synonymous mutation in ~20% of reading frames. (7/8)
We also demonstrated that GnT motifs can be used to increase the rate and predictability of evolution. If you synonymously convert the neighbouring nucleotides around adaptive T:A positions into GnT motifs, adaptive evolution can happen significantly faster. (6/8)
August 13, 2025 at 4:37 PM
We also demonstrated that GnT motifs can be used to increase the rate and predictability of evolution. If you synonymously convert the neighbouring nucleotides around adaptive T:A positions into GnT motifs, adaptive evolution can happen significantly faster. (6/8)
For example, if a G4T sequence (i.e. GGGGT) is flanked by a 5’ AC and a 3’ A, there’s almost no hotspot (the T:A→G:C mutation rate is ~5-fold higher than baseline). But if a G4T sequence is flanked by a 5’ GA and 3’ C, the T:A→G:C rate is ∼1100-fold higher than baseline. (5/8)
August 13, 2025 at 4:37 PM
For example, if a G4T sequence (i.e. GGGGT) is flanked by a 5’ AC and a 3’ A, there’s almost no hotspot (the T:A→G:C mutation rate is ~5-fold higher than baseline). But if a G4T sequence is flanked by a 5’ GA and 3’ C, the T:A→G:C rate is ∼1100-fold higher than baseline. (5/8)
In this work, we create mutational hotspots in the Pseudomonas fluorescens genome using synonymous nucleotide changes to alter the GnT sequence and its neighbours. We show that GnT hotspots are determined by a GnT sequence and the nucleotides immediately flanking it. (3/8)
August 13, 2025 at 4:37 PM
In this work, we create mutational hotspots in the Pseudomonas fluorescens genome using synonymous nucleotide changes to alter the GnT sequence and its neighbours. We show that GnT hotspots are determined by a GnT sequence and the nucleotides immediately flanking it. (3/8)
40 today! It's been a helluva decade & I feel privileged to have been along for the ride. I got the best gift a girl could ask for - exciting data & excellent plots. I marked the occasion by walking 100km in 23.5h with a dear friend. We chatted, laughed and cried and it was wonderful (and painful).
July 4, 2025 at 9:03 PM
40 today! It's been a helluva decade & I feel privileged to have been along for the ride. I got the best gift a girl could ask for - exciting data & excellent plots. I marked the occasion by walking 100km in 23.5h with a dear friend. We chatted, laughed and cried and it was wonderful (and painful).
Very proud to have won the Faculty of Science Excellence in Doctoral Supervision Prize. Biggest thanks goes to my nominator @francescodb.bsky.social and the awesome letters of support from current and past group members that brought a tear to my eye. It's shared with every member Taylor lab member.
June 25, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Very proud to have won the Faculty of Science Excellence in Doctoral Supervision Prize. Biggest thanks goes to my nominator @francescodb.bsky.social and the awesome letters of support from current and past group members that brought a tear to my eye. It's shared with every member Taylor lab member.
Another poster not to miss @microbiologysociety.org annual conference, @jasminetc2000.bsky.social is presenting her first year PhD work on Determining the regulation of the MADS defence system #Microbio25 🧪
April 2, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Another poster not to miss @microbiologysociety.org annual conference, @jasminetc2000.bsky.social is presenting her first year PhD work on Determining the regulation of the MADS defence system #Microbio25 🧪
If you're at @microbiologysociety.org annual conference, go find Maryam Ravari #Microbio25 who is presenting her work on mechanisms of biocide tolerance un Proteus mirabilis!
April 2, 2025 at 1:39 PM
If you're at @microbiologysociety.org annual conference, go find Maryam Ravari #Microbio25 who is presenting her work on mechanisms of biocide tolerance un Proteus mirabilis!
Having a great time @vaam-microbes.bsky.social. Wonderful to catch up with friend @gebhardlab.bsky.social (thanks for the invite) and opening for the Evolution of Regulation session was a thrill.
March 25, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Having a great time @vaam-microbes.bsky.social. Wonderful to catch up with friend @gebhardlab.bsky.social (thanks for the invite) and opening for the Evolution of Regulation session was a thrill.
Welcome to Maryam Ravari & @gretelwaugh.bsky.social to the @multidefence.bsky.social team! They will be supporting @yueyicai.bsky.social in establishing experimental pipelines to explore the regulation of multi-layered bacterial defence systems - what a team!
tiffanybtaylor.wordpress.com/people/
tiffanybtaylor.wordpress.com/people/
February 3, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Welcome to Maryam Ravari & @gretelwaugh.bsky.social to the @multidefence.bsky.social team! They will be supporting @yueyicai.bsky.social in establishing experimental pipelines to explore the regulation of multi-layered bacterial defence systems - what a team!
tiffanybtaylor.wordpress.com/people/
tiffanybtaylor.wordpress.com/people/
Happy New Year! We're off to a great start in our lab as we welcome Yueyi Cai to the group. Yueyi joins as a postdoc who will be working on understanding how layered bacterial defence systems are regulated. She will join the brilliant
@multidefence.bsky.social team. Welcome!
@multidefence.bsky.social team. Welcome!
January 7, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Happy New Year! We're off to a great start in our lab as we welcome Yueyi Cai to the group. Yueyi joins as a postdoc who will be working on understanding how layered bacterial defence systems are regulated. She will join the brilliant
@multidefence.bsky.social team. Welcome!
@multidefence.bsky.social team. Welcome!
"Think DNA but with more hugs"
December 2, 2024 at 10:01 AM
"Think DNA but with more hugs"
I think the matching shell suit timestamps this nicely.
November 29, 2024 at 11:54 AM
I think the matching shell suit timestamps this nicely.
Welcome to our newest recruit, Olivia Rose. She will be working as a research assistant in the lab to unpick patterns of mutation bias in bacteria using a FACS approach. 🧫🧪👋
November 22, 2024 at 3:47 PM
Welcome to our newest recruit, Olivia Rose. She will be working as a research assistant in the lab to unpick patterns of mutation bias in bacteria using a FACS approach. 🧫🧪👋
Hooray 🎉 @josie-e.bsky.social who passed her PhD viva with flying colours. Many thanks to examiners @jpjhall.bsky.social & @zaminiqbal.bsky.social. Josie was cosupervised by Edze Westra & will soon start her postdoc with @annechevallereau.bsky.social Go get 'em Dr Elliott.
October 22, 2024 at 5:13 PM
Hooray 🎉 @josie-e.bsky.social who passed her PhD viva with flying colours. Many thanks to examiners @jpjhall.bsky.social & @zaminiqbal.bsky.social. Josie was cosupervised by Edze Westra & will soon start her postdoc with @annechevallereau.bsky.social Go get 'em Dr Elliott.
Crikey! With all these new followers (👋) it seems like a good time to introduce some new starters to the lab. Welcome to Beth and Jasmine, who joined earlier this month... (1/2)
October 21, 2024 at 12:26 PM
Crikey! With all these new followers (👋) it seems like a good time to introduce some new starters to the lab. Welcome to Beth and Jasmine, who joined earlier this month... (1/2)
Love staying at the Royal Society for the views! Here for the Hooke meeting tomorrow on the ecology and evolution of microbial immune systems along with all the @multidefence.bsky.social crew. Looking forward to some brilliant science.
September 29, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Love staying at the Royal Society for the views! Here for the Hooke meeting tomorrow on the ecology and evolution of microbial immune systems along with all the @multidefence.bsky.social crew. Looking forward to some brilliant science.
Congratulations to @josie-e.bsky.social for winning the @meehubs.bsky.social poster prize 🏆 Thank you to the organisers for a brilliant conference.
January 11, 2024 at 4:02 PM
Congratulations to @josie-e.bsky.social for winning the @meehubs.bsky.social poster prize 🏆 Thank you to the organisers for a brilliant conference.
I'm feeling sad that today is the last day for
Alan Rice (not here) in our lab group (although - once in the Taylor Lab, always in the Taylor Lab). His kindness, fun energy, bioinformatic magic, and fierce intellect will be sorely missed. UC Dublin are very lucky to nab him.
Alan Rice (not here) in our lab group (although - once in the Taylor Lab, always in the Taylor Lab). His kindness, fun energy, bioinformatic magic, and fierce intellect will be sorely missed. UC Dublin are very lucky to nab him.
December 5, 2023 at 1:03 PM
I'm feeling sad that today is the last day for
Alan Rice (not here) in our lab group (although - once in the Taylor Lab, always in the Taylor Lab). His kindness, fun energy, bioinformatic magic, and fierce intellect will be sorely missed. UC Dublin are very lucky to nab him.
Alan Rice (not here) in our lab group (although - once in the Taylor Lab, always in the Taylor Lab). His kindness, fun energy, bioinformatic magic, and fierce intellect will be sorely missed. UC Dublin are very lucky to nab him.
I am passionate about both doing and communicating evolutionary research effectively. If you are too, do check out this #PhD opportunity with me and
Prof L Hurst. Deadline 11th Feb, Start Sept 2024, Funding available for home students (Sorry). #scicomm *Pls RP* www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Prof L Hurst. Deadline 11th Feb, Start Sept 2024, Funding available for home students (Sorry). #scicomm *Pls RP* www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
December 4, 2023 at 5:27 PM
I am passionate about both doing and communicating evolutionary research effectively. If you are too, do check out this #PhD opportunity with me and
Prof L Hurst. Deadline 11th Feb, Start Sept 2024, Funding available for home students (Sorry). #scicomm *Pls RP* www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Prof L Hurst. Deadline 11th Feb, Start Sept 2024, Funding available for home students (Sorry). #scicomm *Pls RP* www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
If you're interested in investigating mutational bias in the lab, we've also included a figure showing ours+common strategies of revealing the role of mutational bias in guiding adaptive outcomes (6/7)
November 10, 2023 at 5:12 PM
If you're interested in investigating mutational bias in the lab, we've also included a figure showing ours+common strategies of revealing the role of mutational bias in guiding adaptive outcomes (6/7)
Being able to predict evolution using mutational bias is pretty handy, but we're currently limited in our ability to predict where and which mutations will be biased in the genome. We propose a "bottom-up" strategy for predicting areas sensitive to mutation from sequence data 5/7
November 10, 2023 at 5:11 PM
Being able to predict evolution using mutational bias is pretty handy, but we're currently limited in our ability to predict where and which mutations will be biased in the genome. We propose a "bottom-up" strategy for predicting areas sensitive to mutation from sequence data 5/7
What are the impacts of this bias? When adapting to a new stress, bacteria have limited mutational options to avoid extinction. If one or a subset of the adaptive pool of potential mutations are biased to occur, then evolution can become more repeatable/predictable (4/7)
November 10, 2023 at 5:11 PM
What are the impacts of this bias? When adapting to a new stress, bacteria have limited mutational options to avoid extinction. If one or a subset of the adaptive pool of potential mutations are biased to occur, then evolution can become more repeatable/predictable (4/7)
Biases are also introduced by different growth phases. If your bacterial cells are growing rapidly, they'll likely mutate with different biases than if they're growing under starvation conditions (3/7)
November 10, 2023 at 5:11 PM
Biases are also introduced by different growth phases. If your bacterial cells are growing rapidly, they'll likely mutate with different biases than if they're growing under starvation conditions (3/7)