wy
@wanyuviridae.bsky.social
PhD candidate Harvard virology Jonathan Abraham lab 🏳️🌈
Reposted by wy
#NewResearch
O-GalNAc transferase 2 (GALNT2) could restrict viral infection through the regulation of the proteolytic processing of viral glycoproteins via its O-linked glycosylation activity, impairing virus–cell fusion.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
O-GalNAc transferase 2 (GALNT2) could restrict viral infection through the regulation of the proteolytic processing of viral glycoproteins via its O-linked glycosylation activity, impairing virus–cell fusion.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Interferon-stimulated gene GALNT2 restricts respiratory virus infections - Nature Microbiology
The authors find that O-GalNAc transferase 2 (GALNT2) restricts viral infection, probably through the regulation of the proteolytic processing of viral glycoproteins via its O-linked glycosylation act...
www.nature.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:05 PM
#NewResearch
O-GalNAc transferase 2 (GALNT2) could restrict viral infection through the regulation of the proteolytic processing of viral glycoproteins via its O-linked glycosylation activity, impairing virus–cell fusion.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
O-GalNAc transferase 2 (GALNT2) could restrict viral infection through the regulation of the proteolytic processing of viral glycoproteins via its O-linked glycosylation activity, impairing virus–cell fusion.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by wy
Happy to share our new paper on retroviruses in amphibians - a labour of love for our team @unswbabs.bsky.social with Prof. Peter White.
We explore 102 amphibian species to understand what type of retroviruses infect them and their evolution, highlights below 🧵
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We explore 102 amphibian species to understand what type of retroviruses infect them and their evolution, highlights below 🧵
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Transcriptome mining reveals diversity and evolution of circulating and endogenous amphibian retroviruses - Retrovirology
Background The evolutionary history of retroviruses and their impact on vertebrate evolution remains poorly understood, particularly in non-mammalian hosts. In this study, we explore retroviruses asso...
link.springer.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Happy to share our new paper on retroviruses in amphibians - a labour of love for our team @unswbabs.bsky.social with Prof. Peter White.
We explore 102 amphibian species to understand what type of retroviruses infect them and their evolution, highlights below 🧵
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We explore 102 amphibian species to understand what type of retroviruses infect them and their evolution, highlights below 🧵
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by wy
@pravrutharaman.bsky.social got super intrigued about EZHIP/CATACOMB, previously identified as a histone H3K27M mimic of PRC2. You can read about her efforts here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... We hope these analyses will help spur more analyses in this very cool gene! 1/
Dynamic evolution of EZHIP, an inhibitor of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 in mammals
The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) is an ancient, conserved chromatin-interacting complex that controls gene expression, facilitating differentiation and cellular identity during development. It...
www.biorxiv.org
December 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM
@pravrutharaman.bsky.social got super intrigued about EZHIP/CATACOMB, previously identified as a histone H3K27M mimic of PRC2. You can read about her efforts here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... We hope these analyses will help spur more analyses in this very cool gene! 1/
Reposted by wy
How can AI and #cryoEM help save some of the biggest babies on the planet? 🐘🔬
Our new preprint identifies Elephant Herpesvirus gH/gL/gO as a receptor-binding complex and a promising vaccine candidate, now being tested in young elephants across European zoos! 💉
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Our new preprint identifies Elephant Herpesvirus gH/gL/gO as a receptor-binding complex and a promising vaccine candidate, now being tested in young elephants across European zoos! 💉
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
December 4, 2025 at 8:43 AM
How can AI and #cryoEM help save some of the biggest babies on the planet? 🐘🔬
Our new preprint identifies Elephant Herpesvirus gH/gL/gO as a receptor-binding complex and a promising vaccine candidate, now being tested in young elephants across European zoos! 💉
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Our new preprint identifies Elephant Herpesvirus gH/gL/gO as a receptor-binding complex and a promising vaccine candidate, now being tested in young elephants across European zoos! 💉
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by wy
James Watson has died www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of the Structure of DNA, Is Dead at 97
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
James Watson has died www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
Reposted by wy
1/10 Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from?
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Antiviral reverse transcriptases reveal the evolutionary origin of telomerase
Defense-associated reverse transcriptases (DRTs) employ diverse and distinctive mechanisms of cDNA synthesis to protect bacteria against viral infection. However, much of DRT family diversity remains ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 17, 2025 at 5:22 PM
1/10 Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from?
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by wy
Thrilled to announce our paper identifying and characterizing DPEP1 as the receptor of the porcine coronavirus PHEV is now out in Nature Microbiology @natureportfolio.nature.com ! 🥳 Huge thanks to everyone involved! 🙏
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Dipeptidase 1 is a functional receptor for a porcine coronavirus - Nature Microbiology
Characterization of dipeptidase 1 as a receptor for porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus reveals the versatility of embecovirus receptor binding domains and receptor usage.
www.nature.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Thrilled to announce our paper identifying and characterizing DPEP1 as the receptor of the porcine coronavirus PHEV is now out in Nature Microbiology @natureportfolio.nature.com ! 🥳 Huge thanks to everyone involved! 🙏
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by wy
✨Excited that the main project of my PhD is now available as a pre-print on #bioRxiv
Here, we used #CryoET to visualise mitochondrial proteostatic stress and together with SPA #CryoEM shed light into the functional cycle of the Hsp60:10 chaperone system. #TeamTomo
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here, we used #CryoET to visualise mitochondrial proteostatic stress and together with SPA #CryoEM shed light into the functional cycle of the Hsp60:10 chaperone system. #TeamTomo
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 8, 2025 at 3:59 PM
✨Excited that the main project of my PhD is now available as a pre-print on #bioRxiv
Here, we used #CryoET to visualise mitochondrial proteostatic stress and together with SPA #CryoEM shed light into the functional cycle of the Hsp60:10 chaperone system. #TeamTomo
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here, we used #CryoET to visualise mitochondrial proteostatic stress and together with SPA #CryoEM shed light into the functional cycle of the Hsp60:10 chaperone system. #TeamTomo
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by wy
A new Nature Medicine study analyzing health records from >100 million people in the US offers compelling evidence that reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) ,the same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles may contribute to dementia risk.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Varicella-zoster virus reactivation and the risk of dementia - Nature Medicine
Large-scale longitudinal health records reveal consistent association of varicella-zoster virus reactivation with dementia.
www.nature.com
October 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
A new Nature Medicine study analyzing health records from >100 million people in the US offers compelling evidence that reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) ,the same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles may contribute to dementia risk.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by wy
Out in Science Advances: Our #cryoEM structure of HFTV1, a virus infecting the halophile #archaea. *First full atomic structure (containing all structural proteins) of any tailed virus!* Congrats and thanks to all co-authors and our fantastic collaborators! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Cryo-EM resolves the structure of the archaeal dsDNA virus HFTV1 from head to tail
This structure of an archaeal tailed virus (arTV) provides detailed insights into arTV assembly and infection mechanisms.
www.science.org
October 6, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Out in Science Advances: Our #cryoEM structure of HFTV1, a virus infecting the halophile #archaea. *First full atomic structure (containing all structural proteins) of any tailed virus!* Congrats and thanks to all co-authors and our fantastic collaborators! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by wy
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to three scientists for discovering a class of immune cells that help to prevent the body from attacking its own tissues
go.nature.com/3VNrH1s
go.nature.com/3VNrH1s
Medicine Nobel goes to scientists who revealed secrets of immune system ‘regulation’
Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi discovered cells that protect the body from autoimmune diseases.
go.nature.com
October 6, 2025 at 10:52 AM
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to three scientists for discovering a class of immune cells that help to prevent the body from attacking its own tissues
go.nature.com/3VNrH1s
go.nature.com/3VNrH1s
Reposted by wy
Are viruses capable of regulating protein synthesis in the nuanced way of cellular organisms? Kinda! I’m excited to share some of my postdoc work that leveraged giant DNA viruses to address this question.
Giant DNA viruses encode a hallmark translation initiation complex of eukaryotic life
In contrast to living organisms, viruses were long thought to lack protein synthesis machinery and instead depend on host factors to translate viral transcripts. Here, we discover that giant DNA virus...
www.biorxiv.org
October 2, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Are viruses capable of regulating protein synthesis in the nuanced way of cellular organisms? Kinda! I’m excited to share some of my postdoc work that leveraged giant DNA viruses to address this question.
Reposted by wy
New preprint alert! 🦟 <-> 🦠 <-> 🧑
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Sindbis virus nsP3 opal codon protects viral RNA and fitness by maintaining replication spherule integrity
Most alphaviruses encode an in-frame opal stop codon between nsP3 and nsP4 in their nsP ORF. This opal stop codon mediates a temperature-dependent balance between viral polymerase production and prote...
www.biorxiv.org
September 29, 2025 at 11:23 AM
New preprint alert! 🦟 <-> 🦠 <-> 🧑
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by wy
Viro3D paper is out! We predicted 85,000 protein structures from human & animal viruses. 1/5 🧵
📑 Paper doi.org/10.1038/s443...
🔭 Explore virosphere viro3d.cvr.gla.ac.uk
📑 Paper doi.org/10.1038/s443...
🔭 Explore virosphere viro3d.cvr.gla.ac.uk
Viro3D: a comprehensive database of virus protein structure predictions | Molecular Systems Biology
imageimageViro3D provides proteome-level, high confidence AI-protein structure predictions for
>4,400 viruses, allowing mapping of form and function across the human and animal
virosphere. Viro3D i...
doi.org
September 26, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Viro3D paper is out! We predicted 85,000 protein structures from human & animal viruses. 1/5 🧵
📑 Paper doi.org/10.1038/s443...
🔭 Explore virosphere viro3d.cvr.gla.ac.uk
📑 Paper doi.org/10.1038/s443...
🔭 Explore virosphere viro3d.cvr.gla.ac.uk
Reposted by wy
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by wy
How can we understand the earliest events in evolution of eukaryotic immunity? @yao-li.bsky.social reports incredible molecular fossils of complete bacterial-like operons in eukaryotes that illuminate how animal immunity was first acquired from anti-phage defense
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
September 5, 2025 at 10:13 AM
How can we understand the earliest events in evolution of eukaryotic immunity? @yao-li.bsky.social reports incredible molecular fossils of complete bacterial-like operons in eukaryotes that illuminate how animal immunity was first acquired from anti-phage defense
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by wy
New preprint! If some merbecoviruses use DPP4 and others use ACE2, what do those hedgehog merbecoviruses use?! As it turns out, neither! In our latest study, we uncover the "missing" receptor for the MERS-related viruses in hedgehogs. [These findings were first shared at ASV this year] (1/6)
Aminopeptidase N is a receptor for hedgehog merbecoviruses
Merbecoviruses, closely related to the highly pathogenetic Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), circulate in hedgehogs throughout Europe and Asia, raising concerns about zoonotic t...
tinyurl.com
September 4, 2025 at 4:48 AM
New preprint! If some merbecoviruses use DPP4 and others use ACE2, what do those hedgehog merbecoviruses use?! As it turns out, neither! In our latest study, we uncover the "missing" receptor for the MERS-related viruses in hedgehogs. [These findings were first shared at ASV this year] (1/6)
Reposted by wy
📢 New preprint alert!
We designed synthetic proteins that can block bacterial immune systems, allowing phages + plasmids to overcome natural defenses.
This could transform phage therapy + genetic engineering.
Here’s what we found 🧵
Preprint🔗: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We designed synthetic proteins that can block bacterial immune systems, allowing phages + plasmids to overcome natural defenses.
This could transform phage therapy + genetic engineering.
Here’s what we found 🧵
Preprint🔗: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Synthetically designed anti-defense proteins overcome barriers to bacterial transformation and phage infection
Bacterial defense systems present considerable barriers to both phage infection and plasmid transformation. These systems target mobile genetic elements, limiting the efficacy of bacteriophage-based t...
www.biorxiv.org
September 2, 2025 at 7:36 AM
📢 New preprint alert!
We designed synthetic proteins that can block bacterial immune systems, allowing phages + plasmids to overcome natural defenses.
This could transform phage therapy + genetic engineering.
Here’s what we found 🧵
Preprint🔗: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We designed synthetic proteins that can block bacterial immune systems, allowing phages + plasmids to overcome natural defenses.
This could transform phage therapy + genetic engineering.
Here’s what we found 🧵
Preprint🔗: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by wy
Our preprint, in collaboration with Rino Rappuoli & Emanuele Andreano, is out! Co-led by colleagues at TLS, my grad student Ling Zhou @lingzhou.bsky.social, and postdoc Emily Rundlet @cryoemily.bsky.social, we identified OPG153 as a poxvirus bnAb target via B cell isolation & AlphaFold3 prediction.
August 19, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Our preprint, in collaboration with Rino Rappuoli & Emanuele Andreano, is out! Co-led by colleagues at TLS, my grad student Ling Zhou @lingzhou.bsky.social, and postdoc Emily Rundlet @cryoemily.bsky.social, we identified OPG153 as a poxvirus bnAb target via B cell isolation & AlphaFold3 prediction.
Reposted by wy
🚨 Fungi + viruses + mammalian lungs? Buckle up! Our new paper in
@natmicrobiol.nature.com
uncovers the story of a deadly fungus and its gnarly viral hitchhiker — and how this duo may change how we diagnose & treat fungal disease 🍄🫁🚨 doi.org/10.1038/s415... ⬇️
@natmicrobiol.nature.com
uncovers the story of a deadly fungus and its gnarly viral hitchhiker — and how this duo may change how we diagnose & treat fungal disease 🍄🫁🚨 doi.org/10.1038/s415... ⬇️
Aspergillus fumigatus dsRNA virus promotes fungal fitness and pathogenicity in the mammalian host - Nature Microbiology
A mycovirus infecting the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus enhances its stress tolerance and virulence in mice.
doi.org
August 14, 2025 at 9:46 AM
🚨 Fungi + viruses + mammalian lungs? Buckle up! Our new paper in
@natmicrobiol.nature.com
uncovers the story of a deadly fungus and its gnarly viral hitchhiker — and how this duo may change how we diagnose & treat fungal disease 🍄🫁🚨 doi.org/10.1038/s415... ⬇️
@natmicrobiol.nature.com
uncovers the story of a deadly fungus and its gnarly viral hitchhiker — and how this duo may change how we diagnose & treat fungal disease 🍄🫁🚨 doi.org/10.1038/s415... ⬇️
Reposted by wy
Excited to share our new @natmicrobiol.nature.com paper revealing the most complete arenavirus glycoprotein complex (GPC) structures to date 🤩 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Molecular organization of the New World arenavirus spike glycoprotein complex - Nature Microbiology
Cryo-EM structures of the full-length Junin virus and Machupo virus spike glycoprotein complexes stabilized in the prefusion conformation. Analyses reveal features that regulate glycoprotein pH-depend...
www.nature.com
August 9, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Excited to share our new @natmicrobiol.nature.com paper revealing the most complete arenavirus glycoprotein complex (GPC) structures to date 🤩 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by wy
🧬 Our new preprint showing gasdermin E is dispensable for inflammatory responses and pathogenesis in H1N1 influenza. Unlike our prior work on GSDMD. 🫁🦠🐁 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
July 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🧬 Our new preprint showing gasdermin E is dispensable for inflammatory responses and pathogenesis in H1N1 influenza. Unlike our prior work on GSDMD. 🫁🦠🐁 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by wy
First preprint from the Nemudryi Lab! 🍾
In this work, we link antiviral immunity in bacteria and humans by showing that homologs of human Schlafen nucleases protect bacteria from phages.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
In this work, we link antiviral immunity in bacteria and humans by showing that homologs of human Schlafen nucleases protect bacteria from phages.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Bacterial Schlafens mediate anti-phage defense
Human Schlafen proteins restrict viral replication by cleaving tRNA, thereby suppressing protein synthesis. Although the ribonuclease domain of Schlafen proteins is conserved across all domains of lif...
www.biorxiv.org
July 25, 2025 at 2:52 PM
First preprint from the Nemudryi Lab! 🍾
In this work, we link antiviral immunity in bacteria and humans by showing that homologs of human Schlafen nucleases protect bacteria from phages.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
In this work, we link antiviral immunity in bacteria and humans by showing that homologs of human Schlafen nucleases protect bacteria from phages.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by wy
🦠🧍♀️From bacterial to human immunity.
We report in @science.org the discovery of a human homolog of SIR2 antiphage proteins that participates in the TLR pathway of animal innate immunity.
Co-led wt @enzopoirier.bsky.social by D. Bonhomme and @hugovaysset.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We report in @science.org the discovery of a human homolog of SIR2 antiphage proteins that participates in the TLR pathway of animal innate immunity.
Co-led wt @enzopoirier.bsky.social by D. Bonhomme and @hugovaysset.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org
July 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
🦠🧍♀️From bacterial to human immunity.
We report in @science.org the discovery of a human homolog of SIR2 antiphage proteins that participates in the TLR pathway of animal innate immunity.
Co-led wt @enzopoirier.bsky.social by D. Bonhomme and @hugovaysset.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We report in @science.org the discovery of a human homolog of SIR2 antiphage proteins that participates in the TLR pathway of animal innate immunity.
Co-led wt @enzopoirier.bsky.social by D. Bonhomme and @hugovaysset.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by wy
💥 Couldn’t be more stoked our study identifying a completely new CMV virion surface complex involved in cell entry is now published at Nature Micro 🦠 H/T @paramyxologist.bsky.social + Lauren Henderson, Erica Ollmann Saphire Chris Benedict @natmicrobiol.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The GATE glycoprotein complex enhances human cytomegalovirus entry in endothelial cells - Nature Microbiology
The gH-associated tropism and entry (GATE) complex consists of glycoprotein H, UL116 and UL141. This complex is abundant on human cytomegalovirus virions and enables entry into human endothelial cells...
www.nature.com
June 30, 2025 at 4:15 PM
💥 Couldn’t be more stoked our study identifying a completely new CMV virion surface complex involved in cell entry is now published at Nature Micro 🦠 H/T @paramyxologist.bsky.social + Lauren Henderson, Erica Ollmann Saphire Chris Benedict @natmicrobiol.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...