Deepak Kumar

New insights about antiviral immunity! We show that a TIR–SAVED effector from a Type II #CBASS system can function independently of its cyclase, by sensing a host-conserved signal, previously linked to osmotic stress. Upon sensing this signal, the effector depletes NAD⁺ and helps clear a chronic viral infection. biorxiv.org/content/10.110… #Archaea #CBASS #AntiviralDefense #ProkaryoticImmunity

My lab at @ChanakyaUni is seeking applications for a JRF to explore Archaeal vs. Bacterial lipid machineries using protein biochemistry & genetic engineering tools. Visit shorturl.at/1zTXH for details. #lipids #Biochemistry #evolution Help spread the word! RT appreciated.

@tridib_mahata @DrDorSalomon Congratulations 🎉

I am delighted to share that I have been awarded the ANRF-Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant(#PMECRG) for my project on bacteriophage-encoded antimicrobials. I am grateful to #ANRF for their invaluable support. #ANRF #PMECRG #Bacteriophage #Antimicrobials

New Asgard paper dropped yesterday. This is only the third Asgard archaeon to be cultured in the laboratory (the first took 10+ years of work.) Many microbiologists think that the Asgard archaea are the closest living relatives of the ancestor that gave rise to eukaryotic cells. They have cellular features that "bridge" bacterial and eukaryotic cells. And this new Asgard species, found off the coast of Western Australia, is interesting for a couple reasons: 1. The Asgard buds off extracellular vesicles, like many other organisms. But these vesicles remain "tethered" to the main cell via a thin fiber. You can see this clearly in the cryotomography images below. I've never seen other examples of this (but maybe microbiologists on Twitter have.) 2. Asgards cannot be cultured on their own. All of the species cultured thus far can only be grown in the presence of a syntroph. This Asgard can only be cultured with a microbe, called S. nilemahensis. The Asgard makes acetate, formate, and lactate for the bacterium; the bacterium, in exchange, makes amino acids and vitamins for the Asgard. (The archaeon seems to entirely lack metabolic pathways for arginine, proline, phenylalanine, and tryptophan.) These nutrients are exchanged via hollow tubes that physically context the Asgard --> bacterium. (See the images below.)

PostDoc position available! (links in post below) Feel free to share!

The archaeal roots of eukaryotic life | PNAS pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn…

Our new paper in @cellhostmicrobe include 1. a global atlas of human bacterial pathogens in soils 2. Soil biodiversity negatively linked with human pathogens 3. Many pathogens to increase in future climates 4. Positive link between pathogens & mortality authors.elsevier.com/a/1msNK6t8JEyQ…

🔥 Archaea are rewriting microbiology. From the origin of eukaryotes to life in extreme environments—these #mLife publications reveal how archaea shape evolution, ecology, and biotechnology. 🧵Explore 10 key papers below ⬇️

Submit your environmental metagenomics data to our new collection at @ScientificData Essential #data from #terrestrial and #marine ecosystems, as well as environments relevant to human #health such as water quality and #agriculture are welcome. nature.com/collections/ah…

Still better. At least their English will improve Maithil parents try to discourage kids from speaking #Maithili ( their mother tongue) as well as English (perceived foreign language) while themselves promoting improper Hindi (perceived national language)😂 Na ghar k Na ghaat k

A team led by molecular biologist Bonnie Bassler has created a host of viral assassins that can be triggered to neutralize bacteria using cues that the team has programmed in: bit.ly/4bDN3qF Their research has applications for medical treatments and to clear out the bacteria after they are done cleaning up oil spills.

Archaea Assemble!!! Archaea Power Hour returns next WEDNESDAY, March 18th at 11AM EST / 4PM CET. We will be having a special APH edition about science policy & reproducibility with the American Society for Microbiology and the protocol-sharing platform archaea.bio:

Our 2 papers on RNA-guided transcription are now out @Nature. This mechanism re-writes the traditional concept of bacterial transcription and allows RNA transcripts to be generated de novo from potentially any cellular DNA sequence. 🧬 See below for links and thread 🧵

CBASS limits bacteriophage production while maintaining cell viability in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biorxiv.org/content/10.648… #biorxiv_micrbio

Check out our latest preprint reporting a widespread group of phage-encoded anti-CRISPRs that bind specifically to cas gene coding regions to block transcription! Congrats to Edith @edithmsawyer and the whole team!

📣new preprint from the phagefoundry.org team 🎉 Jessica Trinh and @cmageeney !! Systematic analysis of prophages from ~1000 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates, induction & screening. We found this 😎 looking phage with bunch of 💍💍

Join us to shape the future of modern biology @BRIC_CDFD Hyderabad Eager to build an independent, impactful competitive research program? Apply now We offer the best facilities, exciting research environment & competitive funding Where Discovery meets Service

Out Now! Large-scale analysis of bacterial genomes reveals thousands of lytic phages nature.com/articles/s4156… #BacterialGenomes #LyticPhages #Microbiology

Happy to share the latest preprint from the lab led by @Debrajkoiri, in a wonderful collaboration with Shobhana Kapoor (IITB). Can pathogenic bacteria hijack the bystander host cells remotely even before encountering them ? Answer is Yes! biorxiv.org/content/10.648…

Archaea may not be well known, nor well studied, but these microorganisms can live in extreme environments, but also quite nearby on our skin. They're everywhere! EMBL researchers are exploring their unique ecosystem adaptability and link to evolution. embl.org/news/science-t…

Out Now! Multi-omics reveals nitrogen dynamics associated with soil microbial blooms during snowmelt dlvr.it/TQc0Lc #Microbiology #SoilHealth #NitrogenCycle