Nicola de Prisco

Very happy to share our story about alternative polyadenylation just published on @ScienceAdvances science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… First paper from @GennarinoLab @ColumbiaGenDev. A thread 🧵

Alpha-synuclein abundance and localization are regulated by the RNA-binding protein PUMILIO1: Cell Reports cell.com/cell-reports/f…

If you are looking for a place where to do postdoc, I really recommend checking the Gennarino lab out!!

The Gennarino Lab is looking for scientists! Are you a curious, ambitious, and motivated scientist who love to dive inside complex biological questions aimed to understand the mechanism of neurological diseases? Then we are looking for you. Visit our website to learn more.

Gennarino lab is looking for postdoc. Very cool lab in a super cool place!!

ATGGAGAGGAGGTACTGCCACAGGATCAGCACCATGGCCAGCGCCAACGACGCCCACGCCCCCCCCTACAACGAGTGGTACGAGGCCAGG from everyone at @ensembl

New pre-print from the Sternberg Lab! Transposon-encoded nucleases (TnpB/IscB) gave rise to the CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas9 and Cas12), but were TnpB-like proteins domesticated for other functions? 𝙔𝙀𝙎!! doi.org/10.1101/2023.1…

@DebVendramini @arianamusa @myree_g @RAFrancescone @HCCvPDAC We miss you too!!!❤️

@nicdepris @arianamusa @myree_g @RAFrancescone @HCCvPDAC Hahaha 🤣 We miss you guys!

It is #SpiritWeek and the #HFPCC is for sure taking it seriously! Yesterday we were dressing sports jerseys/t-shirts @arianamusa @myree_g @RAFrancescone @HCCvPDAC

@MichaelLee04 @BiodockAI amazing!

Labeling bio images just got 10x faster 🏎️ Watch our best AI model yet in action, released today as AI Detect on @BiodockAI. You prompt one object, it finds the rest. Try it for free now!

A fascinating work is published today @Nature by Zhang & Zhang et al. on a serendipitous discovery of haemoglobin expression outside the RBC cells--in chondrocytes--and their critical role in keeping our cartilage alive under an oxygen-deprived environment. nature.com/articles/s4158… Our school teachers taught that haemoglobin (Hb) is an oxygen-transporting protein expressed exclusively in the red blood cells. Although there exist occasional sporadic reports of Hb expression outside the RBCs (e.g. neurons, retinal cells etc.), no one would have guessed Hb would play a critical role (required for survival) outside the RBCs. The discovery When studying the cartilage growth plate of neonatal mice, the authors noticed eosin-positive structures in the chondrocytes (cartilage cells) that resembled structures seen in RBCs. Out of curiosity, the researchers went on to stain and examine the chondrocytes of different cartilage tissue types both from mice and humans. They realized that no matter the source or species, the cells always displayed eosin-positive structures under the microscope. The curious researchers were determined to find out what these structures are made of. They carefully dissected these structures out and studied the protein components using mass spectrometry and were surprised to learn the results: the top hits were Hb proteins. Unable to believe the results, they went on to study the proteins using different methods--western blotting, immunohistochemistry--and every time they ended up with the same results: the cytoplasm of cells was loaded with organelles-like bodies made of haemoglobin proteins. Finally, they came to the realization that Hb is abundantly produced in chondrocytes. They named these cytoplasmic Hb bodies as "Hedy". Structure of Hedy The authors studied the structure and formation of Hb bodies floating in the cytoplasm. Are they like an organelle? Do they have a membrane? Through various experiments, the researchers found that the Hedy structures do not have a membrane. The Hb proteins condense together by phase separation to form organelle-like structures in the cytoplasm. This condensation is itself an evolved process, requiring specific sequence structures of the Hb protein. Globin switching We know that there are different forms of Hb each expressed during different developmental stages: embryonic, fetal and adult Hb. There exists a sophisticated molecular machinery (which was believed to be RBC-specific) that switches one Hb type to the other at appropriate times. Using gene silencing experiments, the authors were further awestruck to find that the chondrocytes too switched their Hb types from embryonic to fetal to adult stages, just like RBCs! Regulation of chondrocyte Hb production It is well known that hypoxia induces Hb production via upregulating hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), an evolutionarily conserved molecular mechanism (Nobel Prize 2019; nobelprize.org/prizes/medicin…). But it turned out that chondrocytes have evolved to increase their Hb expression not via HIF proteins, but through a different protein, the same protein that is required for fetal to adult Hb switching: KLF1 (nature.com/articles/ng091…). How important is Hb for chondrocytes? Such a high Hb expression in chondrocytes with similar globin switching behaviour as RBCs would mean that this Hb is critical for chondrocytes' survival. By deleting the Hbb gene specifically in the chondrocytes, the authors found that without Hb the chondrocytes die killing the animal a few days after birth. Conclusion Continuous oxygen supply is a prerequisite for the survival of cells in all tissues. The only way the cells can receive oxygen is through RBCs in the blood, which requires the tissue to be highly vascularized. When demand exceeds the supply, the cells evolve to survive an oxygen-depriving environment. Muscles evolved to produce their own globin--myoglobin which has a higher affinity to oxygen than Hb thereby withholding O2 during oxygen excess states and releasing it back during oxygen-deprived state (during exercise). Likewise, the brain has its own globin: neuroglobin (nature.com/articles/35035…). Today, we are learning that cartilage (an avascular tissue), too, has its own globin. But unlike muscle and brain, have evolved to store oxygen not by making a new type of globin but by making just the same type as the ones in RBCs, but with a higher affinity than RBC Hb. When it comes to fundamental biology, we often assume that we have found everything and then one day a discovery like this drops, hitting us on the head to make us realize that there is a whole universe of hidden biological secrets waiting to be discovered. Some recent posts: 1. Gene x sex interaction of PNPLA3 I148M variant (x.com/doctorveera/st…) 2. Effect of consanguineous marriage on the risk of common diseases in offsprings (x.com/doctorveera/st…) 3. Whole genome vs. Whole exome sequencing. Which is more cost-effective for genetic association studies? (x.com/doctorveera/st…)

Very good @Pas_Piccolo and his group! 👏👏👏👏

Glad to receive the nomination for the postdoctoral 2023 excellence award from @AlexGennarino and the Columbia University Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Congratulations to @MaxCabaj who received the award for best talk at our most recent genetics and development retreat. Outstanding presentation!

📢Tendon/ligament/regeneration enthusiasts! I'm pleased to announce that @TroyAndFish and @mulia_jo's paper on dedifferentiation and ECM remodeling in regeneration is out today in @Nature_NPJ Regenerative Medicine. doi.org/10.1038/s41536… @CSCIColumbia @ColumbiaGenDev #zebrafish

I’m #hiring. Know anyone who might be interested? Share or contact me if you are interested.

@CrackaOfficial @_Drew_2_U @krassenstein No, not for giving away things, but because did not ask permit to nyc which could have helped with managing so many followers.

@nicdepris @_Drew_2_U @krassenstein It’s a giveaway lol is the guy really in the wrong for giving away items?

UPDATE: Twitch streamer and social media influencer Kai Cenat will be charged with multiple counts after his giveaway of Playstation 5's, gift cards and other items in Manhattan without a permit led to a riot. The known charges thus far appear to be: - 2 counts of incitement of a riot and unlawful assembly. - Additional charges are also expected. A few thoughts: - Stop politicizing everything. This doesn't have anything to do with Democrats or Republicans. - This has to do with a social media influencer breaking the law and a bunch of rowdy kids, most too young to vote, taking things too far. - Just because many of the people rioting were African American doesn't mean you should be defending the crowd more or attacking the crowd more. Stop viewing everything as black and white and Democrat / Republican.

@_Drew_2_U @krassenstein Well, if 5million of ppl follow you on social media, you NEED to consider anything can happen if you do a public in person giveaway, c’mon

@krassenstein Mixed feelings on this. The guy wanted to give away some stuff. How was he to know chaos would ensue ? 🤔

@ViralCarmichael Congrats!!! 🍾

Basically a post doc

@nicdepris presenting his work at the Embo Meeting in Croatia. Amazing talk!