M. T. Laub

Anti-viral defense by an ADP-ribosyltransferase that targets mRNA to block translation

The paper identifies a novel anti-viral mechanism where CmdT, an ADP-ribosyltransferase, targets mRNA to block translation and inhibit phage replication.

Mechanism of phage sensing and abortion by toxin-antitoxin-chaperone systems

This study identifies and characterizes two Escherichia coli TAC systems that mediate antiphage defense by recognizing phage proteins and modifying mRNA to inhibit translation.

Toxic anti-phage defense proteins inhibited by intragenic antitoxin proteins

The paper identifies Rpn proteins as toxin-antitoxin systems that inhibit phage infection by blocking toxic full-length proteins with their smaller, variable C-terminal domains.

Marginal specificity in protein interactions constrains evolution

This study shows that bacterial signaling paralogs have marginal specificity, where many single mutations can cause cross-talk, constraining their evolution.

Selection of a de novo gene that can promote survival of E. coli by modulating protein homeostasis pathways

The paper identifies a de novo gene, ramF, that promotes E. coli survival by neutralizing the toxin MazF through chaperone interaction and proteolysis.

Protein design using structure-based residue preferences

This paper introduces a method to design functional proteins using residue preferences derived from structural data, showing high accuracy in predicting combinatorial mutation effects.

Direct activation of an innate immune system in bacteria by a viral capsid protein

This study identifies a bacterial immune system that directly senses a viral capsid protein through a toxin-antitoxin system, revealing a PAMP-like mechanism for innate immunity in bacteria.

Mapping the landscape of anti-phage defense mechanisms in the E. coli pangenome

The paper identifies 21 new conserved defense systems in E. coli strains, showing that prophages and mobile elements are key reservoirs of antiviral immunity.

The evolution of a counter-defense mechanism in a virus constrains its host range

This study experimentally evolves T4 phage to overcome E. coli's toxin-antitoxin system, revealing a trade-off where counter-defense mechanisms constrain host range.

Ancestral reconstruction of duplicated signaling proteins reveals the evolution of signaling specificity

This study reconstructs ancestral signaling proteins to show that three mutations in two duplicated proteins established specificity in bacterial two-component systems.

Coevolution of interacting proteins through non-contacting and non-specific mutations

The paper identifies enabling mutations in a bacterial toxin that tolerate antitoxin mutations, showing non-specific tolerance despite covariation primarily between contacting residues.

The DarTG toxin-antitoxin system provides phage defense by ADP-ribosylating viral DNA

This study identifies DarTG toxin-antitoxin systems in E. coli that defend against phage by ADP-ribosylating viral DNA, with phages evolving resistance through DNA polymerase or anti-DarT factors.

Global analysis of the specificities and targets of endoribonucleases from E. coli toxin-antitoxin systems

The paper characterizes the targets and specificities of 9 endoribonuclease toxins from E. coli using a new RNA-seq pipeline, revealing they cleave mRNAs but not tRNAs or rRNAs and disrupt ribosome biogenesis.

Activation of a signaling pathway by the physical translocation of a chromosome

This study shows how DNA replication initiation in Caulobacter crescentus triggers the CtrA signaling pathway via chromosome translocation and ParA-mediated recruitment of ChpT.

Host adaptations in the fixLJ pathway of the Burkholderia cepacia complex increase virulence

This study shows that evolved variants of the fixLJ pathway in BCC species enhance virulence in host models but reduce survival in soil.

Mucin glycans signal through the sensor kinase RetS to inhibit virulence-associated traits in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

This study shows that mucin glycans activate RetS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, inhibiting virulence traits by suppressing the GacS-GacA system and type VI secretion system.

Stress induces the transcription of toxin-antitoxin systems but does not activate toxin

The paper shows stress increases TA system transcription but does not release toxin, suggesting TA systems may not promote stress survival.

A simple, cost-effective, and robust method for rRNA depletion in RNA-sequencing studies

This paper develops a cost-effective method for rRNA depletion in RNA-seq by designing biotinylated oligonucleotides, achieving 75-80% mRNA reads and comparable results to the discontinued Ribo-Zero kit.

Constriction rate modulation can drive cell size control and homeostasis in C. crescentus

This study shows that constriction rate in C. crescentus affects cell size control and homeostasis by regulating elongation during division and compensating for pre-constriction variation.

SMC Progressively Aligns Chromosomal Arms In Caulobacter crescentus But Is Antagonized By Convergent Transcription

This study shows that SMC aligns chromosomal arms in Caulobacter crescentus via ParB and that convergent transcription disrupts this alignment.