S. Gribaldo

An ancestral dual function of OmpM as outer membrane tether and nutrient uptake channel in diderm Firmicutes

This study identifies OmpM as a dual-function protein in diderm Firmicutes that tethers the outer membrane to peptidoglycan and facilitates nutrient uptake.

Analyses of cell wall synthesis in Clostridioides difficile reveal a diversification in cell division mechanisms in endospore-forming bacteria

This study reveals that C. difficile uses a bifunctional class A penicillin-binding protein for cell division during normal growth, diverging from the typical FtsW-FtsI divisome mechanism.

Borg extrachromosomal elements of methane-oxidizing archaea have conserved and expressed genetic repertoires

The paper identifies conserved genetic repertoires in Borg extrachromosomal elements of methane-oxidizing archaea and shows their higher expression than host genes.

Bridges instead of boats? The Mla system of diderm Firmicute Veillonella parvula reveals an ancestral transenvelope core of phospholipid trafficking

This study investigates GPL trafficking in Veillonella parvula, revealing a minimal Mla system that directly connects membranes without chaperones or outer membrane lipoproteins, suggesting an ancestral core of the Mla system.

Two-million-year-old microbial communities from the Kap Kobenhavn Formation in North Greenland

This paper reconstructs microbial communities from 2-million-year-old permafrost in Greenland, finding similarities to modern thawing permafrost microbes and suggesting microbial communities may signal climate change impacts before plants and animals.

PRC domain-containing proteins modulate FtsZ-based archaeal cell division

This study identifies PRC domain proteins as essential components of the FtsZ-based cell division machinery in archaea, showing they form complexes with SepF and FtsZ and are required for proper cell division.

Growth temperature is the principal driver of chromatinization in archaea

This study identifies growth temperature as the main factor influencing chromatinization in archaea by analyzing NAP diversity and abundance across 19 species.

An ancient divide in outer membrane tethering systems in Bacteria

The paper investigates the evolution of outer membrane tethering systems in bacteria, showing a bimodal distribution linked to phylogeny and proposing a mechanism for the loss of the outer membrane in Gram-positive bacteria.

SepF is the FtsZ-anchor in Archaea: implications for cell division in the Last Universal Common Ancestor

This study identifies SepF as the FtsZ anchor in Methanobrevibacter smithii, revealing its role in archaeal cell division and evolutionary implications for LUCA.

Localization and Functional Characterization of the Alternative Oxidase in Naegleria

The paper characterizes the localization and function of alternative oxidase in Naegleria species, showing its role in proliferation and potential pathogenicity.

The rise of diversity in metabolic platforms across the Candidate Phyla Radiation

This study analyzes metabolic diversity in CPR bacteria, finding that gene loss and lateral transfer shape metabolic trait distribution, with conserved central pathways and patchy accessory traits.

Cryptosporulation in Kurthia spp. forces a rethinking of asporogenesis in Firmicutes

The paper demonstrates endosporulation in the genus Kurthia, previously considered asporogenic, and proposes a revised understanding of sporulation in Firmicutes.

Autotransporters drive biofilm formation and auto-aggregation in the diderm Firmicute Veillonella parvula

This study identifies autotransporters as key drivers of biofilm formation and auto-aggregation in Veillonella parvula using genetic tools and functional analyses.

Histone variants in archaea and the evolution of combinatorial chromatin complexity

This study investigates archaeal histone paralogs, showing they can form hetero-oligomeric complexes with distinct properties and have evolved conserved functional roles, suggesting combinatorial chromatin complexity predates eukaryotes.