Prof. Breaker is an RNA biochemist, Sterling Professor, and Dean of Science at Yale University with appointments in the Departments of MCDB and MB&B.
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Tweets 209
- Following 110
- Followers 4,191
- Likes 138
Seeking a soon-to-be PhD for a postdoc on AI and #riboswitch discovery who meets citizenship requirements to apply for an NSF fellowship. A job posting is here (tinyurl.com/3j73jfcn) and the NSF opportunity is here (tinyurl.com/mryn43ux). Send cv to kumari.thakur@yale.edu.
1
10
31
2,262
Our new paper in PNAS reports the presence of Na+ and Li+ #aptamer RNAs in mammals. The latter hints at natural roles for #lithium in humans and provides direct links to #BipolarDisorder. Now seeking funding to study Li+ biology and create new therapeutics.
2
22
98
4,801
My lab at #Yale has two #riboswitch research openings: 1. Postdoc with mammalian gene manipulation experience (tinyurl.com/zzb269em); 2. Postdoc (or BS, MS) with bioinformatics skills (tinyurl.com/3j73jfcn). Send your cv to me or to Kavita at kumari.thakur@yale.edu.
4
48
135
20,852
Thrilled to receive a 3-year, $2.2M grant from the John Templeton Foundation to investigate mammalian #riboswitch RNAs that sense elemental ions and control genes for neurological processes. Excited for the discoveries ahead! @templeton_fdn
1
1
36
1,744
Some personal news: Today, I start my service as the FAS Dean of Science at Yale. It is a tremendous honor to help lead such a vibrant scientific community. I’m grateful for the opportunity and eager to support the groundbreaking research and teaching that defines Yale science.
9
50
2,955
#Guanidine was known since the 1870s to affect muscle function. Vertebrates have guanidine-sensing #riboswitch RNAs linked to genes relevant to muscle disorders, including some for Ca2+ signaling and others relevant to #ataxia symptoms. @NatureComms nature.com/articles/s41467-0…
1
22
102
15,493
Ronald Breaker retweeted
Computational Biophysics and Biochemistry: Faculty Position Opening in the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale.
5
15
1,822
My Yale team has exciting RNA research advances related to neurological disorders, with relevance to #bipolar, #autism, #Parkinson’s, and more. Seeking private or commercial funding for our next steps. Possible partners DM @RonBreaker or contact ronald.breaker@yale.edu for info.
6
34
2,870
In the new year, I will try to post the most exciting Breaker Lab science content on my #Bluesky account at... @ronbreaker.bsky.social
More interesting #riboswitch finds and other nucleic acid oddities are likely to come!
3
756
#ncRNA molecules are stranger than you think. We propose that OLE RNA is bacteria's functional mimic of
#mTOR. The Das lab at Stanford proposes OLE RNA penetrates cell membranes! They also find that RNAs we called ROOL and GOLLD form 8-membered nanocages. biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/…
2
50
195
14,726
OLE #noncoding RNA always partners with OapA protein (unknown function). Chrishan Fernando used a computational approach to find that OapA anticorrelates with MpfA - a proven metal ion transporter. See @thechrishan for his posts on this odd #ncRNA story. tinyurl.com/yt48x8pr
1
31
2,678
Here is a recent posting for a Lecturer position with the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (MB&B) at #Yale University. Please consider joining our research and educational community @YaleMBB and contributing to these important missions! apply.interfolio.com/145019
7
12
5,071
1000s of ligand-binding #riboswitch classes likely remain hidden in bacterial transcripts. In @NAR_Open, we report many new candidate #ncRNA classes (including the opuB riboswitch candidate shown below) discovered by careful bioinfo analysis of 50 genomes. tinyurl.com/yj2n47sj
1
42
147
16,231
X-ray structure of the azaaromatic #riboswitch in @CellDiscovery by Joe Piccirilli and colleagues @UChicago reveals how a #ncRNA forms a pocket that broadly binds planar, hydrophobic ligands. A parallel-eye stereoview shows plenty of base-ligand stacking.
nature.com/articles/s41421-0…
11
44
4,737
The bacterial OLE #noncoding RNA is needed for cells to grow on most carbon/energy sources (except glucose or citrate) and to secrete proteins. This find suggests OLE (#ribozyme?) is part of a major regulatory apparatus of many Gram+ species. @PNASNexus tinyurl.com/5bf45s2h
1
11
45
4,337
Large, conserved #noncoding RNAs in bacteria with major biochemical functions are rare. Here is #raiA RNA, which has the highest % of strictly conserved nts of any #ncRNA known, and a complex structure. This must be a #ribozyme. See article at tinyurl.com/2h7heypd. @PNASNews
44
170
13,524
Yale MB&B is seeking a Lecturer to contribute to our educational mission. Please consider joining our scientific community and using your skills for teaching biochemistry. You will work with fantastic colleagues and enthusiastic students! @YaleMBB apply.interfolio.com/114946
19
27
16,388
The discovery of a #riboswitch class for 8-OxoG expands the diversity of #purine bases sensed by #aptamer RNAs. The image depicts sites of purine modification (colored boxes) relevant to the riboswitch classes whose names are in bold. @PNASNews #RNAWorld
pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.23…
7
71
5,057
A variant of #guanine #riboswitch RNAs has adapted to sense the modified base 8-oxoguanine (8-OxoG). Oxidizing agents that damage DNA, such as hydrogen peroxide, activate gene expression via this #ncRNA device. @PNASNews
pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.23…
1
35
145
11,903
Bacteria’s Brain? The mysterious OLE #ncRNA appears to be bacteria’s functional equivalent of eukaryotic #mTOR. The #OLERNA component of the #bTOR (bacterial Tasks OLE Regulates) complex looks like an #RNAWorld relic. @MolMicroEditors doi.org/10.1111/mmi.15129
22
91
10,073