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Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 9d

Science literally got its own taste:
doi.org/10.1063/5.02...

Einstein would’ve loved this dish. Time, temperature, and relativity- all served al dente!

Phase behavior of Cacio e Pepe sauce

“Pasta alla Cacio e pepe” is a traditional Italian dish made with pasta, pecorino cheese, and pepper. Despite its simple ingredient list, achieving the perfect

doi.org

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Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 12d

With our experience we kmow that the peptide is doing its best impression of Schrödinger’s molecule- there and not there :D

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Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 12d

Trust me, success is finding a team with whom you can laugh with.

Alex Holehouse @alexholehouse.bsky.social · 13d

Also needs to be said that (as some folks know) our software packages are named after birds, so while I was away, the lab filled my office with birds... ...but honestly... *very* tastefully.

Will stay for the foreseeable future!

BIRDS! EVERYWHERE! GEESE! PEACOCKS! HUMMINGBIRDS!

Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 17d

Cryo-EM captures the elusive moment when E1 hands off SUMO to E2- a molecular relay that’s been mostly guesswork until now. The structures reveal E1 doing dramatic shape-shifting to line up perfectly for the transfer, like enzyme origami in action.

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology @natsmb.nature.com · 20d

New online: Cryo-EM structures reveal the molecular mechanism of SUMO E1–E2 thioester transfer

Cryo-EM structures reveal the molecular mechanism of SUMO E1–E2 thioester transfer

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Published online: 25 September 2025; doi:10.1038/s41594-025-01681-8This study reveals how human small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) E1 recruits its E2 partner UBC9 and transfers SUMO1 through large structural changes, uncovering key mechanisms that ensure specificity and fidelity in SUMOylation, an essential protein modification pathway.

go.nature.com

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Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 18d

Since the pictures speak louder than words, here are some memories from SOLEIL. If one wants to know more about the synchrotron, have a look- youtu.be/b15hUPV5sBY?...

$The detector: the crystal is placed in an intense beam of X-rays. The angles and intensities of diffracted X-rays are measured, with each compound having a unique diffraction pattern. As the crystal is gradually rotated, previous reflections disappear and new ones appear; the intensity of every spot is recorded at every orientation of the crystal. Multiple data sets may have to be collected, with each set covering slightly more than half a full rotation of the crystal and typically containing tens of thousands of reflections.[Ref: Wikipedia]$

The computer that does it all. From mounting the crystals, to washing the ice on them, to observing the robot mount the crystal ready for being targeted be x ray beams, to setting the parameters for resolution and transmission of the rays, to rotating the crystal step-by-step through 180°, with an image recorded at every step, to collecting the data with beautiful "dots" or spots to recording the crystal symmetry, unit cell, and image scaling, these are all done in a span of 5 minutes! Proxima rocks!

$The X-rays don’t just bounce off like a mirror; they diffract in fancy, physics-approved ways, creating a starry pattern on a detector that looks like a cosmic connect-the-dots puzzle. This diffraction pattern isn’t just for show, it holds the secret blueprint of the protein’s 3D structure, down to the angsty little twists of alpha-helices and the sassy zigzags of beta-sheets. Scientists then play molecular detective, reverse-engineering the dots into a full-blown atomic model.$

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Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 19d

People including Pierre Legrand and our in house crystallographer Franck Coste were kind to help us dive in the crystals world.

Definitely one of those days where you leave feeling 93% more brilliant just by standing near the equipment.

One of the memorable day of la vie.

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Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 19d

We watched as crystals were mounted, zapped, and turned ever so precisely, collecting diffraction patterns from every angle. Each diffraction "dot" holds clues to the structure of the molecule- put them all together, and voila: we solve the atomic jigsaw puzzle...

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Aanchal @origichals.bsky.social · 19d

Today we stepped into world of crystallography with Proxima2 beamline at SOLEIL synchrotron.
So what did we learn? Imagine convincing a tiny, perfect crystal to spill its atomic secrets by blasting it with an intense X-ray beam until it diffracts in a very specific, beautiful pattern.

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