François Rousset
@francoisrousset.bsky.social
Principal Investigator | Microbial Molecular Genomics Lab | https://www.rousset-lab.com |International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI) in Lyon 🇫🇷 Studying the molecular basis of phage-bacteria interactions.
Pinned
📣 The ERC Starting Grant call results are out!
Find out which early-career researchers will receive funding this year, what they will be investigating, where they will be based... plus lots of other #ERCStG facts & figures for 2025!
➡️ buff.ly/IsafuFh
#FrontierResearch 🇪🇺#EUfunded #HorizonEurope
Find out which early-career researchers will receive funding this year, what they will be investigating, where they will be based... plus lots of other #ERCStG facts & figures for 2025!
➡️ buff.ly/IsafuFh
#FrontierResearch 🇪🇺#EUfunded #HorizonEurope
Super excited to receive the ERC starting grant to explore what phage-bacteria interactions can teach us on host-pathogen conflicts 🤩 I'm immensely grateful to my wonderful team and to present and past mentors 🙏
Reposted by François Rousset
🚀New preprint from our lab!
I am very excited to finally share what has been the main focus of my PhD for the past almost 3 years! It is about viral dark matter and a powerful tool we built to shed light on it. 🧬💡
Continue reading (🧵)
I am very excited to finally share what has been the main focus of my PhD for the past almost 3 years! It is about viral dark matter and a powerful tool we built to shed light on it. 🧬💡
Continue reading (🧵)
November 20, 2025 at 6:52 PM
🚀New preprint from our lab!
I am very excited to finally share what has been the main focus of my PhD for the past almost 3 years! It is about viral dark matter and a powerful tool we built to shed light on it. 🧬💡
Continue reading (🧵)
I am very excited to finally share what has been the main focus of my PhD for the past almost 3 years! It is about viral dark matter and a powerful tool we built to shed light on it. 🧬💡
Continue reading (🧵)
Reposted by François Rousset
Very happy to share our collaborative project on FAM118 proteins - noncanonical sirtuins that form filaments and process NAD in human and other vertebrate cells.
Filament formation and NAD processing by noncanonical human FAM118 sirtuins
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - Baretić and Missoury et al. identify vertebrate proteins FAM118B and FAM118A as sirtuins similar to bacterial antiphage enzymes and show that...
rdcu.be
November 17, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Very happy to share our collaborative project on FAM118 proteins - noncanonical sirtuins that form filaments and process NAD in human and other vertebrate cells.
A mysterious lactamase-nuclease module found in multiple defense systems finally solved ! Congrats @owentuck.bsky.social et al. !
Our nuclease-protease story is out! We explored a fascinating case of coevolution and modularity in prokaryotic immune systems: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Recurrent acquisition of nuclease-protease pairs in antiviral immunity
Antiviral immune systems diversify by integrating new genes into existing pathways, creating new mechanisms of viral resistance. We identified genes encoding a predicted nuclease paired with a trypsin...
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 12:30 PM
A mysterious lactamase-nuclease module found in multiple defense systems finally solved ! Congrats @owentuck.bsky.social et al. !
Reposted by François Rousset
Our nuclease-protease story is out! We explored a fascinating case of coevolution and modularity in prokaryotic immune systems: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Recurrent acquisition of nuclease-protease pairs in antiviral immunity
Antiviral immune systems diversify by integrating new genes into existing pathways, creating new mechanisms of viral resistance. We identified genes encoding a predicted nuclease paired with a trypsin...
www.science.org
November 13, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Our nuclease-protease story is out! We explored a fascinating case of coevolution and modularity in prokaryotic immune systems: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Thanks to wonderful coauthors/collaborators/friends, the whole @doudna-lab.bsky.social and everyone at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social
Reposted by François Rousset
Fantastic paper by James Bean and colleagues on phage Bas63 - this has been one of the first phages I ever isolated just for fun as a PhD student (in 2012!). It's #2 on this plate of Rhine river water on an E.coli K-12 lawn....
How it started /// How it's going
How it started /// How it's going
November 13, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Fantastic paper by James Bean and colleagues on phage Bas63 - this has been one of the first phages I ever isolated just for fun as a PhD student (in 2012!). It's #2 on this plate of Rhine river water on an E.coli K-12 lawn....
How it started /// How it's going
How it started /// How it's going
Congrats Alexandre, @lucievirevolte.bsky.social et al. 🙌
Glad we could bring a small contribution
Glad we could bring a small contribution
📖Latest from the lab:
Evo. characterization #antiviral #SAMD9/9L across #kingdoms🚶♀️🦍🦠🧫🖥️: ancient #convergence + #adaptations @natecoevo.nature.com
Led by amazing Alexandre Legrand +major contributions by Rémi Demeure & Amandine Chantharath @ciri-lyon.bsky.social 1/n
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Evo. characterization #antiviral #SAMD9/9L across #kingdoms🚶♀️🦍🦠🧫🖥️: ancient #convergence + #adaptations @natecoevo.nature.com
Led by amazing Alexandre Legrand +major contributions by Rémi Demeure & Amandine Chantharath @ciri-lyon.bsky.social 1/n
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Evolutionary characterization of antiviral SAMD9/9L across kingdoms supports ancient convergence and lineage-specific adaptations - Nature Ecology & Evolution
A search for analogues of the human SAMD9/9L antiviral genes identifies convergent evolution of this gene family in the bacterial and animal kingdoms, with species-specific and recent genomic signatur...
www.nature.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Congrats Alexandre, @lucievirevolte.bsky.social et al. 🙌
Glad we could bring a small contribution
Glad we could bring a small contribution
Reposted by François Rousset
#ResultatScientifique 🔎 Certains gènes antiviraux humains partagent des défenses communes avec les bactéries, révélant une convergence évolutive surprenante 🧬
✍️ Alexandre Legrand et @lucievirevolte.bsky.social
📕 Nature Ecology and Evolution
buff.ly/Su0EdiU
✍️ Alexandre Legrand et @lucievirevolte.bsky.social
📕 Nature Ecology and Evolution
buff.ly/Su0EdiU
Défenses immunitaires : une invention répétée au cours de l’évolution
Dans une étude publiée dans Nature Ecology and Evolution, des scientifiques montrent que les gènes SAMD9 et SAMD9L, a
www.insb.cnrs.fr
November 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
#ResultatScientifique 🔎 Certains gènes antiviraux humains partagent des défenses communes avec les bactéries, révélant une convergence évolutive surprenante 🧬
✍️ Alexandre Legrand et @lucievirevolte.bsky.social
📕 Nature Ecology and Evolution
buff.ly/Su0EdiU
✍️ Alexandre Legrand et @lucievirevolte.bsky.social
📕 Nature Ecology and Evolution
buff.ly/Su0EdiU
Reposted by François Rousset
🚨New preprint out!
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 5:26 PM
🚨New preprint out!
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We present a foundational genomic resource of human gut microbiome viruses. It delivers high-quality, deeply curated data spanning taxonomy, predicted hosts, structures, and functions, providing a reference for gut virome research. (1/8)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Amazing work from @ostermanilya.bsky.social and @soreklab.bsky.social : phage-triggered genome degradation produces a signaling molecule that activates a cell-killing effector 😮
Time to rename the HAD+TM system we described a few years ago with @dbikard.bsky.social !
Time to rename the HAD+TM system we described a few years ago with @dbikard.bsky.social !
Bacteria can sense when a virus starts shredding their genome — by detecting methylated mononucleotides.
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Amazing work from @ostermanilya.bsky.social and @soreklab.bsky.social : phage-triggered genome degradation produces a signaling molecule that activates a cell-killing effector 😮
Time to rename the HAD+TM system we described a few years ago with @dbikard.bsky.social !
Time to rename the HAD+TM system we described a few years ago with @dbikard.bsky.social !
Reposted by François Rousset
Bacteria can sense when a virus starts shredding their genome — by detecting methylated mononucleotides.
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Bacteria can sense when a virus starts shredding their genome — by detecting methylated mononucleotides.
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Here’s the story of how we discovered the Metis defense system 👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by François Rousset
Reposted by François Rousset
@prczhaoyansong.bsky.social’s deep dive into the dark matter of compost communities is now out 🎉 Genomic islands hijack jumbo phages—whose capsids enable transfer of large tracts of DNA—shedding new light on the scale & scope of phage-mediated gene flow 😎
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Jumbo phage–mediated transduction of genomic islands | PNAS
Bacteria acquire new genes by horizontal gene transfer, typically mediated by mobile
genetic elements (MGEs). While plasmids, bacteriophages, and c...
www.pnas.org
October 28, 2025 at 6:36 PM
@prczhaoyansong.bsky.social’s deep dive into the dark matter of compost communities is now out 🎉 Genomic islands hijack jumbo phages—whose capsids enable transfer of large tracts of DNA—shedding new light on the scale & scope of phage-mediated gene flow 😎
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by François Rousset
JOB OFFER #PhageSky
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
Portail Emploi CNRS - Offre d'emploi - Postdoctoral researcher Microbiology (M/F)
emploi.cnrs.fr
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
JOB OFFER #PhageSky
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
Reposted by François Rousset
1/10 Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from?
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Antiviral reverse transcriptases reveal the evolutionary origin of telomerase
Defense-associated reverse transcriptases (DRTs) employ diverse and distinctive mechanisms of cDNA synthesis to protect bacteria against viral infection. However, much of DRT family diversity remains ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 17, 2025 at 5:22 PM
1/10 Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from?
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by François Rousset
Are you interested in studying RNA phages? We are looking for a PhD student and a postdoc to join the lab!
For more information and how to apply, see below 👇
Please RT!
For more information and how to apply, see below 👇
Please RT!
📢 The #HIRI is looking for a #postdoc & a #PhD student to join the research group of @jenshoer.bsky.social. His lab focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of #phages with #RNA genomes during infection, host takeover & anti-phage defense. 🧫🦠 More info: www.helmholtz-hiri.de/en/jobs-tale...
Working at HIRI
At the HIRI, we do not just value excellent research. Short distances, an open door policy, and a good working atmosphere—this is what distinguishes us from others. Have a look at our current job…
www.helmholtz-hiri.de
October 17, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Are you interested in studying RNA phages? We are looking for a PhD student and a postdoc to join the lab!
For more information and how to apply, see below 👇
Please RT!
For more information and how to apply, see below 👇
Please RT!
Reposted by François Rousset
Perfect timing in the field for a beautiful review on NAD+ in bacterial immunity by @hugovaysset.bsky.social and @audeber.bsky.social @cp-molcell.bsky.social
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
October 16, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Perfect timing in the field for a beautiful review on NAD+ in bacterial immunity by @hugovaysset.bsky.social and @audeber.bsky.social @cp-molcell.bsky.social
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
#MicroSky
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by François Rousset
Our latest work reveals that arbitrium phages cross-communicate across species! These tiny viruses “listen” to signals from others, coordinating lysis-lysogeny decisions across species.
Original idea from @albertomarina.bsky.social and, as usual, he was right.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Original idea from @albertomarina.bsky.social and, as usual, he was right.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Phages communicate across species to shape microbial ecosystems
Arbitrium is a communication system that helps bacteriophages decide between lysis and lysogeny via secreted peptides. In arbitrium, the AimP peptide binds its cognate AimR receptor to repress aimX ex...
www.biorxiv.org
October 14, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Our latest work reveals that arbitrium phages cross-communicate across species! These tiny viruses “listen” to signals from others, coordinating lysis-lysogeny decisions across species.
Original idea from @albertomarina.bsky.social and, as usual, he was right.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Original idea from @albertomarina.bsky.social and, as usual, he was right.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by François Rousset
Two intensive sampling periods of oyster-associated vibrio and their phage, 4 years apart, and many surprises. Despite being washed by the Atlantic, wide tides, and vibrio (almost?) disappearing most of the year, we can find the exact same virulent phages 4 years later (down to 0 SNP)! preprint👇
October 14, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Two intensive sampling periods of oyster-associated vibrio and their phage, 4 years apart, and many surprises. Despite being washed by the Atlantic, wide tides, and vibrio (almost?) disappearing most of the year, we can find the exact same virulent phages 4 years later (down to 0 SNP)! preprint👇
Reposted by François Rousset
#ExpertsCNRS 🔎 Journalistes, en lien avec le #NobelPrize de médecine, le bureau de presse du @cnrs.fr vous propose des scientifiques pouvant vous éclairer sur les travaux des lauréats.
Si vous êtes intéressés :
📞📩 cnrs.fr/fr/contacts
Si vous êtes intéressés :
📞📩 cnrs.fr/fr/contacts
October 6, 2025 at 10:53 AM
#ExpertsCNRS 🔎 Journalistes, en lien avec le #NobelPrize de médecine, le bureau de presse du @cnrs.fr vous propose des scientifiques pouvant vous éclairer sur les travaux des lauréats.
Si vous êtes intéressés :
📞📩 cnrs.fr/fr/contacts
Si vous êtes intéressés :
📞📩 cnrs.fr/fr/contacts
Reposted by François Rousset
Now online at @nature.com we show how the Panoptes defense system protects against viruses that attempt immune evasion - and expands our understanding of the role of oligonucleotides in immunity.
Check out this work co-led with @benadler.bsky.social here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check out this work co-led with @benadler.bsky.social here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature
Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.
www.nature.com
October 2, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Now online at @nature.com we show how the Panoptes defense system protects against viruses that attempt immune evasion - and expands our understanding of the role of oligonucleotides in immunity.
Check out this work co-led with @benadler.bsky.social here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check out this work co-led with @benadler.bsky.social here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by François Rousset
Today in @nature.com , we highlight how a cousin of CRISPR-Cas10, mCpol, establishes an evolutionary trap in anti-phage immune systems.
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature
Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.
www.nature.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Today in @nature.com , we highlight how a cousin of CRISPR-Cas10, mCpol, establishes an evolutionary trap in anti-phage immune systems.
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by François Rousset
*New preprint*
#phage #phagesky
This is a cool effort lead by Fangchao, Arkin lab, to test a new tech to study phage-host interaction mechanism at scale, in a droplet!
We benchmarked it by using a set of 2 classical coli phages to identify their receptors, impt for generatin data for AI/ML models
#phage #phagesky
This is a cool effort lead by Fangchao, Arkin lab, to test a new tech to study phage-host interaction mechanism at scale, in a droplet!
We benchmarked it by using a set of 2 classical coli phages to identify their receptors, impt for generatin data for AI/ML models
Droplet-based Random Barcode Transposon-site Sequencing (Droplet RB-TnSeq) to characterize phage-host interactions https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.29.679331v1
October 1, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Reposted by François Rousset
Hiring! 🧬🔬
Ever wondered how bacteria fight off viruses? We’re looking for a PhD student to dive into the molecular basis of newly discovered microbial immune systems, an area of biology where much remains to be uncovered.
RT/share to help us find our next team member!
www.lumc.nl/en/about-lum...
Ever wondered how bacteria fight off viruses? We’re looking for a PhD student to dive into the molecular basis of newly discovered microbial immune systems, an area of biology where much remains to be uncovered.
RT/share to help us find our next team member!
www.lumc.nl/en/about-lum...
PhD-positie Bacteriële Verdedigingssystemen tegen Virussen | LUMC
Wij zoeken een getalenteerde en gemotiveerde PhD-kandidaat om het onderzoeksteam van Luuk Loeff te versterken. In dit project maak je gebruik van geavanceerde technologieën om te ontrafelen hoe bacter...
www.lumc.nl
September 29, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Hiring! 🧬🔬
Ever wondered how bacteria fight off viruses? We’re looking for a PhD student to dive into the molecular basis of newly discovered microbial immune systems, an area of biology where much remains to be uncovered.
RT/share to help us find our next team member!
www.lumc.nl/en/about-lum...
Ever wondered how bacteria fight off viruses? We’re looking for a PhD student to dive into the molecular basis of newly discovered microbial immune systems, an area of biology where much remains to be uncovered.
RT/share to help us find our next team member!
www.lumc.nl/en/about-lum...
Wow 🤯
I am excited to share our new preprint on the CAGE complex, a mysterious hollow protein complex that I first saw years ago while surveying Tetrahymena ciliary lysate www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #cilia #protistsonsky 🧬🧪
September 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Wow 🤯
Reposted by François Rousset
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
You’ve heard of ubiquitination, meet deazaguanylation: Doug Wassarman in our lab discovered phage defense pathways have co-opted Q nucleobase biosynthetic enzymes to catalyze a new form of protein conjugation chemistry @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...