Fletcher Lab
@fletcherlab.bsky.social
We investigate interesting E3 mechanisms at the frontline between virus and cell, with some virology thrown in for good measure. Ub-er fun!
At the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.
https://thefletcherlab.co.uk
At the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.
https://thefletcherlab.co.uk
Pinned
Fletcher Lab
@fletcherlab.bsky.social
· Mar 24
ZNFX1 uses two-component ubiquitin circuitry to quarantine viral RNA
Squair et al. show that ZNFX1 restricts ssRNA virus replication by integrating SF1
helicase activity with dual E3 ligase mechanisms. ATP-dependent RNA binding activates
E3 function, driving self-propa...
www.cell.com
Receptor clustering is a common theme in viral detection, but whether detection directly hinders genome replication is less clear.
Excited to share the Z in RZ-type E3s: ZNFX1 is an RNA helicase that builds ubiquitin chains leading to aggregates that ensnare viral RNA.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Excited to share the Z in RZ-type E3s: ZNFX1 is an RNA helicase that builds ubiquitin chains leading to aggregates that ensnare viral RNA.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
How do human cells defend against viruses?
@sgfern.bsky.social discovers that human immune proteins named ISGs target ancient features of replication shared between animal and bacterial viruses – opening analysis of human immunity to the power of bacterial genetics
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
@sgfern.bsky.social discovers that human immune proteins named ISGs target ancient features of replication shared between animal and bacterial viruses – opening analysis of human immunity to the power of bacterial genetics
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
June 12, 2026 at 8:24 PM
How do human cells defend against viruses?
@sgfern.bsky.social discovers that human immune proteins named ISGs target ancient features of replication shared between animal and bacterial viruses – opening analysis of human immunity to the power of bacterial genetics
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
@sgfern.bsky.social discovers that human immune proteins named ISGs target ancient features of replication shared between animal and bacterial viruses – opening analysis of human immunity to the power of bacterial genetics
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Alternative splicing broadens antiviral diversity at the human OAS2 locus
Emma Davies et al @fletcherlab.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Emma Davies et al @fletcherlab.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Alternative splicing broadens antiviral diversity at the human OAS2 locus - The EMBO Journal
Interferons (IFN) are cytokines that regulate the expression of hundreds of genes during viral infections to generate a broadly antiviral environment in the stimulated cell. Antiviral breadth is provi...
link.springer.com
June 11, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Alternative splicing broadens antiviral diversity at the human OAS2 locus
Emma Davies et al @fletcherlab.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Emma Davies et al @fletcherlab.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Delighted to share our article on the functional expansion of OAS2 via alt. splicing.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A tour de force from PhD student Emma Davies and friends.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A tour de force from PhD student Emma Davies and friends.
Alternative splicing broadens antiviral diversity at the human OAS2 locus - The EMBO Journal
Interferons (IFN) are cytokines that regulate the expression of hundreds of genes during viral infections to generate a broadly antiviral environment in the stimulated cell. Antiviral breadth is provi...
link.springer.com
June 3, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Delighted to share our article on the functional expansion of OAS2 via alt. splicing.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A tour de force from PhD student Emma Davies and friends.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A tour de force from PhD student Emma Davies and friends.
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
We are incredibly excited to see our most recent story out @nature.com today:HIV triggers CD4-signaling to remodel nuclear pores and license infection!A heroic effort led by our very own @d-mesner.bsky.social & @mattvxwhelan.bsky.social! @blizardinstitute.bsky.social Link: tinyurl.com/HIVNup 1/11
May 6, 2026 at 3:18 PM
We are incredibly excited to see our most recent story out @nature.com today:HIV triggers CD4-signaling to remodel nuclear pores and license infection!A heroic effort led by our very own @d-mesner.bsky.social & @mattvxwhelan.bsky.social! @blizardinstitute.bsky.social Link: tinyurl.com/HIVNup 1/11
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
How diverse is bacterial immunity ?
We report in @science.org how language models allowed us to predict 2.4M antiphage proteins spanning >23K novel potential systems.
👏 @emordret.bsky.social, @alexhv.bsky.social & al doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Explore them here defensefinder.mdmlab.fr/wiki/refseq_...
We report in @science.org how language models allowed us to predict 2.4M antiphage proteins spanning >23K novel potential systems.
👏 @emordret.bsky.social, @alexhv.bsky.social & al doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Explore them here defensefinder.mdmlab.fr/wiki/refseq_...
www.science.org
April 2, 2026 at 6:44 PM
How diverse is bacterial immunity ?
We report in @science.org how language models allowed us to predict 2.4M antiphage proteins spanning >23K novel potential systems.
👏 @emordret.bsky.social, @alexhv.bsky.social & al doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Explore them here defensefinder.mdmlab.fr/wiki/refseq_...
We report in @science.org how language models allowed us to predict 2.4M antiphage proteins spanning >23K novel potential systems.
👏 @emordret.bsky.social, @alexhv.bsky.social & al doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Explore them here defensefinder.mdmlab.fr/wiki/refseq_...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Registration now open! 2026 #EMBO #Ubiquitin Workshop set in stunning Monopoli, Puglia 🇮🇹
Cutting edge science, great speakers, short talk opportunities, travel awards
Limited spaces. Dont miss out - register early!
Registration & more info: meetings.embo.org/event/26-ubi...
Cutting edge science, great speakers, short talk opportunities, travel awards
Limited spaces. Dont miss out - register early!
Registration & more info: meetings.embo.org/event/26-ubi...
March 27, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Registration now open! 2026 #EMBO #Ubiquitin Workshop set in stunning Monopoli, Puglia 🇮🇹
Cutting edge science, great speakers, short talk opportunities, travel awards
Limited spaces. Dont miss out - register early!
Registration & more info: meetings.embo.org/event/26-ubi...
Cutting edge science, great speakers, short talk opportunities, travel awards
Limited spaces. Dont miss out - register early!
Registration & more info: meetings.embo.org/event/26-ubi...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Our work on the role of Ufmylation on ribosome quality control on the ER is out! Great work of two terrific first authors Milica and @alessandrick.bsky.social together with our wonderful collaborators, the one and only Dagdas lab @plantophagy.bsky.social!
🆕 publication! The @gekaragoz.bsky.social lab shows how cells clear stalled ribosomes at the ER, preventing harmful 'traffic jams' during protein synthesis🚦Their new @embojournal.org study reveals how quality control and UFMylation team up to keep translation moving ➡️ tinyurl.com/2czj8fvp
March 25, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Our work on the role of Ufmylation on ribosome quality control on the ER is out! Great work of two terrific first authors Milica and @alessandrick.bsky.social together with our wonderful collaborators, the one and only Dagdas lab @plantophagy.bsky.social!
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
🔬 We’re hiring in Zürich🇨🇭!
My lab is recruiting a new PhD student in molecular immunology (interferons, autoantibodies & viral disease). Position is fully-funded. Starting date anticipated to be late 2026/early 2027.
Further details and how to apply: tinyurl.com/IMVPhD2026
Deadline 1st May 2026.
My lab is recruiting a new PhD student in molecular immunology (interferons, autoantibodies & viral disease). Position is fully-funded. Starting date anticipated to be late 2026/early 2027.
Further details and how to apply: tinyurl.com/IMVPhD2026
Deadline 1st May 2026.
PhD Studentship in Molecular Immunology (interferons in health and disease)
tinyurl.com
March 25, 2026 at 1:13 PM
🔬 We’re hiring in Zürich🇨🇭!
My lab is recruiting a new PhD student in molecular immunology (interferons, autoantibodies & viral disease). Position is fully-funded. Starting date anticipated to be late 2026/early 2027.
Further details and how to apply: tinyurl.com/IMVPhD2026
Deadline 1st May 2026.
My lab is recruiting a new PhD student in molecular immunology (interferons, autoantibodies & viral disease). Position is fully-funded. Starting date anticipated to be late 2026/early 2027.
Further details and how to apply: tinyurl.com/IMVPhD2026
Deadline 1st May 2026.
Receptor clustering is a common theme in viral detection, but whether detection directly hinders genome replication is less clear.
Excited to share the Z in RZ-type E3s: ZNFX1 is an RNA helicase that builds ubiquitin chains leading to aggregates that ensnare viral RNA.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Excited to share the Z in RZ-type E3s: ZNFX1 is an RNA helicase that builds ubiquitin chains leading to aggregates that ensnare viral RNA.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
ZNFX1 uses two-component ubiquitin circuitry to quarantine viral RNA
Squair et al. show that ZNFX1 restricts ssRNA virus replication by integrating SF1
helicase activity with dual E3 ligase mechanisms. ATP-dependent RNA binding activates
E3 function, driving self-propa...
www.cell.com
March 24, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Receptor clustering is a common theme in viral detection, but whether detection directly hinders genome replication is less clear.
Excited to share the Z in RZ-type E3s: ZNFX1 is an RNA helicase that builds ubiquitin chains leading to aggregates that ensnare viral RNA.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Excited to share the Z in RZ-type E3s: ZNFX1 is an RNA helicase that builds ubiquitin chains leading to aggregates that ensnare viral RNA.
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
PhD position in our lab - 4-year funded by BBSRC and @nrpdtp.bsky.social in collaboration with @earlhaminst.bsky.social and Inspiralis Ltd. Open to UK fee qualifying students - UK citizens and citizens of Ireland (residency requirement), etc biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/how...
How do RNA molecules shape genome regulation in the nervous system? (AKAY_U26CASE) | Doctoral Training Partnership
This is open to Home Fee Status candidates only. This PhD project will investigate how RNA modifications influence the activity of topoisomerase I (TOP1), a crucial enzyme that regulates DNA…
biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk
March 6, 2026 at 3:06 PM
PhD position in our lab - 4-year funded by BBSRC and @nrpdtp.bsky.social in collaboration with @earlhaminst.bsky.social and Inspiralis Ltd. Open to UK fee qualifying students - UK citizens and citizens of Ireland (residency requirement), etc biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/how...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
CBASS is a cyclic nucleotide-based antiviral system in bacteria that is related to cGAS-STING signaling in animals. One of the big questions is how CBASS is activated during phage infection? We made some progress on this during my final year in the Kranzusch lab.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
March 6, 2026 at 5:28 AM
CBASS is a cyclic nucleotide-based antiviral system in bacteria that is related to cGAS-STING signaling in animals. One of the big questions is how CBASS is activated during phage infection? We made some progress on this during my final year in the Kranzusch lab.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
I am incredibly excited to share that I will start my independent lab at the @unidue-zmb.bsky.social at the @unidue.bsky.social as Junior Professor of Cellular Biochemistry. Research in my lab has the goal to decipher the ubiquitin code!
There are multiple open positions!
(1/3)
There are multiple open positions!
(1/3)
March 5, 2026 at 11:00 AM
I am incredibly excited to share that I will start my independent lab at the @unidue-zmb.bsky.social at the @unidue.bsky.social as Junior Professor of Cellular Biochemistry. Research in my lab has the goal to decipher the ubiquitin code!
There are multiple open positions!
(1/3)
There are multiple open positions!
(1/3)
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Excited to share our new paper uncovering how FANCD2 recognises various DNA repair proteins www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... @hw1o9.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org
February 27, 2026 at 8:42 AM
Excited to share our new paper uncovering how FANCD2 recognises various DNA repair proteins www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... @hw1o9.bsky.social
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
🧐 What if metabolic defects are not just a consequence of inflammatory disease - but actively contribute to it?
Inflammation and metabolism are deeply intertwined, but the molecular links remain unclear.
Our new paper in Cell Death & Differentiation uncovers one. 🧵👇
nature.com/articles/s41...
Inflammation and metabolism are deeply intertwined, but the molecular links remain unclear.
Our new paper in Cell Death & Differentiation uncovers one. 🧵👇
nature.com/articles/s41...
February 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM
🧐 What if metabolic defects are not just a consequence of inflammatory disease - but actively contribute to it?
Inflammation and metabolism are deeply intertwined, but the molecular links remain unclear.
Our new paper in Cell Death & Differentiation uncovers one. 🧵👇
nature.com/articles/s41...
Inflammation and metabolism are deeply intertwined, but the molecular links remain unclear.
Our new paper in Cell Death & Differentiation uncovers one. 🧵👇
nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Really happy to see this one out: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... Alibek's drive & great coll w/ friends @gekaragoz.bsky.social & E. Hallacli resulted in a cool story that starts with our beloved #Marchantia and ends with iPSC-derived neurons 🤩🤪 A short 🧵
February 23, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Really happy to see this one out: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... Alibek's drive & great coll w/ friends @gekaragoz.bsky.social & E. Hallacli resulted in a cool story that starts with our beloved #Marchantia and ends with iPSC-derived neurons 🤩🤪 A short 🧵
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
I have multiple positions available to join my lab from this summer: #postdoc, #student and #technician. Adverts to follow but see www.saurinlab.com for further details. #senescence, #mitosis, #cellcycle, #phosphorylation are the key areas. Email me if interested.
February 22, 2026 at 2:24 PM
I have multiple positions available to join my lab from this summer: #postdoc, #student and #technician. Adverts to follow but see www.saurinlab.com for further details. #senescence, #mitosis, #cellcycle, #phosphorylation are the key areas. Email me if interested.
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
I am excited to share our latest preprint - An evolutionarily divergent herpesvirus with a giant tail. Featuring symmetry breaking and genome annotation from structure using ModelAngelo. doi.org/10.64898/202...
February 14, 2026 at 8:10 AM
I am excited to share our latest preprint - An evolutionarily divergent herpesvirus with a giant tail. Featuring symmetry breaking and genome annotation from structure using ModelAngelo. doi.org/10.64898/202...
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Hello world! I am excited to announce my lab is open at the University of Utah in the Department of Biochemistry. We are looking for scientists at all levels interested in studying host-virus interactions in both bacteria and animals. Come join us in beautiful Utah! (photo is 10 steps from lab)
January 22, 2026 at 10:06 PM
Hello world! I am excited to announce my lab is open at the University of Utah in the Department of Biochemistry. We are looking for scientists at all levels interested in studying host-virus interactions in both bacteria and animals. Come join us in beautiful Utah! (photo is 10 steps from lab)
Super new paper from @ubch-alice.bsky.social and Danny Huang @cruk-si.bsky.social – a great deal of hard work and development behind this story. From a technical perspective, this reads as a primer for tapping 'unconventional' E3s. Very well done Alice and team!
My first-author paper is out in @chemicalscience.rsc.org from my time in Professor Danny Huang’s laboratory @cruk-si.bsky.social. We showed that CBL can be used as a degrader E3 to target the “undruggable” eIF4E.
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...
CBL ubiquitin ligase targets translation as a degrader E3
Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional molecules that recruit an ubiquitin ligase (E3) and a neo-substrate into a ternary complex, enabling selective protein degradation. Desp...
pubs.rsc.org
January 22, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Super new paper from @ubch-alice.bsky.social and Danny Huang @cruk-si.bsky.social – a great deal of hard work and development behind this story. From a technical perspective, this reads as a primer for tapping 'unconventional' E3s. Very well done Alice and team!
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Excited to share our work into ubiquitin E1-E2 specificity mechanisms. CryoEM visualising #ubiquitin transfer,biochemistry,evolution @labhofmann.bsky.social & tissue expression analyses @psarkies.bsky.social Big thanks to the team,reviewers & handling editor @dimitristypas.bsky.social rdcu.be/eTRdR
UBA6 specificity for ubiquitin E2 conjugating enzymes reveals a priority mechanism of BIRC6
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - Riechmann et al. uncover structural features governing ubiquitin transfer from ubiquitin-activating E1 enzymes UBA1 and UBA6 to specific E2...
rdcu.be
December 9, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Excited to share our work into ubiquitin E1-E2 specificity mechanisms. CryoEM visualising #ubiquitin transfer,biochemistry,evolution @labhofmann.bsky.social & tissue expression analyses @psarkies.bsky.social Big thanks to the team,reviewers & handling editor @dimitristypas.bsky.social rdcu.be/eTRdR
We’re thrilled to onboard Alice Wicks @ubch-alice.bsky.social in the lab this week. Alice trained with Danny Huang @cruk-si.bsky.social and has developed exciting new ideas for co-opting E3s for targeted degradation. Welcome to the team, Alice.
December 1, 2025 at 11:14 PM
We’re thrilled to onboard Alice Wicks @ubch-alice.bsky.social in the lab this week. Alice trained with Danny Huang @cruk-si.bsky.social and has developed exciting new ideas for co-opting E3s for targeted degradation. Welcome to the team, Alice.
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
We’ve made some new tools to manipulate N-recognins. Check them out in our preprint.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 29, 2025 at 3:24 AM
We’ve made some new tools to manipulate N-recognins. Check them out in our preprint.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Join @uofglasgow.bsky.social for a funded 3.5 year PhD programme:
www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...
Also up for grabs is a project on antiviral PROTACs, supervised by us and the France lab (School of Chemistry) should ubiquitin and viruses appeal! Please get in touch with any questions.
www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...
Also up for grabs is a project on antiviral PROTACs, supervised by us and the France lab (School of Chemistry) should ubiquitin and viruses appeal! Please get in touch with any questions.
www.gla.ac.uk
November 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Join @uofglasgow.bsky.social for a funded 3.5 year PhD programme:
www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...
Also up for grabs is a project on antiviral PROTACs, supervised by us and the France lab (School of Chemistry) should ubiquitin and viruses appeal! Please get in touch with any questions.
www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...
Also up for grabs is a project on antiviral PROTACs, supervised by us and the France lab (School of Chemistry) should ubiquitin and viruses appeal! Please get in touch with any questions.
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
Excited to share the peer-reviewed version of our work, now online in @embojournal.org! Big thanks to our reviewers and @hvodermaier.bsky.social for facilitating this process. Looking forward to continuing this fun collaboration with @michaelnadbio.bsky.social!
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
October 30, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Excited to share the peer-reviewed version of our work, now online in @embojournal.org! Big thanks to our reviewers and @hvodermaier.bsky.social for facilitating this process. Looking forward to continuing this fun collaboration with @michaelnadbio.bsky.social!
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Fletcher Lab
A #postdoc position in atypical #ubiquitin signalling and protein binder engineering is opening soon in my lab at DTU Bioengineering! Get in touch if you are interested.
October 30, 2025 at 2:13 PM
A #postdoc position in atypical #ubiquitin signalling and protein binder engineering is opening soon in my lab at DTU Bioengineering! Get in touch if you are interested.