Martin Stortz
@mdstor.bsky.social
PhD, Molecular and Cell Biologist
🔬Transcription factors, genome organization, nuclear architecture, biomolecular condensates, optogenetics, fluorescence microscopy
🗣️Views are my own
🔬Transcription factors, genome organization, nuclear architecture, biomolecular condensates, optogenetics, fluorescence microscopy
🗣️Views are my own
Pinned
Martin Stortz
@mdstor.bsky.social
· Nov 10
OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.06.686574v1
📣📣We are glad to have our new preprint out!
1) This work has been made as part of my postdoc at the Tom Misteli's lab at NCI/NIH. Here we introduce OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to interrogate the not fully understood relationship between 3D genome organization and gene regulation.
1) This work has been made as part of my postdoc at the Tom Misteli's lab at NCI/NIH. Here we introduce OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to interrogate the not fully understood relationship between 3D genome organization and gene regulation.
Reposted by Martin Stortz
In their Tools and Resources article, Martin Stortz @mdstor.bsky.social, Tom Misteli and colleagues present OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organisation.
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
#CellBio #nucleus
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
#CellBio #nucleus
July 1, 2026 at 9:39 AM
In their Tools and Resources article, Martin Stortz @mdstor.bsky.social, Tom Misteli and colleagues present OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organisation.
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
#CellBio #nucleus
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
#CellBio #nucleus
Reposted by Martin Stortz
🧬💡 OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization - thanks for sharing, @mdstor.bsky.social!
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
March 9, 2026 at 10:59 AM
🧬💡 OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization - thanks for sharing, @mdstor.bsky.social!
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
Want to try our new OptoLoop constructs for optogenetic control of chromatin looping?
Check out our plasmids now available at @addgene.bsky.social
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
And don't forget to read our new article published in @jcellsci.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
Check out our plasmids now available at @addgene.bsky.social
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
And don't forget to read our new article published in @jcellsci.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
OptoLoop – an optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization
Summary: The development of OptoLoop – an optogenetic tool to induce chromatin looping in a controlled fashion using light and how this tool can be applied to study genome structure–function relations...
journals.biologists.com
March 5, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Want to try our new OptoLoop constructs for optogenetic control of chromatin looping?
Check out our plasmids now available at @addgene.bsky.social
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
And don't forget to read our new article published in @jcellsci.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
Check out our plasmids now available at @addgene.bsky.social
www.addgene.org/browse/artic...
And don't forget to read our new article published in @jcellsci.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
📣📣We are glad to have our new preprint out!
1) This work has been made as part of my postdoc at the Tom Misteli's lab at NCI/NIH. Here we introduce OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to interrogate the not fully understood relationship between 3D genome organization and gene regulation.
1) This work has been made as part of my postdoc at the Tom Misteli's lab at NCI/NIH. Here we introduce OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to interrogate the not fully understood relationship between 3D genome organization and gene regulation.
OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.06.686574v1
November 10, 2025 at 4:51 PM
📣📣We are glad to have our new preprint out!
1) This work has been made as part of my postdoc at the Tom Misteli's lab at NCI/NIH. Here we introduce OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to interrogate the not fully understood relationship between 3D genome organization and gene regulation.
1) This work has been made as part of my postdoc at the Tom Misteli's lab at NCI/NIH. Here we introduce OptoLoop, an optogenetic tool to interrogate the not fully understood relationship between 3D genome organization and gene regulation.
Reposted by Martin Stortz
OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.06.686574v1
November 8, 2025 at 1:17 PM
OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.06.686574v1
Reposted by Martin Stortz
OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.06.686574v1
November 8, 2025 at 1:17 PM
OptoLoop: An optogenetic tool to probe the functional role of genome organization https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.06.686574v1
Reposted by Martin Stortz
1. The $20 billion taxpayer-funded rescue package for Argentina, announced last week by the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, delivers an enormous windfall to hedge fund billionaire Rob Citrone.
Citrone has a longstanding personal and professional relationship with Bessent.
Citrone has a longstanding personal and professional relationship with Bessent.
Trump’s Argentina bailout enriches one well-connected billionaire
A $20 billion taxpayer-funded rescue package for Argentina is a gift for a hedge fund manager with personal and professional ties to the Treasury Secretary
popular.info
September 29, 2025 at 11:50 AM
1. The $20 billion taxpayer-funded rescue package for Argentina, announced last week by the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, delivers an enormous windfall to hedge fund billionaire Rob Citrone.
Citrone has a longstanding personal and professional relationship with Bessent.
Citrone has a longstanding personal and professional relationship with Bessent.
Reposted by Martin Stortz
🚀 Our new paper is out @natmethods.nature.com!
Kuffer & Marzilli engineered conditionally stable MS2 & PP7 coat proteins (dMCP & dPCP) that degrade unless bound to RNA, enabling ultra–low-background, single-mRNA imaging in live cells.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧬 www.addgene.org/John_Ngo/
Kuffer & Marzilli engineered conditionally stable MS2 & PP7 coat proteins (dMCP & dPCP) that degrade unless bound to RNA, enabling ultra–low-background, single-mRNA imaging in live cells.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧬 www.addgene.org/John_Ngo/
September 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
🚀 Our new paper is out @natmethods.nature.com!
Kuffer & Marzilli engineered conditionally stable MS2 & PP7 coat proteins (dMCP & dPCP) that degrade unless bound to RNA, enabling ultra–low-background, single-mRNA imaging in live cells.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧬 www.addgene.org/John_Ngo/
Kuffer & Marzilli engineered conditionally stable MS2 & PP7 coat proteins (dMCP & dPCP) that degrade unless bound to RNA, enabling ultra–low-background, single-mRNA imaging in live cells.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧬 www.addgene.org/John_Ngo/
Reposted by Martin Stortz
We’ve developed the first-ever method to control nucleic acid activity and gene-expressing synthetic cells with a deeply tissue penetrating alternating magnetic field 🧬 🧪 🧲!!!
Published in *Nature Chemistry*
Led by Ellen Parkes
@syncelleu.bsky.social #chemsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Published in *Nature Chemistry*
Led by Ellen Parkes
@syncelleu.bsky.social #chemsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Magnetic activation of spherical nucleic acids enables the remote control of synthetic cells - Nature Chemistry
The programmability of synthetic cells, comprising lipid vesicles that are capable of imitating the structure and function of living cells, facilitates their application as drug delivery devices. Now,...
www.nature.com
September 2, 2025 at 9:31 AM
We’ve developed the first-ever method to control nucleic acid activity and gene-expressing synthetic cells with a deeply tissue penetrating alternating magnetic field 🧬 🧪 🧲!!!
Published in *Nature Chemistry*
Led by Ellen Parkes
@syncelleu.bsky.social #chemsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Published in *Nature Chemistry*
Led by Ellen Parkes
@syncelleu.bsky.social #chemsky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Martin Stortz
How many photons are in a GFP? — more than last year, and more than you thought. Here's a simple, cheap, and practical method to break a fundamental limit in fluorescence microscopy. But it only works in light sheet!
August 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
How many photons are in a GFP? — more than last year, and more than you thought. Here's a simple, cheap, and practical method to break a fundamental limit in fluorescence microscopy. But it only works in light sheet!
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Excited to share the latest work from the lab led by @eharo84.bsky.social, in which we have used synthetic biology to explore the mechanisms by which different types of long-range enhancers ensure robust and precise developmental gene expression
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Synthetic engineering demonstrates that synergy among enhancers involves an increase in transcriptionally productive enhancer-gene contacts
Enhancers are non-coding cis-regulatory elements that control the expression of distally located genes in a tissue- and time-specific manner. Recent studies indicate that enhancers can differ in their...
www.biorxiv.org
August 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Excited to share the latest work from the lab led by @eharo84.bsky.social, in which we have used synthetic biology to explore the mechanisms by which different types of long-range enhancers ensure robust and precise developmental gene expression
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Pleased to see this study out, combining experimental work from our lab at the @cbitoulouse.bsky.social, in particular by @nathaliebastie.bsky.social and @beckof.bsky.social, and from Laura Chaptal and @alengronne.bsky.social at IGH Montpellier
@cnrs.fr @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social
Congrats to all!
@cnrs.fr @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social
Congrats to all!
RNA Pol II-based regulations of chromosome folding
How transcription and cohesin complexes interact to regulate 3D genome organization
remains unclear. Chapard et al. dissect their respective contributions and their interplay
in shaping the genome arc...
www.cell.com
August 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Pleased to see this study out, combining experimental work from our lab at the @cbitoulouse.bsky.social, in particular by @nathaliebastie.bsky.social and @beckof.bsky.social, and from Laura Chaptal and @alengronne.bsky.social at IGH Montpellier
@cnrs.fr @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social
Congrats to all!
@cnrs.fr @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social
Congrats to all!
Reposted by Martin Stortz
How do enhancer-gene contacts relate to transcription activation? In mouse embryonic stem cells, a combo of STED, oligoFISH & RNA FISH shows that 3% of Dppa3 alleles transcribe. For these, enhancers and promoters come closer (panel E). Stumberger ... Leonhardt & Harz www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
July 26, 2025 at 9:36 PM
How do enhancer-gene contacts relate to transcription activation? In mouse embryonic stem cells, a combo of STED, oligoFISH & RNA FISH shows that 3% of Dppa3 alleles transcribe. For these, enhancers and promoters come closer (panel E). Stumberger ... Leonhardt & Harz www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Our paper is now out in Molecular Cell!
Check the thread in this former post:
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Check the thread in this former post:
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
July 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Our paper is now out in Molecular Cell!
Check the thread in this former post:
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Check the thread in this former post:
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Martin Stortz
This seems like a really important paper comparing chromosome tracing methods, demonstrating that classical denaturing DNA-FISH and chromosome tracing leads to substantial distortion of 3D genome structure, likely due to the high-temperatures involved (70-90C):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
July 20, 2025 at 7:39 PM
This seems like a really important paper comparing chromosome tracing methods, demonstrating that classical denaturing DNA-FISH and chromosome tracing leads to substantial distortion of 3D genome structure, likely due to the high-temperatures involved (70-90C):
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Designed protein pockets recognize intrinsically disordered protein regions @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.statnews.com/2025/07/17/n...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.statnews.com/2025/07/17/n...
Disorder meets its match
Designed protein pockets recognize intrinsically disordered protein regions
www.science.org
July 17, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Designed protein pockets recognize intrinsically disordered protein regions @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.statnews.com/2025/07/17/n...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.statnews.com/2025/07/17/n...
Reposted by Martin Stortz
What's the best software for making and styling a protein sequence alignment? Please tell me there's something better than MS Word?
July 16, 2025 at 6:34 PM
What's the best software for making and styling a protein sequence alignment? Please tell me there's something better than MS Word?
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Our new preprint 🧬🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
BRD4-NUT forms liquid-like condensates that locally constrain nucleosomes via BRD4-mediated crosslinking— physical control of #chromatin by #LLPS transcription condensates. @semeigazin.bsky.social @katsuminami.bsky.social @masaashimazoe.bsky.social
BRD4-NUT forms liquid-like condensates that locally constrain nucleosomes via BRD4-mediated crosslinking— physical control of #chromatin by #LLPS transcription condensates. @semeigazin.bsky.social @katsuminami.bsky.social @masaashimazoe.bsky.social
July 10, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Our new preprint 🧬🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
BRD4-NUT forms liquid-like condensates that locally constrain nucleosomes via BRD4-mediated crosslinking— physical control of #chromatin by #LLPS transcription condensates. @semeigazin.bsky.social @katsuminami.bsky.social @masaashimazoe.bsky.social
BRD4-NUT forms liquid-like condensates that locally constrain nucleosomes via BRD4-mediated crosslinking— physical control of #chromatin by #LLPS transcription condensates. @semeigazin.bsky.social @katsuminami.bsky.social @masaashimazoe.bsky.social
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Optogenetic storage and release of protein and mRNA in live cells and animals | Nature Communications share.google/gz8nYXZ3hUVh...
#spatialbiology #imagingtools #fluorescencemicroscopy
#spatialbiology #imagingtools #fluorescencemicroscopy
Optogenetic storage and release of protein and mRNA in live cells and animals - Nature Communications
Spatiotemporal control of biomolecules is a key challenge in cell biology. Here, authors introduce RELISR, an optogenetic condensate system enabling reversible, light-dependent sequestration and relea...
share.google
July 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Optogenetic storage and release of protein and mRNA in live cells and animals | Nature Communications share.google/gz8nYXZ3hUVh...
#spatialbiology #imagingtools #fluorescencemicroscopy
#spatialbiology #imagingtools #fluorescencemicroscopy
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Reposted by Martin Stortz
Our paper describing the Range Extender element which is required and sufficient for long-range enhancer activation at the Shh locus is now available at @nature.com. Congrats to @gracebower.bsky.social who led the study. Below is a brief summary of the main findings www.nature.com/articles/s41... 1/
Range extender mediates long-distance enhancer activity - Nature
The REX element is associated with long-range enhancer–promoter interactions.
www.nature.com
July 2, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Our paper describing the Range Extender element which is required and sufficient for long-range enhancer activation at the Shh locus is now available at @nature.com. Congrats to @gracebower.bsky.social who led the study. Below is a brief summary of the main findings www.nature.com/articles/s41... 1/
Reposted by Martin Stortz
(1/n) Excited to present the latest work from the de Wit lab, where we identify and characterise loop extrusion-mediated fountains in mammalian genomes using acute depletion of 3D genome regulators: doi.org/10.1093/nar/.... A Bluetorial🧵:
Extrusion fountains are restricted by WAPL-dependent cohesin release and CTCF barriers
Abstract. Interphase chromosomes are mainly shaped by loop extrusion and compartmentalisation mechanisms. However, their temporal component and cause-effec
doi.org
July 1, 2025 at 6:34 AM
(1/n) Excited to present the latest work from the de Wit lab, where we identify and characterise loop extrusion-mediated fountains in mammalian genomes using acute depletion of 3D genome regulators: doi.org/10.1093/nar/.... A Bluetorial🧵:
Project 'Pierre Menard'
😮 El Wellcome Trust lanzó un proyecto para crear un genoma humano sintético desde cero 👇
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Synthetic Human Genome Project gets go ahead
Scientists start a controversial project to create the building blocks of human life, in what is thought to be a world first.
www.bbc.com
June 26, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Project 'Pierre Menard'
Reposted by Martin Stortz
How do transcription compartments form — and does phase separation drive gene expression? I enjoyed discussing these questions with @akispapantonis.bsky.social a lot, and we put our thoughts together for @naturerevgenet.bsky.social, now out at rdcu.be/erP1u
June 19, 2025 at 6:28 PM
How do transcription compartments form — and does phase separation drive gene expression? I enjoyed discussing these questions with @akispapantonis.bsky.social a lot, and we put our thoughts together for @naturerevgenet.bsky.social, now out at rdcu.be/erP1u
Reposted by Martin Stortz
In the nucleus, many intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) form condensates. What IDP sequence features drive this behavior? We developed CondenSeq, a high-throughput approach to measure nuclear condensate formation, and applied it to ~14,000 IDPs to find out!
rdcu.be/eq975
rdcu.be/eq975
Characterizing protein sequence determinants of nuclear condensates by high-throughput pooled imaging with CondenSeq
Nature Methods - CondenSeq is an imaging-based, high-throughput platform for characterizing condensate formation within the nuclear environment, uncovering the protein sequence features that...
rdcu.be
June 17, 2025 at 3:26 AM
In the nucleus, many intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) form condensates. What IDP sequence features drive this behavior? We developed CondenSeq, a high-throughput approach to measure nuclear condensate formation, and applied it to ~14,000 IDPs to find out!
rdcu.be/eq975
rdcu.be/eq975