Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
@stepelka.bsky.social
scientist, assoc. professor,
molecular biology, plant-microbe-insect interactions, virology, microbiome
coffee lover ☕
molecular biology, plant-microbe-insect interactions, virology, microbiome
coffee lover ☕
The final version of our paper on plant-virus-satRNA-insect interactions
#plantvirology #plantvirus #satRNA #insectbehaviour #olfactometry
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#plantvirology #plantvirus #satRNA #insectbehaviour #olfactometry
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
SatRNA-mediated exacerbation of disease symptoms in plants reduces virus transmission potential by aphids - BMC Plant Biology
Background Plant viruses have evolved adaptations that enable them to alter host cues, thereby facilitating their replication and efficient transmission by insect vectors. Satellite RNAs (satRNAs), wh...
link.springer.com
October 1, 2026 at 8:23 AM
The final version of our paper on plant-virus-satRNA-insect interactions
#plantvirology #plantvirus #satRNA #insectbehaviour #olfactometry
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#plantvirology #plantvirus #satRNA #insectbehaviour #olfactometry
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Out now in Science: Two papers from our lab reveal VIPR, an RNA-guided DNA-targeting system in bacteriophages, providing clues to the origins of CRISPR
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats to Peter Yoon, @kenjmloi.bsky.social @terryzzy.bsky.social, T.Docter & team
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats to Peter Yoon, @kenjmloi.bsky.social @terryzzy.bsky.social, T.Docter & team
A noncontiguous code for RNA-guided DNA recognition at the origin of CRISPR-Cas
CRISPR-Cas provides RNA-mediated adaptive immunity, but how its first RNA-guided effector arose is unclear. In this study, we report the discovery of Viral Interference Programmable Repeat (VIPR) syst...
www.science.org
September 19, 2026 at 1:12 AM
Out now in Science: Two papers from our lab reveal VIPR, an RNA-guided DNA-targeting system in bacteriophages, providing clues to the origins of CRISPR
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats to Peter Yoon, @kenjmloi.bsky.social @terryzzy.bsky.social, T.Docter & team
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats to Peter Yoon, @kenjmloi.bsky.social @terryzzy.bsky.social, T.Docter & team
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Why did some viruses evolve to be giants while others did not?
#evolution #evolutionsoup #fossil #science #virology
👇🏼👇🏾
tinyurl.com/2bp4fko8
#evolution #evolutionsoup #fossil #science #virology
👇🏼👇🏾
tinyurl.com/2bp4fko8
September 13, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Why did some viruses evolve to be giants while others did not?
#evolution #evolutionsoup #fossil #science #virology
👇🏼👇🏾
tinyurl.com/2bp4fko8
#evolution #evolutionsoup #fossil #science #virology
👇🏼👇🏾
tinyurl.com/2bp4fko8
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
The Lupins at Lake Pukaki in New Zealand 🇳🇿 Fabulous
September 7, 2026 at 4:27 PM
The Lupins at Lake Pukaki in New Zealand 🇳🇿 Fabulous
SatRNAs associated with plant viruses influence the behavior of insect vectors link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We observed that plants co-infected with satRNAs that exacerbated pathogenesis were less attractive to aphids, but co-infected with satRNAs that attenuated symptoms were more attractive.
We observed that plants co-infected with satRNAs that exacerbated pathogenesis were less attractive to aphids, but co-infected with satRNAs that attenuated symptoms were more attractive.
SatRNA-mediated exacerbation of disease symptoms in plants reduces virus transmission potential by aphids - BMC Plant Biology
Background Plant viruses have evolved adaptations that enable them to alter host cues, thereby facilitating their replication and efficient transmission by insect vectors. Satellite RNAs (satRNAs), wh...
link.springer.com
August 28, 2026 at 8:56 AM
SatRNAs associated with plant viruses influence the behavior of insect vectors link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We observed that plants co-infected with satRNAs that exacerbated pathogenesis were less attractive to aphids, but co-infected with satRNAs that attenuated symptoms were more attractive.
We observed that plants co-infected with satRNAs that exacerbated pathogenesis were less attractive to aphids, but co-infected with satRNAs that attenuated symptoms were more attractive.
We've set up an Instagram account
www.instagram.com/immugrapevir/
where we'll post updates on grapevines, grapevine viruses, diagnostic methods, and ongoing research on #INNOGLOBO #ImmuGrapeVIR. We encourage you to follow us!
www.instagram.com/immugrapevir/
where we'll post updates on grapevines, grapevine viruses, diagnostic methods, and ongoing research on #INNOGLOBO #ImmuGrapeVIR. We encourage you to follow us!
July 17, 2026 at 11:19 AM
We've set up an Instagram account
www.instagram.com/immugrapevir/
where we'll post updates on grapevines, grapevine viruses, diagnostic methods, and ongoing research on #INNOGLOBO #ImmuGrapeVIR. We encourage you to follow us!
www.instagram.com/immugrapevir/
where we'll post updates on grapevines, grapevine viruses, diagnostic methods, and ongoing research on #INNOGLOBO #ImmuGrapeVIR. We encourage you to follow us!
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
"Whose Larva Is This?"
A quick guide to figure out what you're looking at when you find something that resembles a worm or a Zerg unit crawling around.
#insect #bug #education #SciArt
A quick guide to figure out what you're looking at when you find something that resembles a worm or a Zerg unit crawling around.
#insect #bug #education #SciArt
June 16, 2026 at 8:09 PM
"Whose Larva Is This?"
A quick guide to figure out what you're looking at when you find something that resembles a worm or a Zerg unit crawling around.
#insect #bug #education #SciArt
A quick guide to figure out what you're looking at when you find something that resembles a worm or a Zerg unit crawling around.
#insect #bug #education #SciArt
That's why we started our IMMU-GRAPE-VIR project. Next week, our first visit will be to our partner vineyard of Jagielloński Uni.
We'd love to tackle coffee viruses (I'm a huge coffee fan), too, but the nearest coffee fields are a bit too far away ;)
We'd love to tackle coffee viruses (I'm a huge coffee fan), too, but the nearest coffee fields are a bit too far away ;)
May 29, 2026 at 8:21 AM
That's why we started our IMMU-GRAPE-VIR project. Next week, our first visit will be to our partner vineyard of Jagielloński Uni.
We'd love to tackle coffee viruses (I'm a huge coffee fan), too, but the nearest coffee fields are a bit too far away ;)
We'd love to tackle coffee viruses (I'm a huge coffee fan), too, but the nearest coffee fields are a bit too far away ;)
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
With Eugene Koonin, we propose a concept of “the selfish ribosome”, under which evolution of life is viewed as a ribosomal takeover, where the ribosome evolved to consume most of the cell’s resources, while other cellular componentry ensures the propagation of the ribosome. arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268
March 3, 2026 at 8:58 AM
With Eugene Koonin, we propose a concept of “the selfish ribosome”, under which evolution of life is viewed as a ribosomal takeover, where the ribosome evolved to consume most of the cell’s resources, while other cellular componentry ensures the propagation of the ribosome. arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
A tymczasem w Poznaniu na Jeżycach... taki oto mural.
Podoba się?
Podoba się?
February 10, 2026 at 7:50 AM
A tymczasem w Poznaniu na Jeżycach... taki oto mural.
Podoba się?
Podoba się?
Our first paper in 2026
We worked on cornflower (C. cyanus) and mined metatranscriptomes of susceptible vs highly herbicide-resistant plants and discovered seq of previously unknown viruses (tentatively named cornflower partitivirus 1 & 2)
enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We worked on cornflower (C. cyanus) and mined metatranscriptomes of susceptible vs highly herbicide-resistant plants and discovered seq of previously unknown viruses (tentatively named cornflower partitivirus 1 & 2)
enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Insights Into Sequences of Viral and Bacterial Origin in the Metatranscriptome of Centaurea cyanus L. Susceptible and Resistant to Acetolactate Synthase (ALS)‐Inhibiting Herbicides
Metatranscriptomic analysis of Centaurea cyanus revealed diverse plant-associated viral and bacterial sequences in herbicide-susceptible and -resistant biotypes. While novel partitiviruses occurred i...
enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Our first paper in 2026
We worked on cornflower (C. cyanus) and mined metatranscriptomes of susceptible vs highly herbicide-resistant plants and discovered seq of previously unknown viruses (tentatively named cornflower partitivirus 1 & 2)
enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We worked on cornflower (C. cyanus) and mined metatranscriptomes of susceptible vs highly herbicide-resistant plants and discovered seq of previously unknown viruses (tentatively named cornflower partitivirus 1 & 2)
enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Where is coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) produced? After decades of research, the new data show that FVIII comes from liver sinusoidal endothelial cells located in zones 2 and 3 of hepatic lobules in mice and humans, with minimal expression in Zone 1
@rkaczmarekdr.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/ydtaar2a
@rkaczmarekdr.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/ydtaar2a
February 5, 2026 at 8:55 AM
Where is coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) produced? After decades of research, the new data show that FVIII comes from liver sinusoidal endothelial cells located in zones 2 and 3 of hepatic lobules in mice and humans, with minimal expression in Zone 1
@rkaczmarekdr.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/ydtaar2a
@rkaczmarekdr.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/ydtaar2a
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Can adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies for hemophilia trigger tumorigenesis? Not really, as @rkaczmarekdr.bsky.social explains...
tinyurl.com/3wpfsw3p
#hemophilia
tinyurl.com/3wpfsw3p
#hemophilia
February 4, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Can adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies for hemophilia trigger tumorigenesis? Not really, as @rkaczmarekdr.bsky.social explains...
tinyurl.com/3wpfsw3p
#hemophilia
tinyurl.com/3wpfsw3p
#hemophilia
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Rereading these two papers:
Holes in the hologenome: why host-microbe symbioses are not holobionts.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
The Hologenome Concept: Helpful or Hollow?
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
And I still find myself in general agreement with most of the points in them
Holes in the hologenome: why host-microbe symbioses are not holobionts.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
The Hologenome Concept: Helpful or Hollow?
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
And I still find myself in general agreement with most of the points in them
Holes in the Hologenome: Why Host-Microbe Symbioses Are Not Holobionts | mBio
ABSTRACT The advent of relatively inexpensive tools for characterizing microbial communities
has led to an explosion of research exploring the diversity, ecology, and evolution
of microbe-host systems...
journals.asm.org
February 2, 2026 at 4:20 AM
Rereading these two papers:
Holes in the hologenome: why host-microbe symbioses are not holobionts.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
The Hologenome Concept: Helpful or Hollow?
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
And I still find myself in general agreement with most of the points in them
Holes in the hologenome: why host-microbe symbioses are not holobionts.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
The Hologenome Concept: Helpful or Hollow?
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
And I still find myself in general agreement with most of the points in them
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
The final version appeared today! Our paper on the expression of antigens belonging to the P1PK human blood group system in birds, and how they make them resistant to Shiga toxins.
tinyurl.com/bdv7zdaa
#glycotime
tinyurl.com/bdv7zdaa
#glycotime
January 29, 2026 at 10:55 AM
The final version appeared today! Our paper on the expression of antigens belonging to the P1PK human blood group system in birds, and how they make them resistant to Shiga toxins.
tinyurl.com/bdv7zdaa
#glycotime
tinyurl.com/bdv7zdaa
#glycotime
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Wrocław, Odra River and A8 highway bridge.
📷Minolta X-300
🔘28-70 mm
🎞️Ilford FP4+
#BelieveInFilm
#turpism
📷Minolta X-300
🔘28-70 mm
🎞️Ilford FP4+
#BelieveInFilm
#turpism
January 11, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Wrocław, Odra River and A8 highway bridge.
📷Minolta X-300
🔘28-70 mm
🎞️Ilford FP4+
#BelieveInFilm
#turpism
📷Minolta X-300
🔘28-70 mm
🎞️Ilford FP4+
#BelieveInFilm
#turpism
Bacteria associated with beetle increase the plant's emission of VOCs, incl. GLVs and benzenoids.
The blend content & amount of induced VOCs in plants depends on the insect's developmental stage and the type of damage to the plant
#insect #holobiont
#microbiome
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The blend content & amount of induced VOCs in plants depends on the insect's developmental stage and the type of damage to the plant
#insect #holobiont
#microbiome
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Insect-Associated Bacteria Boost VOC Emissions, Including Benzenoids, Esters, Hydrocarbons, and Lactone, during Cereal Leaf Beetle Feeding on Wheat - Journal of Chemical Ecology
Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) constitute part of the signal transmitted between plants, serving as defence molecules that repel plant pests or attract their natural enemies. Insect-associate...
link.springer.com
December 13, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Bacteria associated with beetle increase the plant's emission of VOCs, incl. GLVs and benzenoids.
The blend content & amount of induced VOCs in plants depends on the insect's developmental stage and the type of damage to the plant
#insect #holobiont
#microbiome
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The blend content & amount of induced VOCs in plants depends on the insect's developmental stage and the type of damage to the plant
#insect #holobiont
#microbiome
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
"As HOLOBIONTS, insects are associated with diverse microbiota (Bacteria, Archaea, eucaryotic microorganisms, and viruses) that affect their fitness (positively or negatively)." Sidenote: microbes that do not impact fitness are also part of the holobiont www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Bacteria associated with the cereal leaf beetle act as the insect’s allies in adapting to protease inhibitors, but impair its development in laboratory condition - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Bacteria associated with the cereal leaf beetle act as the insect’s allies in adapting to protease inhibitors, but impair its development in laboratory condition
www.nature.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
"As HOLOBIONTS, insects are associated with diverse microbiota (Bacteria, Archaea, eucaryotic microorganisms, and viruses) that affect their fitness (positively or negatively)." Sidenote: microbes that do not impact fitness are also part of the holobiont www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Ally or adversary?
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 15, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Ally or adversary?
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Insect #symbionts contribute to insect adaptation to protease inhibitors but impair their development and survival in suboptimal laboratory conditions
Results of #NCN Preludium by my former PhD, Beata
#beetle #proteaseinhibitors #insectmicrobes
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
SALICYLIC ACID SENSOR1 reveals the propagation of an SA hormone surge during plant pathogen advance | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
SALICYLIC ACID SENSOR1 reveals the propagation of an SA hormone surge during plant pathogen advance
Salicylic acid (SA) is a key phytohormone that orchestrates immune responses against pathogens, including Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. The timing and extent of SA accumulation are tightly controlled...
www.science.org
October 11, 2025 at 8:59 AM
SALICYLIC ACID SENSOR1 reveals the propagation of an SA hormone surge during plant pathogen advance | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia impedes Bacillus biocontrol of tomato wilt disease by degrading its lipopeptide antibiotics
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia impedes Bacillus biocontrol of tomato wilt disease by degrading its lipopeptide antibiotics
Abstract. Harnessing antibiotic-producing microorganisms that antagonize pathogens represents a sustainable approach for plant disease management. However,
academic.oup.com
September 24, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia impedes Bacillus biocontrol of tomato wilt disease by degrading its lipopeptide antibiotics
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
-in #ISMEJournal
academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
🧪 #RNAsky
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
RNAcanvas: interactive drawing and exploration of nucleic acid structures
Abstract. Two-dimensional drawing of nucleic acid structures, particularly RNA structures, is fundamental to the communication of nucleic acids research. H
academic.oup.com
August 28, 2025 at 10:33 PM
🧪 #RNAsky
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
If you aren’t using RNAcanvas to draw your RNA structures and explore alternative structures, you are missing out! 56 citations in a year, with multiple ones in top journals like Nature, Science & Cell. Easy to use and packed with unique features! Try it!
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
Excited to share our new preprint co-led by @jnoms.bsky.social!
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Divergent viral phosphodiesterases for immune signaling evasion
Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) and other short oligonucleotides play fundamental roles in immune system activation in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. In response, viruses use phosphodiesterase...
www.biorxiv.org
August 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Excited to share our new preprint co-led by @jnoms.bsky.social!
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Here we reveal an exceptional diversity of viral 2H phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that enable immune evasion by selectively degrading oligonucleotide-based messengers. This 2H PDE fold has evolved striking substrate breath & specificity.
Reposted by Aleksandra Obrępalska-Stęplowska
So actually potato comes from tomato! 🤯🤯
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Ancient hybridization underlies tuberization and radiation of the potato lineage
Genomic and functional analyses reveal that the potato lineage originated from a homoploid
interspecific hybridization event between the Tomato and Etuberosum lineages 8–9 million
years ago. The alter...
www.cell.com
August 1, 2025 at 8:38 AM
So actually potato comes from tomato! 🤯🤯
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
A cross between a Solanum and a tuberosum derived in the actual potatoes! (Another) Incredible work by the lab of Sanwen Huang and colaborators
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...