New preprint alert! 🚨👇 I'm delighted to share the latest research from @jemmabetts.bsky.social
in our group: ‘A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting’. Huge congratulations to Jemma for the first manuscript of her PhD! ✨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
in our group: ‘A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting’. Huge congratulations to Jemma for the first manuscript of her PhD! ✨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting
Programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) is a ubiquitous translational control mechanism in RNA viruses, allowing them to change the relative abundance of proteins encoded in different reading fram...
www.biorxiv.org
July 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
New preprint alert! 🚨👇 I'm delighted to share the latest research from @jemmabetts.bsky.social
in our group: ‘A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting’. Huge congratulations to Jemma for the first manuscript of her PhD! ✨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
in our group: ‘A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting’. Huge congratulations to Jemma for the first manuscript of her PhD! ✨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Thrilled to share that our paper describing protein-dependent frameshifting is now out in Molecular Cell @cellpress.bsky.social. Huge congratulations to @jemmabetts.bsky.social for publishing the first research paper from her PhD 🧬🧪🥳
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
1/8
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
1/8
A protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting in cardioviruses
Programmed −1 ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) is a translational control mechanism used by RNA viruses to regulate the relative abundance of proteins en…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 24, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Thrilled to share that our paper describing protein-dependent frameshifting is now out in Molecular Cell @cellpress.bsky.social. Huge congratulations to @jemmabetts.bsky.social for publishing the first research paper from her PhD 🧬🧪🥳
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
1/8
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
1/8
Excited to share my latest research. In this paper in PNAS, I use #cryoEM and #crystallography to solve multiple new structures of a viral RNA motif that controls frameshifting.
#virus #retrovirus #structuralbiology #science #biochemistry
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#virus #retrovirus #structuralbiology #science #biochemistry
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Structural switching dynamically controls the doubly pseudoknotted Rous sarcoma virus–programmed ribosomal frameshifting element | PNAS
A hallmark of retrovirus replication is the translation of two different polyproteins
from one RNA through programmed –1 frameshifting. This is a m...
www.pnas.org
April 2, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Excited to share my latest research. In this paper in PNAS, I use #cryoEM and #crystallography to solve multiple new structures of a viral RNA motif that controls frameshifting.
#virus #retrovirus #structuralbiology #science #biochemistry
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#virus #retrovirus #structuralbiology #science #biochemistry
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Ribosomal frameshifting 😱
Schnappatmung bei den Querdullis in 3... 2... 1...
Schnappatmung bei den Querdullis in 3... 2... 1...
December 6, 2023 at 8:48 PM
Ribosomal frameshifting 😱
Schnappatmung bei den Querdullis in 3... 2... 1...
Schnappatmung bei den Querdullis in 3... 2... 1...
Frameshift mutations in proteins aren’t nearly as much trouble as they theoretically should be. And that is a sign of some terrifying thorough evolutionary optimization:
Shifting Views of Frameshifting
www.science.org
March 28, 2024 at 8:44 PM
Frameshift mutations in proteins aren’t nearly as much trouble as they theoretically should be. And that is a sign of some terrifying thorough evolutionary optimization:
FYI: New online! Recoding genomes with programmed ribosomal frameshifting
Recoding genomes with programmed ribosomal frameshifting
Nature Reviews Genetics, Published online: 13 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41576-026-00950-6In this Journal Club, Yousuf A. Khan recounts a landmark study published in 1985 by Jacks and Varmus that documented programmed ribosomal frameshifting in retroviruses, which later inspired Yousuf to search for this phenomenon in vertebrates.
dlvr.it
April 3, 2026 at 4:36 PM
FYI: New online! Recoding genomes with programmed ribosomal frameshifting
Also excluded:
• frameshifting insertions in essential genes (ORF1ab, S, E, M, N)
• noncoding regions
• all insertions from India or UAE (>>99% are artifacts)
• insertions >24 nucs (~all are artifacts) or <6 nucs
11/13
• frameshifting insertions in essential genes (ORF1ab, S, E, M, N)
• noncoding regions
• all insertions from India or UAE (>>99% are artifacts)
• insertions >24 nucs (~all are artifacts) or <6 nucs
11/13
September 1, 2026 at 11:05 PM
Also excluded:
• frameshifting insertions in essential genes (ORF1ab, S, E, M, N)
• noncoding regions
• all insertions from India or UAE (>>99% are artifacts)
• insertions >24 nucs (~all are artifacts) or <6 nucs
11/13
• frameshifting insertions in essential genes (ORF1ab, S, E, M, N)
• noncoding regions
• all insertions from India or UAE (>>99% are artifacts)
• insertions >24 nucs (~all are artifacts) or <6 nucs
11/13
A (belated!) highlight from an excellent collaboration with
@dunhamlab.bsky.social and #HouLabTJU.
In this Nat Commun paper, we combine smFRET and cryo-EM to show how the tRNA modification m¹G37 stabilizes the reading frame—and what happens when it’s missing.
@dunhamlab.bsky.social and #HouLabTJU.
In this Nat Commun paper, we combine smFRET and cryo-EM to show how the tRNA modification m¹G37 stabilizes the reading frame—and what happens when it’s missing.
January 4, 2026 at 6:34 PM
A (belated!) highlight from an excellent collaboration with
@dunhamlab.bsky.social and #HouLabTJU.
In this Nat Commun paper, we combine smFRET and cryo-EM to show how the tRNA modification m¹G37 stabilizes the reading frame—and what happens when it’s missing.
@dunhamlab.bsky.social and #HouLabTJU.
In this Nat Commun paper, we combine smFRET and cryo-EM to show how the tRNA modification m¹G37 stabilizes the reading frame—and what happens when it’s missing.
Do viruses control protein translation using riboswitches? Via protein-mediated regulation of -1 programmed ribosomal frameshifting? We think the do. Very happy to have played a (small) part in this epic paper by @jemmabetts.bsky.social, @chillzaa.bsky.social and colleagues. See 👇for bluetorial.
New preprint alert! 🚨👇 I'm delighted to share the latest research from @jemmabetts.bsky.social
in our group: ‘A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting’. Huge congratulations to Jemma for the first manuscript of her PhD! ✨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
in our group: ‘A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting’. Huge congratulations to Jemma for the first manuscript of her PhD! ✨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting
Programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) is a ubiquitous translational control mechanism in RNA viruses, allowing them to change the relative abundance of proteins encoded in different reading fram...
www.biorxiv.org
July 20, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Do viruses control protein translation using riboswitches? Via protein-mediated regulation of -1 programmed ribosomal frameshifting? We think the do. Very happy to have played a (small) part in this epic paper by @jemmabetts.bsky.social, @chillzaa.bsky.social and colleagues. See 👇for bluetorial.
New article from @jhdcate.bsky.social and collaborators in @narjournal.bsky.social: RNA elements required for the high efficiency of West Nile virus-induced ribosomal frameshifting doi.org/10.1093/nar/... 🧪🧬🦠
RNA elements required for the high efficiency of West Nile virus-induced ribosomal frameshifting
Abstract. West Nile virus (WNV) requires programmed −1 ribosomal frameshifting for translation of the viral genome. The efficiency of WNV frameshifting is
doi.org
February 10, 2025 at 10:33 PM
New article from @jhdcate.bsky.social and collaborators in @narjournal.bsky.social: RNA elements required for the high efficiency of West Nile virus-induced ribosomal frameshifting doi.org/10.1093/nar/... 🧪🧬🦠
I'm a structural and molecular biologist and research group leader. We work on mechanisms of pathological translation in viral infection (e.g. IRES initiation, frameshifting, stop codon readthrough). Interested in RNA biology, ribosomes, host-pathogen interactions and regulation of gene expression.
November 13, 2024 at 3:20 PM
I'm a structural and molecular biologist and research group leader. We work on mechanisms of pathological translation in viral infection (e.g. IRES initiation, frameshifting, stop codon readthrough). Interested in RNA biology, ribosomes, host-pathogen interactions and regulation of gene expression.
Reposting @yousufakhan.bsky.social reference to a preprint demonstrating that programmed ribosomal frameshifting generates a PLEKHM2 proteoform that behaves as a constitutively active adaptor for ARL8-dependent coupling of lysosomes to kinesin-1, with collaboration from our lab tinyurl.com/mtrkzdrm
November 23, 2024 at 6:49 PM
Reposting @yousufakhan.bsky.social reference to a preprint demonstrating that programmed ribosomal frameshifting generates a PLEKHM2 proteoform that behaves as a constitutively active adaptor for ARL8-dependent coupling of lysosomes to kinesin-1, with collaboration from our lab tinyurl.com/mtrkzdrm
Goethe University Frankfurt. SARS-CoV-2 frameshifting caused ribosome collisions that activated GCN2, suppressing host protein production and promoting viral replication in cells and human airway organoids.
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Programmed ribosomal frameshifting triggers translational stress to promote viral replication
Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can use programmed ribosomal frameshifting to turn off
host translation and promote viral replication, expanding the known uses of programmed
ribosomal frameshifting by viru...
www.cell.com
September 18, 2026 at 10:45 AM
Goethe University Frankfurt. SARS-CoV-2 frameshifting caused ribosome collisions that activated GCN2, suppressing host protein production and promoting viral replication in cells and human airway organoids.
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
New online! Recoding genomes with programmed ribosomal frameshifting
Recoding genomes with programmed ribosomal frameshifting
Nature Reviews Genetics, Published online: 13 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41576-026-00950-6In this Journal Club, Yousuf A. Khan recounts a landmark study published in 1985 by Jacks and Varmus that documented programmed ribosomal frameshifting in retroviruses, which later inspired Yousuf to search for this phenomenon in vertebrates.
dlvr.it
March 13, 2026 at 4:33 PM
New online! Recoding genomes with programmed ribosomal frameshifting
Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can use programmed ribosomal frameshifting to turn off host translation and promote viral replication @cellcellpress.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
September 16, 2026 at 10:36 PM
Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can use programmed ribosomal frameshifting to turn off host translation and promote viral replication @cellcellpress.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Check out group member Meghna Maiti’s poster at #RNA2025! She’s presenting new findings on how frameshift-suppressor tRNAs exhibit altered dynamics in the ribosomal A site that modulate translocation and +1 frameshifting. Friday, 8–10 PM PT — she’s at P2-492!
May 30, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Check out group member Meghna Maiti’s poster at #RNA2025! She’s presenting new findings on how frameshift-suppressor tRNAs exhibit altered dynamics in the ribosomal A site that modulate translocation and +1 frameshifting. Friday, 8–10 PM PT — she’s at P2-492!
7/
El-Deiry/Kuperwasser presentation: IgG4 switching (might be protective), frameshifting (no harm shown), DNA fragments (regulators cleared). "700-day persistence" from Yale preprint - researchers say preliminary, all had COVID markers, replication needed.
El-Deiry/Kuperwasser presentation: IgG4 switching (might be protective), frameshifting (no harm shown), DNA fragments (regulators cleared). "700-day persistence" from Yale preprint - researchers say preliminary, all had COVID markers, replication needed.
September 19, 2025 at 9:35 PM
7/
El-Deiry/Kuperwasser presentation: IgG4 switching (might be protective), frameshifting (no harm shown), DNA fragments (regulators cleared). "700-day persistence" from Yale preprint - researchers say preliminary, all had COVID markers, replication needed.
El-Deiry/Kuperwasser presentation: IgG4 switching (might be protective), frameshifting (no harm shown), DNA fragments (regulators cleared). "700-day persistence" from Yale preprint - researchers say preliminary, all had COVID markers, replication needed.
ooh, finally, seems the mystery of the β-CoV -1 frameshifting pseudoknot structure (previously, CryoEM & XRD data did not agree) has finally been resolved using small-angle X-ray scattering: academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Atomistic structure of the SARS-CoV-2 pseudoknot in solution from SAXS-driven molecular dynamics
Abstract. SARS-CoV-2 depends on −1 programmed ribosomal frameshifting (−1 PRF) to express proteins essential for its replication. The RNA pseudoknot stimulating
academic.oup.com
October 13, 2023 at 3:16 PM
ooh, finally, seems the mystery of the β-CoV -1 frameshifting pseudoknot structure (previously, CryoEM & XRD data did not agree) has finally been resolved using small-angle X-ray scattering: academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
One insect, probably not much. But they couldn't live on an insect diet because of distinct changes to their gut physiology, endocrine system & digestive enzymes.
They'd probably fail to extract nutrients, losing what little energy storage they had & get very sick.
They'd probably fail to extract nutrients, losing what little energy storage they had & get very sick.
September 24, 2026 at 3:56 PM
One insect, probably not much. But they couldn't live on an insect diet because of distinct changes to their gut physiology, endocrine system & digestive enzymes.
They'd probably fail to extract nutrients, losing what little energy storage they had & get very sick.
They'd probably fail to extract nutrients, losing what little energy storage they had & get very sick.
Verlinkt wird am Ende des heutigen eXXpress-Artikels zu einem älteren NiUS-Artikel.
Dort erfährt man auch, wen der eXXpress mit „die Zeitung“ meint: die FAZ (Artikel vom 𝟳.𝟭𝟮.𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯).
Die fand das Ergebnis der Studie (Ribosomales Frameshifting) im Ergebnis wohl nicht allzu besorgniserregend. 2️⃣
Dort erfährt man auch, wen der eXXpress mit „die Zeitung“ meint: die FAZ (Artikel vom 𝟳.𝟭𝟮.𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯).
Die fand das Ergebnis der Studie (Ribosomales Frameshifting) im Ergebnis wohl nicht allzu besorgniserregend. 2️⃣
November 22, 2024 at 2:42 PM
Verlinkt wird am Ende des heutigen eXXpress-Artikels zu einem älteren NiUS-Artikel.
Dort erfährt man auch, wen der eXXpress mit „die Zeitung“ meint: die FAZ (Artikel vom 𝟳.𝟭𝟮.𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯).
Die fand das Ergebnis der Studie (Ribosomales Frameshifting) im Ergebnis wohl nicht allzu besorgniserregend. 2️⃣
Dort erfährt man auch, wen der eXXpress mit „die Zeitung“ meint: die FAZ (Artikel vom 𝟳.𝟭𝟮.𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯).
Die fand das Ergebnis der Studie (Ribosomales Frameshifting) im Ergebnis wohl nicht allzu besorgniserregend. 2️⃣
🧬New paper in Molecular Cell!🔬
How do cardioviruses achieve 85% ribosomal frameshifting efficiency? @jemmabetts.bsky.social & @chillzaa.bsky.social
et al show that the viral 2A protein acts as a molecular switch, reshaping RNA into a pseudoknot to activate frameshifting.
👇
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
How do cardioviruses achieve 85% ribosomal frameshifting efficiency? @jemmabetts.bsky.social & @chillzaa.bsky.social
et al show that the viral 2A protein acts as a molecular switch, reshaping RNA into a pseudoknot to activate frameshifting.
👇
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
Redirecting
doi.org
August 23, 2026 at 10:39 AM
🧬New paper in Molecular Cell!🔬
How do cardioviruses achieve 85% ribosomal frameshifting efficiency? @jemmabetts.bsky.social & @chillzaa.bsky.social
et al show that the viral 2A protein acts as a molecular switch, reshaping RNA into a pseudoknot to activate frameshifting.
👇
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
How do cardioviruses achieve 85% ribosomal frameshifting efficiency? @jemmabetts.bsky.social & @chillzaa.bsky.social
et al show that the viral 2A protein acts as a molecular switch, reshaping RNA into a pseudoknot to activate frameshifting.
👇
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
Programmed ribosomal frameshifting triggers translational stress to promote viral replication.
Programmed ribosomal frameshifting triggers GCN2 to shut host translation and enhance replication in multiple RNA viruses.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #OpenAccess #virology #MicroSky
Programmed ribosomal frameshifting triggers GCN2 to shut host translation and enhance replication in multiple RNA viruses.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #OpenAccess #virology #MicroSky
September 18, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Programmed ribosomal frameshifting triggers translational stress to promote viral replication.
Programmed ribosomal frameshifting triggers GCN2 to shut host translation and enhance replication in multiple RNA viruses.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #OpenAccess #virology #MicroSky
Programmed ribosomal frameshifting triggers GCN2 to shut host translation and enhance replication in multiple RNA viruses.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #OpenAccess #virology #MicroSky
6) Other worries:
DNA fragments? Expected in cell-based vaccines, tightly regulated (10ng max). That’s the same for flu vax, or insuline.
Frameshifting? Normal phenomenon, no adverse effects in people after billions of doses, not unique to mRNA.
bsky.app/profile/mar...
6/10
DNA fragments? Expected in cell-based vaccines, tightly regulated (10ng max). That’s the same for flu vax, or insuline.
Frameshifting? Normal phenomenon, no adverse effects in people after billions of doses, not unique to mRNA.
bsky.app/profile/mar...
6/10
Some well-known anti-vaxers are making claims that the ribosome slip/frameshift causes a stop codon to be missed and an own mitochondrial protein to be made, risking autoimmunity.
It´s important to know that the mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines do not contain other protein codes.
(X 6/12/2023)
1/4
It´s important to know that the mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines do not contain other protein codes.
(X 6/12/2023)
1/4
September 22, 2025 at 11:49 AM
6) Other worries:
DNA fragments? Expected in cell-based vaccines, tightly regulated (10ng max). That’s the same for flu vax, or insuline.
Frameshifting? Normal phenomenon, no adverse effects in people after billions of doses, not unique to mRNA.
bsky.app/profile/mar...
6/10
DNA fragments? Expected in cell-based vaccines, tightly regulated (10ng max). That’s the same for flu vax, or insuline.
Frameshifting? Normal phenomenon, no adverse effects in people after billions of doses, not unique to mRNA.
bsky.app/profile/mar...
6/10