the thing that really made me doubt it was the claim that all animals lack the ability to synthesize the "essential" amino acids, while choanoflagellates doubt. seems crazy to lose self-sufficiency and rely on eating other organisms during Snowball Earth
October 3, 2026 at 4:05 PM
the thing that really made me doubt it was the claim that all animals lack the ability to synthesize the "essential" amino acids, while choanoflagellates doubt. seems crazy to lose self-sufficiency and rely on eating other organisms during Snowball Earth
At some point, the requested prelim data looks like ~2 y of work for a 4y project.
We’re encouraged to go into uncharted territory, but they're asking for so much down-to-earth evidence beforehand. It’s hard to reconcile.
To Rev 4: thx for the comments/ no, we don’t work on choanoflagellates. 😅
We’re encouraged to go into uncharted territory, but they're asking for so much down-to-earth evidence beforehand. It’s hard to reconcile.
To Rev 4: thx for the comments/ no, we don’t work on choanoflagellates. 😅
September 25, 2026 at 7:26 AM
At some point, the requested prelim data looks like ~2 y of work for a 4y project.
We’re encouraged to go into uncharted territory, but they're asking for so much down-to-earth evidence beforehand. It’s hard to reconcile.
To Rev 4: thx for the comments/ no, we don’t work on choanoflagellates. 😅
We’re encouraged to go into uncharted territory, but they're asking for so much down-to-earth evidence beforehand. It’s hard to reconcile.
To Rev 4: thx for the comments/ no, we don’t work on choanoflagellates. 😅
The protist stage will contain legacy protists species that wont be getting their own stage. There will be many legacy protists, including slime molds, that will be getting their own stages. Red algae, Green algae, Amoebozoa, Choanoflagellates, Brown algae and Diatoms will all have their own stages.
September 19, 2026 at 6:00 PM
The protist stage will contain legacy protists species that wont be getting their own stage. There will be many legacy protists, including slime molds, that will be getting their own stages. Red algae, Green algae, Amoebozoa, Choanoflagellates, Brown algae and Diatoms will all have their own stages.
A very persistent, tireless cowboy! Very pretty choanoflagellates, imaged today on LLS together with Babette van Amen from @agathechaigne.bsky.social lab.
September 4, 2026 at 1:36 PM
A very persistent, tireless cowboy! Very pretty choanoflagellates, imaged today on LLS together with Babette van Amen from @agathechaigne.bsky.social lab.
A bit of background first: although choanoflagellates are traditionally known as flagellate microswimmers, we found in 2021 that they underwent a radical shapeshift when spatially confined: they retract their flagellum, go amoeboid, and start crawling around. elifesciences.org/articles/61037
September 2, 2026 at 9:19 PM
A bit of background first: although choanoflagellates are traditionally known as flagellate microswimmers, we found in 2021 that they underwent a radical shapeshift when spatially confined: they retract their flagellum, go amoeboid, and start crawling around. elifesciences.org/articles/61037
🚨 New preprint alert! 🚨
Choanoflagellates reorganize their global cytoskeletal architecture within seconds to explore confined microspaces. This is the main PhD work of the amazing @maitefreired.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A tread 🧵⬇️
Choanoflagellates reorganize their global cytoskeletal architecture within seconds to explore confined microspaces. This is the main PhD work of the amazing @maitefreired.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A tread 🧵⬇️
Rapid repurposing of microvillar content drives a flagellate-to-amoeboid switch in the closest relative of animals
Animal cells extensively remodel their cytoskeleton during differentiation and can notably switch between two major motility modes: flagellum-based swimming and actin-based crawling. We previously sho...
www.biorxiv.org
September 2, 2026 at 9:19 PM
🚨 New preprint alert! 🚨
Choanoflagellates reorganize their global cytoskeletal architecture within seconds to explore confined microspaces. This is the main PhD work of the amazing @maitefreired.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A tread 🧵⬇️
Choanoflagellates reorganize their global cytoskeletal architecture within seconds to explore confined microspaces. This is the main PhD work of the amazing @maitefreired.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A tread 🧵⬇️
One initial focus will be loricate choanoflagellates. We aim to establish these remarkable single-celled critters as a model for biomaterial assembly, adhesion “in the wild,” biomineralization and bottom-up manufacturing. 3/8
August 31, 2026 at 5:46 PM
One initial focus will be loricate choanoflagellates. We aim to establish these remarkable single-celled critters as a model for biomaterial assembly, adhesion “in the wild,” biomineralization and bottom-up manufacturing. 3/8
Sensing before specialisation: a diverse and spatially organised TRP channel toolkit in the unicellular ancestor of animals. #preprint by Simen Mannsåker, @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social & @jeffcolgren.bsky.social
Read the #preLight prepared by Urvashi Goswami ⬇️
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/d...
Read the #preLight prepared by Urvashi Goswami ⬇️
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/d...
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems - preLights
Sensing before specialization: a diverse and spatially organized TRP channel toolkit in the unicellular ancestor of animals
prelights.biologists.com
August 18, 2026 at 7:47 AM
Sensing before specialisation: a diverse and spatially organised TRP channel toolkit in the unicellular ancestor of animals. #preprint by Simen Mannsåker, @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social & @jeffcolgren.bsky.social
Read the #preLight prepared by Urvashi Goswami ⬇️
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/d...
Read the #preLight prepared by Urvashi Goswami ⬇️
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/d...
Alain Garcia De Las Bayonas studies the mating (gamete fusion) of unicellular relatives of animals, Choanoflagellates, which stick together when starved. Alain introduces Cupidon - a cell adhesion receptor that regulates aggregation and promotes cell fusion. #2026SDB
Preprint⤵️
Preprint⤵️
An adhesion GPCR regulates cell adhesion and mating in the closest living relatives of metazoans
The transition to metazoan multicellularity required the evolution of cell-surface receptors that coordinate adhesion and signaling under changing environmental conditions. We investigated potential r...
www.biorxiv.org
July 24, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Alain Garcia De Las Bayonas studies the mating (gamete fusion) of unicellular relatives of animals, Choanoflagellates, which stick together when starved. Alain introduces Cupidon - a cell adhesion receptor that regulates aggregation and promotes cell fusion. #2026SDB
Preprint⤵️
Preprint⤵️
8/n PS: there's a @semble.so collection that goes with the Cellosophy leaflet: semble.so/profile/rang...
Cellosophy (by Ranganaut) — Semble
Exploring the origins of intelligence and agency, starting with unicellular organisms such as bacteria, choanoflagellates and other protists.
semble.so
July 17, 2026 at 9:00 PM
8/n PS: there's a @semble.so collection that goes with the Cellosophy leaflet: semble.so/profile/rang...
5/7
The evolutionary dynamics are also interesting.
Some TRP families remain relatively conserved.
Others show extensive lineage-specific expansions.
That pattern reminds me of receptor tyrosine kinases in choanoflagellates and filastereans:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The evolutionary dynamics are also interesting.
Some TRP families remain relatively conserved.
Others show extensive lineage-specific expansions.
That pattern reminds me of receptor tyrosine kinases in choanoflagellates and filastereans:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Genomic Survey of Premetazoans Shows Deep Conservation of Cytoplasmic Tyrosine Kinases and Multiple Radiations of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
A genomic survey suggests that cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases diversified before the establishment of multicellular organisms.
www.science.org
July 14, 2026 at 12:16 PM
5/7
The evolutionary dynamics are also interesting.
Some TRP families remain relatively conserved.
Others show extensive lineage-specific expansions.
That pattern reminds me of receptor tyrosine kinases in choanoflagellates and filastereans:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The evolutionary dynamics are also interesting.
Some TRP families remain relatively conserved.
Others show extensive lineage-specific expansions.
That pattern reminds me of receptor tyrosine kinases in choanoflagellates and filastereans:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
1/7
Really interesting new preprint by Mannsåker et al. on the evolution of TRP channels in #choanoflagellates.
But what caught my attention wasn't simply the diversity of these sensory receptors.
It was something more general about how biological innovation may arise. 🧵
#protistsOnSky
Really interesting new preprint by Mannsåker et al. on the evolution of TRP channels in #choanoflagellates.
But what caught my attention wasn't simply the diversity of these sensory receptors.
It was something more general about how biological innovation may arise. 🧵
#protistsOnSky
How ancient are the building blocks of animal sensory systems?
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
July 14, 2026 at 12:16 PM
1/7
Really interesting new preprint by Mannsåker et al. on the evolution of TRP channels in #choanoflagellates.
But what caught my attention wasn't simply the diversity of these sensory receptors.
It was something more general about how biological innovation may arise. 🧵
#protistsOnSky
Really interesting new preprint by Mannsåker et al. on the evolution of TRP channels in #choanoflagellates.
But what caught my attention wasn't simply the diversity of these sensory receptors.
It was something more general about how biological innovation may arise. 🧵
#protistsOnSky
It was so cool in to see one of our covers pop up at #FENS2026🧠✨ in a talk by @Pawel_Burkhardt's on the origins of the nervous system featuring the beautiful work on choanoflagellates. The studies on choanoflagellates and ctenophores shed light at how sensory-motor systems evolved - fascinating!
July 7, 2026 at 9:03 PM
It was so cool in to see one of our covers pop up at #FENS2026🧠✨ in a talk by @Pawel_Burkhardt's on the origins of the nervous system featuring the beautiful work on choanoflagellates. The studies on choanoflagellates and ctenophores shed light at how sensory-motor systems evolved - fascinating!
Discovery of an adhesion GPCR regulating mating in choanoflagellates, by Alain Garcia de las Bayonas & Nicole King. Absolutely stunning work - choano cell biology is going next level www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
July 7, 2026 at 7:44 AM
Discovery of an adhesion GPCR regulating mating in choanoflagellates, by Alain Garcia de las Bayonas & Nicole King. Absolutely stunning work - choano cell biology is going next level www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
1/3 May I present "Cellosophy" - a new @semble.so collection on the origins of intelligence in unicellular organisms. Soon to be a @leaflet.pub!
semble.so/profile/rang...
We tend to think of intelligence as something abstract but in reality, you can't divorce it from its material substrate.
semble.so/profile/rang...
We tend to think of intelligence as something abstract but in reality, you can't divorce it from its material substrate.
Cellosophy (by Ranganaut) — Semble
Exploring the origins of intelligence and agency, starting with unicellular organisms such as bacteria, choanoflagellates and other protists.
semble.so
July 3, 2026 at 5:46 PM
1/3 May I present "Cellosophy" - a new @semble.so collection on the origins of intelligence in unicellular organisms. Soon to be a @leaflet.pub!
semble.so/profile/rang...
We tend to think of intelligence as something abstract but in reality, you can't divorce it from its material substrate.
semble.so/profile/rang...
We tend to think of intelligence as something abstract but in reality, you can't divorce it from its material substrate.
(now with 100% more choanoflagellates)
June 23, 2026 at 8:31 PM
(now with 100% more choanoflagellates)
How did animal senses evolve? Max Coyle et al. used choanoflagellates to uncover TRPW, ancient ion channels predating animal somatosensory receptors. TRPW links microbial prey ecology to evolution of receptor structure, sensory organelles, & multicellular processing.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
June 16, 2026 at 4:59 PM
How did animal senses evolve? Max Coyle et al. used choanoflagellates to uncover TRPW, ancient ion channels predating animal somatosensory receptors. TRPW links microbial prey ecology to evolution of receptor structure, sensory organelles, & multicellular processing.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
New preprint from the Burkhardt lab 🚨The work explores the origins of sensory system components by looking at the closest relatives to animals, choanoflagellates ⤵️
Congratulations @smannsaker.bsky.social, @jeffcolgren.bsky.social & @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social!
Congratulations @smannsaker.bsky.social, @jeffcolgren.bsky.social & @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social!
How ancient are the building blocks of animal sensory systems?
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
June 16, 2026 at 12:10 PM
New preprint from the Burkhardt lab 🚨The work explores the origins of sensory system components by looking at the closest relatives to animals, choanoflagellates ⤵️
Congratulations @smannsaker.bsky.social, @jeffcolgren.bsky.social & @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social!
Congratulations @smannsaker.bsky.social, @jeffcolgren.bsky.social & @pawelburkhardt.bsky.social!
We have systematically analyzed TRP channel repertoires across choanoflagellates to reconstruct the evolutionary history and TRP channel family diversity. These patterns suggest the evolution of animal sensory systems involved both pruning and innovation within an already complex ancestral toolkit.
June 16, 2026 at 8:28 AM
We have systematically analyzed TRP channel repertoires across choanoflagellates to reconstruct the evolutionary history and TRP channel family diversity. These patterns suggest the evolution of animal sensory systems involved both pruning and innovation within an already complex ancestral toolkit.
How ancient are the building blocks of animal sensory systems?
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
June 16, 2026 at 8:28 AM
How ancient are the building blocks of animal sensory systems?
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
Key components of animal sensory systems evolved before animals. We find that choanoflagellates possess diverse & spatially segregated TRP channels, pointing to ancient origins of sensory specialization.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems #SingleCell 🧪🧬🖥️
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
June 16, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems #SingleCell 🧪🧬🖥️
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
June 16, 2026 at 12:03 AM
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
June 15, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
June 15, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Diversity and Spatial Segregation of TRP Channels in Choanoflagellates Provide Insight into the Evolutionary Origin of Animal Sensory Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.15.732245v1
Interesting - somewhat akin to choanoflagellates in water, but the latter remain as distinct cells, but work together.
June 4, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Interesting - somewhat akin to choanoflagellates in water, but the latter remain as distinct cells, but work together.