Research highlights
May 15, 2025
“Cyanobacterial Argonautes and Cas4 family nucleases cooperate to interfere with invading DNA” published in Molecular Cell.
We investigated the function, structure, and mechanisms of APACE systems (Long-A pAgos associated with Argonaute-associated Cas4-like enzymes (ACE), found in cyanobacteria. We show that ACE1 can generate small DNA guides for its associated long-A pAgo that interferes with invading plasmid and bacteriophage DNA.
This work demonstrates the adaptability of prokaryotic immune systems to function in specific species, and sets the stage for further characterization of APACE and similar systems.
Thanks to all collaborators in this multidisciplinary study and a big congratulations especially to Pilar who spearheaded this study!
Read the open access article here and a preview here.
June 29, 2024
“RNA-guided RNA silencing by an Asgard archaeal Argonaute” published in Nature Communications.
In this project, we characterized an Argonaute from a Lokiarchaeon, named HrAgo1. In line with the fact that Asgard archaea are the closest-living prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes, HrAgo1 behaves like RNA-guided RNA-silencing eukaryotic Argonautes!
This finding makes it tempting to speculate that RNA silencing has its evolutionary roots in prokaryotes.
This multidisciplinary study was only possible through the collaboration that was spearheaded by Pilar with Carolien Bastiaanssen, Kijum Kim, Giada Finocchio, and Yanlei Feng, and co-led by Daan with Chirlmin Joo, and Fabai Wu, but also involved many more co-authors including Todd Anzelon, Stephan Kostlbaher, Daniel Tamarit, Thijs Ettema, Martin Jinek, and Ian J. MacRae.
Teamwork makes the dreams work!
January 15, 2024
Structures and mechanisms of SPARTA immune complexes published in Nucleic Acids Research!
Together with our collaborators Giada Finocchio and Martin Jinek, Bel, Ana, Clint and, Adrie resolved the structure and mechanisms underlying guide/target binding-mediated catalytic activation of SPARTA.
Read the (open access) article here.
April 28, 2022
The inaugural paper of the Swarts lab has been published in Cell!
In this paper, Bel and Ana (together with our collaborators) resolved the function and mechanisms of SPARTA systems (Short Prokaryotic Argonaute TIR-APAZ), and like the Spartans, it protects against invaders!
Read the press release here and find the (open access) article here.
The Swarts lab is embedded in the Laboratory of Biochemistry
at Wageningen University.
THE SWARTS LAB 