iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Jolly Lab

Nature @nature.com · 10/05/2026

David Attenborough has raised awareness of the natural world and its myriad interconnections on which humans depend go.nature.com/48RTqVz

go.nature.com

Happy 100th birthday David Attenborough! Nature salutes you

Nature - The science communicator has raised awareness of the natural world andits myriad interconnections on which humans depend.

19429

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Thanks, Joe! The guys did an amazing job!

010

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

This is a cool example of a virus teaching us about cell biology: Events at the cell surface directly instruct NPC function, revealing a novel function of CD4, likely contributing to T cell function in immune interactions by activating CDK1 to regulate nuclear transport and instruct cell fate.11/11

020

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

We show that CCS dominates infection not simply because more virus transfers,but because it directly increases target permissivity via the CD4-CDK1-axis. This allows HIV to directly infect resting T cells by overcoming the capsid nuclear import bottleneck without the need for T cell activation.10/11

100

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Capsid preferentially associates with these remodelled pores. This depends on Lck and CDK1 signalling and is likely mediated by CDK1-driven Nup-phosphorylation. This nicely links activation of CD4-Lck signalling and CDK1 with dynamic changes to nuclear pores and enhanced infection in T cells. 9/11

100

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Turns out, CDK1 remodels nuclear pores and triggers the permissivity switch. We see specific remodelling of Nup54, Nup62, Tpr-containing pores. This not only increases capsid nuclear import - but more broadly increases overall nuclear import in a primed cell. 8/11

100

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

CD4-Lck signalling is activated during CCS which leads to upregulation and activation of CDK1 - all without pushing the cells into cell cycle. In fact, when we overexpress an active form of CDK1, we can mimic the permissivity-switch we see in CCS. But how does this link to nuclear import? 7/11

100

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

We simplified our set up further and coated cell-sized beads with anti-CD4 or Env to prime resting T cells. We see the same increase in permissivity and nuclear import that we see with CCS. (Size really matters here: Virion-sized beads do not increase infection or import.) How does this work? 6/11

100

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

VS-priming is actually enough to make resting CD4 T cells permissive to infection. We see significantly more productive infection, but not more entry or early RT. It actually looks like there is more nuclear import (more 2-LTR and nucleus-associated HIV capsid). So, what is happening? 5/11

110

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

To tackle this question, we first uncoupled VS-signalling from increased viral transfer during CCS with a fusion-defective HIV Env that still binds to receptor, so we maintain VS-signalling. 4/11

100

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

We asked what makes a T cell permissive to HIV and how does cell-cell spread (CCS) allow infection of resting T cells? Is it just the increased MOI or is there more going on at the virological synapse (VS)? Here's what we found. Strap yourselves in: 3/11

110

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Thanks to our collaborators and co-authors who helped shape this story: @shivkumarlab.bsky.social @akreuschl.bsky.social; Riccardo Zenezini Chiozzi; Konstantinos Thalassinos and Rob deBruin @ucl.ac.uk Check out the thread below for an overview. 2/11

100

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

We are incredibly excited to see our most recent story out @nature.com today:HIV triggers CD4-signaling to remodel nuclear pores and license infection!A heroic effort led by our very own @d-mesner.bsky.social & @mattvxwhelan.bsky.social! @blizardinstitute.bsky.social Link: tinyurl.com/HIVNup 1/11

42011

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

Fabulous opportunity to join a brilliant lab and team.

000

Reposted by Jolly Lab

Towers Lab @towerslab.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

🚨Job Alert🚨 Looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our multidisciplinary team of scientists. The postdoc will collaborate with world-class structural biologist Peijun Zhang to understand everything about HIV capsids and how they work via host interactions. Spread the word!

qmul-jobs.tal.net

Postdoctoral Research Associate (Molecular Biology of HIV Infection) - QMUL Jobs

ID: 8551. Title: Postdoctoral Research Associate (Molecular Biology of HIV Infection). Application Deadline:

22014

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

And last but not least a real throwback:

010

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

Here some impressions of our transition period:

110

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

It has been a big year for the Jolly lab. We have said "au revoir" to UCL, after a fantastic time there, to move to QMUL with lots of exciting new things to come! Thank you to everybody who has been part of this journey and stay tuned for exciting news from the lab. Happy 2026 to all of you! 🎆

121

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Very excited to be joining the Blizard! Looking forward to doing some great science and establishing new collaborations.

010

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Great story Adam. Congratulations!

010

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Yesterday, @mattvxwhelan.bsky.social gave a fantastic talk! Thanks for all the engaging questions and all the great science chat afterwards! #cshretro

051

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Great to be at the 50th installment of #cshretro! We're looking forward to a week of exciting science! Our very own @mattvxwhelan.bsky.social is going to present in this morning's session, showing the exciting work that he has spearheaded together with Dejan Mesner!

030

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Congratulations to Dr @nellymak.bsky.social who returned to us victoriously from her PhD viva in Edinburgh! Fantastic job! We're very excited that she is starting her postdoc journey with us! 🥳

0110

Jolly Lab @jollylab.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

First full day of #CSHApandemic ! A fantastic line up so far. We've been hearing about some great CoV science!

0113