iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The ribosome in Methanosarcina, an archaebacterium known for producing methane, does an interesting #toss of a coin when it encounters a TAG/UAG code.It either results in stop of protein synthesis or it continues to form pyrrolysine- an addition to the standard 20 amino acids. #inktober2026 #scicomn

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Just like a stuck elevator needs a #rescue , so does a ribosome inside the cell. It gets stalled due to damages on the mRNA. Different methods can help the rescue like tagging the unfinished protein for degradation,a molecule capable of squeezing into the complex & cutting the protein loose. #scicom

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Brevibacterium is the reason behind cheesy odors but also #stink y feet! This bacterium likes warm, moist, salty environments - interestingly present in both feet & cheese. It produces methanethiol and isovaleric acid - the cheesy foot aroma. #scicomm #inktober2026 #microbiology

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

The gut-brain connection seems to influence #panic disorders among other things. An inflamed unhappy gut has an imbalance of some bacteria. Absence of these leads to reduced levels of tryptophan, butyrate and GABA, molecules that play a role in signaling to the brain. #scicomm #inktober2026

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Meet Stentor coeruleus, an #ogre of the microbial world. It is big, green & gobbles up any prey that dares to swim close. It is often attached to something in murky waters, waiting to attack. It creates a water current around the mouth using the hair-like cilia. #inktober2026 #scicomm #microbiology

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

When we eat, our oral bacteria help in making the food lip #smacking delicious. Bacterial enzymes breakdown, modify molecules in food helping them stick to our taste receptors. Some popular flavors being umami (from glutamic acids) and buttery (from short chain fatty acids). #scicomm #inktober2026

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Micratinium is a 🔬 algae found in freshwater. Just like a #cactus it has long bristles. They protect the algae from being eaten by bigger (still microscopic) predators like rotifers. Interestingly Micratinium can produce the bristles on demand unlike the spines of a cactus. #scicomm #inktober2026

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The mini cooper is well known but do you know about Minisyncoccus. It is an ultramicrobacterium, a true #miniature of the microbe world (0.7 um in length x 0.5 um in width). It attaches to Methanospirillum at the end using pili and parasitizes this bacterium. #inktober2026 #scicomm #microbiology

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Ötzi the iceman, a true #Relic has a microbiome! Advanced sequencing technology is shining light on some of the interesting microbes present in and on this specimen such as yeast, fungi & Helicobacter pylori. Even cooler - this microbiome is changing over time. #inktober2026 #microbiology #scicom

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Read the paper to find out how bacterial colonies can look like this👇🏼

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Shraddha Shitut @shetoot.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Excited to share our paper published in @currentbiology.bsky.social that explores the consequences of having multiple genomes in a bacterial model system and it’s benefits in a multidrug environment ! www.cell.com/current-biol...

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