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PubMed2026

Conference report: the third Bacterial Genome Sequencing Pan-European Network conference.

The third Bacterial Genome Sequencing Pan-European Network conference, held in Engelberg, Switzerland (12-15 January 2026), brought together experts from six European countries to discuss the implementation of bacterial genome sequencing in clinical microbiology and public health. Key themes included regulatory frameworks (In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation, General Data Protection Regulation), standardization, quality control, data sharing, economic evaluation, and the integration of artificial intelligence and long-read sequencing into diagnostic workflows. Across presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, participants emphasized that successful implementation of genome sequencing requires more than technical capacity: it depends on robust validation, sustainable funding, interoperable data standards, ethical governance, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The meeting highlighted that sequencing should remain question-driven and clinically meaningful, balancing cost, turnaround time, and public health impact. Overall, the conference reinforced the need for coordinated European efforts to advance responsible, standardized, and sustainable genomic surveillance and diagnostics.

bacterial genome sequencing↗

PubMed2023

Dominant negative variants in KIF5B cause osteogenesis imperfecta via down regulation of mTOR signaling.

BACKGROUND: Kinesin motor proteins transport intracellular cargo, including mRNA, proteins, and organelles. Pathogenic variants in kinesin-related genes have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders and skeletal dysplasias. We identified de novo, heterozygous variants in KIF5B, encoding a kinesin-1 subunit, in four individuals with osteogenesis imperfecta. The variants cluster within the highly conserved kinesin motor domain and are predicted to interfere with nucleotide binding, although the mechanistic consequences on cell signaling and function are unknown. METHODS: To understand the in vivo genetic mechanism of KIF5B variants, we modeled the p.Thr87Ile variant that was found in two patients in the C. elegans ortholog, unc-116, at the corresponding position (Thr90Ile) by CRISPR/Cas9 editing and performed functional analysis. Next, we studied the cellular and molecular consequences of the recurrent p.Thr87Ile variant by microscopy, RNA and protein analysis in NIH3T3 cells, primary human fibroblasts and bone biopsy. RESULTS: C. elegans heterozygous for the unc-116 Thr90Ile variant displayed abnormal body length and motility phenotypes that were suppressed by additional copies of the wild type allele, consistent with a dominant negative mechanism. Time-lapse imaging of GFP-tagged mitochondria showed defective mitochondria transport in unc-116 Thr90Ile neurons providing strong evidence for disrupted kinesin motor function. Microscopy studies in human cells showed dilated endoplasmic reticulum, multiple intracellular vacuoles, and abnormal distribution of the Golgi complex, supporting an intracellular trafficking defect. RNA sequencing, proteomic analysis, and bone immunohistochemistry demonstrated down regulation of the mTOR signaling pathway that was partially rescued with leucine supplementation in patient cells. CONCLUSION: We report dominant negative variants in the KIF5B kinesin motor domain in individuals with osteogenesis imperfecta. This study expands the spectrum of kinesin-related disorders and identifies dysregulated signaling targets for KIF5B in skeletal development.

Animals↗