Michael T. Laub

Michael T. Laub

Professor of Biology; Co-Chair, Biology Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Michael T. Laub explores how bacterial cells process information and regulate their own growth and proliferation, as well as how these information-processing capabilities have evolved.

617-324-0418

Phone

68-580

Office

laub@mit.edu

Email

Lab Website
Tau Zaman

Assistant

617-452-2717

Assistant Phone

Education

  • PhD, 2002, Stanford University
  • BS, 1997, Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego

Research Summary

We study the biological mechanisms and evolution of how cells process information to regulate their own growth and proliferation. Using bacteria as a model organism, we aim to elucidate the detailed molecular basis for this remarkable regulatory capability, and understand the selective pressures and mechanisms that drive the evolution of signaling pathways. Our work is rooted in a desire to develop a deeper, fundamental understanding of how cells function and evolve, but it also has important medical implications since many signaling pathways in pathogenic bacteria are needed for virulence.

Awards

  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute, HHMI Investigator, 2015
  • National Science Foundation, Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, 2010
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Early Career Scientist, 2009

Key Publications

Recent Publications

  1. Shutoff of host transcription triggers a toxin-antitoxin system to cleave phage RNA and abort infection. Guegler, CK, Laub, MT. 2021. Mol Cell , .
    doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.03.027PMID:33838104
  2. Two-component signaling systems regulate diverse virulence-associated traits in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Wang, BX, Cady, KC, Oyarce, GC, Ribbeck, K, Laub, MT. 2021. Appl Environ Microbiol , .
    doi: 10.1128/AEM.03089-20PMID:33771779
  3. Uncovering the basis of protein-protein interaction specificity with a combinatorially complete library. Lite, TV, Grant, RA, Nocedal, I, Littlehale, ML, Guo, MS, Laub, MT. 2020. Elife 9, .
    doi: 10.7554/eLife.60924PMID:33107822
  4. ppGpp Coordinates Nucleotide and Amino-Acid Synthesis in E. coli During Starvation. Wang, B, Grant, RA, Laub, MT. 2020. Mol Cell 80, 29-42.e10.
    doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.08.005PMID:32857952
  5. Stress Can Induce Transcription of Toxin-Antitoxin Systems without Activating Toxin. LeRoux, M, Culviner, PH, Liu, YJ, Littlehale, ML, Laub, MT. 2020. Mol Cell 79, 280-292.e8.
    doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.05.028PMID:32533919
  6. Constraints on the expansion of paralogous protein families. McClune, CJ, Laub, MT. 2020. Curr Biol 30, R460-R464.
    doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.075PMID:32428482
  7. A Simple, Cost-Effective, and Robust Method for rRNA Depletion in RNA-Sequencing Studies. Culviner, PH, Guegler, CK, Laub, MT. 2020. mBio 11, .
    doi: 10.1128/mBio.00010-20PMID:32317317
  8. A CRISPR Interference System for Efficient and Rapid Gene Knockdown in Caulobacter crescentus. Guzzo, M, Castro, LK, Reisch, CR, Guo, MS, Laub, MT. 2020. mBio 11, .
    doi: 10.1128/mBio.02415-19PMID:31937638
  9. Engineering orthogonal signalling pathways reveals the sparse occupancy of sequence space. McClune, CJ, Alvarez-Buylla, A, Voigt, CA, Laub, MT. 2019. Nature 574, 702-706.
    doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1639-8PMID:31645757
  10. The Stringent Response Inhibits DNA Replication Initiation in E. coli by Modulating Supercoiling of oriC. Kraemer, JA, Sanderlin, AG, Laub, MT. 2019. mBio 10, .
    doi: 10.1128/mBio.01330-19PMID:31266875
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