Benoit Cousineau, McGill University

Research

group ii intron splicing rna ribozyme mobile element molecular microbiology molecular biology lateral gene transfer

Latest papers

First unraveling of the hidden and intricate evolutionary history of a bacterial group II intron family.
Evolution; international journal of organic evolution · 2023 · senior author
Editorial: Genetically mobile elements repurposed by nature and biotechnologists.
Frontiers in molecular biosciences · 2022
Molecular characterization of both transesterification reactions of the group II intron circularization pathway.
Nucleic acids research · 2021 · senior author

All 29 publications

Latest funding

Bacterial group II introns: Splicing, Function and Evolution
NSERC · 2024 · Principal investigator
$47,000
The influence of heme on the gut microbiota and colon carcinogenesis
CIHR · 2018 · Co-investigator
$700,740
Bacterial group II introns: splicing, function and evolution
NSERC · 2018 · Principal investigator
$210,000

All 13 grants and awards

29 publications.

01

First unraveling of the hidden and intricate evolutionary history of a bacterial group II intron family.

LaRoche-Johnston F, Prattico C, Monat C, Hinse O, Cousineau B

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad050 PMID: 36946381

02

Editorial: Genetically mobile elements repurposed by nature and biotechnologists.

Lennon CW, Callahan BP, Cousineau B, Edgell DR, Belfort M

Frontiers in molecular biosciences2022

DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.992664 PMID: 36106021

03

Molecular characterization of both transesterification reactions of the group II intron circularization pathway.

LaRoche-Johnston F, Monat C, Verreault E, Cousineau B

Nucleic acids research2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab537 PMID: 34157113

04

Group II Introns Generate Functional Chimeric Relaxase Enzymes with Modified Specificities through Exon Shuffling at Both the RNA and DNA Level.

LaRoche-Johnston F, Bosan R, Cousineau B

Molecular biology and evolution2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa275 PMID: 33118013

05

Conjugation as a Highly Sensitive Assay to Study Group II Intron Splicing In Vivo.

LaRoche-Johnston F, Monat C, Cousineau B

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0716-9_1 PMID: 32712911

06

Intranasal Application of Lactococcus lactis W136 Is Safe in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients With Previous Sinus Surgery.

Endam LM, Alromaih S, Gonzalez E, Madrenas J, Cousineau B, Renteria AE, Desrosiers M

Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology2020

DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00440 PMID: 33154953

07

The circle to lariat ratio of the Ll.LtrB group II intron from Lactococcus lactis is greatly influenced by a variety of biological determinants in vivo.

Monat C, Cousineau B

PloS one2020Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237367 PMID: 32810148

08

Multifunctional Acidocin 4356 Combats Pseudomonas aeruginosa through Membrane Perturbation and Virulence Attenuation: Experimental Results Confirm Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Modiri S, Kasra Kermanshahi R, Soudi MR, Arab SS, Khammari A, Cousineau B, Vali H, Zahiri HS, Noghabi KA

Applied and environmental microbiology2020

DOI: 10.1128/aem.00367-20 PMID: 32169940

09

Detection of Group II Intron-Generated Chimeric mRNAs in Bacterial Cells.

LaRoche-Johnston F, Monat C, Cousineau B

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)2020Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9904-0_7 PMID: 31728964

10

Bacterial group II introns generate genetic diversity by circularization and trans-splicing from a population of intron-invaded mRNAs.

LaRoche-Johnston F, Monat C, Coulombe S, Cousineau B

PLoS genetics2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007792 PMID: 30462638

Bacterial group II introns: Splicing, Function and Evolution

Principal investigatorNSERC2024Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cousineau, Benoit

Keywords: group ii intron; splicing; rna; ribozyme; mobile element; molecular microbiology; molecular biology; lateral gene transfer; conjugation; evolution

$47,000

The influence of heme on the gut microbiota and colon carcinogenesis

Co-investigatorCIHR2018Project Grant

Principal investigators: Santos, Manuela M

Keywords: Colorectal Cancer; Diet; Heme; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Iron, Heme, Diet, Probiotics, Colorectal Cancer, Microbiota; Microbiota; Probiotics

$700,740

Bacterial group II introns: splicing, function and evolution

Principal investigatorNSERC2018Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cousineau, Benoit

$210,000

Bacterial group II introns: splicing, function and evolution

Principal investigatorNSERC2013Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cousineau, Benoit

$250,000

Fluorescence microplate reader for solution- and cell-based assays

Co-investigatorNSERC2012Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: LeMoual, Hervé

$25,392

Replacement of floor centrifuge and rotor

Co-investigatorNSERC2009Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: LeMoual, Hervé

$31,888

Evolution of mobile group II introns

Principal investigatorNSERC2008Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cousineau, Benoit

$212,500

Rotors for centrifuges: core equipment for microbiology and immunology

Co-investigatorNSERC2008Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Coulton, James

$26,775

Core equipment for microbiology and immunology: centrifuges and rotors

Co-investigatorNSERC2005Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Coulton, James

$41,788

Horiontal transfer of the L1.LtrB group II intron from lactococcus lactis

Principal investigatorNSERC2005Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cousineau, Benoit

$124,500

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Microbiology & Immunology
Microbiology and Immunology
Rheumatology
Medicine

Co-authors at McGill University, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Martin Olivier

Microbiology and Immunology

5 shared papers, latest 2012

Joaquin Madrenas

Rheumatology

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: group ii intron Dear Professor Cousineau, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "First unraveling of the hidden and intricate evolutionary history of a bacterial group II intron family." (2023), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Bacterial group II introns: Splicing, Function and Evolution" (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Benoit Cousineau

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

First unraveling of the hidden and intricate evolutionary history of a bacterial group II intron family.

Editorial: Genetically mobile elements repurposed by nature and biotechnologists.

Molecular characterization of both transesterification reactions of the group II intron circularization pathway.

Group II Introns Generate Functional Chimeric Relaxase Enzymes with Modified Specificities through Exon Shuffling at Both the RNA and DNA Level.

Conjugation as a Highly Sensitive Assay to Study Group II Intron Splicing In Vivo.

Intranasal Application of Lactococcus lactis W136 Is Safe in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients With Previous Sinus Surgery.

The circle to lariat ratio of the Ll.LtrB group II intron from Lactococcus lactis&#xa0;is greatly influenced by a variety of biological determinants in vivo.

Multifunctional Acidocin 4356 Combats Pseudomonas aeruginosa through Membrane Perturbation and Virulence Attenuation: Experimental Results Confirm Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Detection of Group II Intron-Generated Chimeric mRNAs in Bacterial Cells.

Bacterial group II introns generate genetic diversity by circularization and trans-splicing from a population of intron-invaded mRNAs.

Bacterial group II introns: Splicing, Function and Evolution

The influence of heme on the gut microbiota and colon carcinogenesis

Bacterial group II introns: splicing, function and evolution

Bacterial group II introns: splicing, function and evolution

Fluorescence microplate reader for solution- and cell-based assays

Replacement of floor centrifuge and rotor

Evolution of mobile group II introns

Rotors for centrifuges: core equipment for microbiology and immunology

Core equipment for microbiology and immunology: centrifuges and rotors

Horiontal transfer of the L1.LtrB group II intron from lactococcus lactis

Frequent collaborators

Martin Olivier

Michael Surette

Joaquin Madrenas

The circle to lariat ratio of the Ll.LtrB group II intron from Lactococcus lactis is greatly influenced by a variety of biological determinants in vivo.