A5058889598- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Gut microbiota and health
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research
- Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Digestive system and related health
- Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
University of Haifa
2023-2024
Max Planck Institute for Biology
2022-2024
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
2020-2022
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
2011-2018
The gut microbiomes of human populations worldwide have many core microbial species in common. However, within a species, some strains can show remarkable population specificity. question is whether such specificity arises from shared evolutionary history (codiversification) between humans and their microbes. To test for codiversification host microbiota, we analyzed paired metagenomes genomes 1225 individuals Europe, Asia, Africa, including mothers children. Between countries, parallel was...
Abstract Microbial species diversify into strains through single-nucleotide mutations and structural changes, such as recombination, insertions deletions. Most strain-comparison methods quantify differences in polymorphisms (SNPs) are insensitive to changes. However, recombination is an important driver of phenotypic diversification many species, including human pathogens. We introduce SynTracker, a tool that compares microbial using genome synteny—the order sequence blocks homologous...
Viral genomes often contain metabolic genes that were acquired from host (auxiliary genes). It is assumed these are fixed in viral as a result of selective force, favoring viruses acquire specific functions. While many individual auxiliary observed and metagenomes, there great importance investigating the abundance functions marine environment towards better understanding their role promoting reproduction.In this study, we searched for enriched mapped them to pathways. To initially identify...
Cyanophages of the Myoviridae family include generalist viruses capable infecting a wide range hosts including those from different cyanobacterial genera. While influence phages on host evolution has been studied previously, it is not known how infection distinct influences cyanophage populations. Here, using an experimental approach, we investigated adaptation multiple populations to hosts. We show that when "optimal" host, whose most efficient, phage accumulated only few mutations....
Abstract Harmful blooms caused by diazotrophic (nitrogen-fixing) Cyanobacteria are becoming increasingly frequent and negatively impact aquatic environments worldwide. Cyanophages (viruses infecting Cyanobacteria) can potentially regulate cyanobacterial blooms, yet rapidly acquire mutations that provide protection against phage infection. Here, we novel insights into cyanophage:Cyanobacteria interactions characterizing the resistance to phages in two species of Cyanobacteria: Nostoc sp....
When humans domesticated animals, some adapted genetically to digest milk into adulthood (lactase persistence). The gut microbiomes of people with lactase-persistent genotypes (AA or AG) differ from those lactase-nonpersistent (GG) by containing fewer bacteria belonging the bifidobacteria, a group which contains beneficial species. Here, we asked if adults GG and AA/AG in species bifidobacteria present. In particular, used novel technique allowed us compare at strain level, without...
Summary Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is a central bloom‐forming cyanobacteria. However, despite its ecological significance, little known of interactions with the phages that infect it. Currently, only single sequenced genome ‐infecting phage publicly available. Here we describe isolation and characterization Cr‐LKS3, second infecting . Cr‐LKS3 siphovirus higher similarity to prophages within heterotrophic bacteria genomes than any other cyanophage/cyano‐prophage, suggesting it represents...
Abstract Marine photosynthesis is one of the major contributors to global carbon cycle and world’s oxygen supply. This process largely driven by cyanobacteria, namely Synechococcus Prochlorococcus. Genes encoding photosystem-II (PSII) reaction center proteins are found in many cyanophage genomes, expressed during infection their hosts. On basis metagenomics, photosystem-I (PSI) gene cassettes were recently discovered with two arrangements psaJF→C→A→B→K→E→D psaD→C→A→B. It was suggested that...
Abstract In the human gut microbiome, specific strains emerge due to within-host evolution and can occasionally be transferred or from other hosts. Phenotypic variance among such have implications for strain transmission interaction with host. Surveilling of same species, within between individuals, further our knowledge about way in which microbial diversity is generated maintained host populations. Existing methods estimate biological relatedness similar usually rely on either detection...
Marine cyanophages are viruses that infect oceanic cyanobacteria, thus affecting global ecological processes. Cyanophages of the Myoviridae family great interest since they include generalist capable infection a wide range hosts including those from different cyanobacterial genera. While influence phages on host evolution has been studied previously, it is not known how distinct influences cyanophage populations. In marine systems this question special as abundance Synechococcus and...
Abstract Some gut microbes have cospeciated with hominids, but whether they further codiversified human populations is unclear. Here, we identify predominant microbial species sharing a parallel evolutionary history populations. Patterns of strain transfer between are generally consistent an African origin, and suggest long-term vertical transmission over thousands generations. We show the same strains also faithfully transmit mothers their children. Consistent development intimate...
Abstract Harmful blooms caused by diazotrophic (nitrogen-fixing) cyanobacteria are becoming increasingly frequent and negatively impact aquatic environments worldwide. Cyanophages (viruses infecting ) can potentially regulate cyanobacterial blooms, yet rapidly acquire mutations that provide protection against phage infection. Here, we novel insights into cyanophage: interactions characterizing the resistance to phages in two species of : Nostoc sp. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii . Our...
ABSTRACT One of the strongest associations between human genetics and gut microbiome is a greater relative abundance Bifidobacterium in adults with lactase gene (LCT) SNPs associated lactase-non persistence (GG genotypes), versus (AA/AG genotypes). To gain finer grained phylogenetic resolution this association, we interrogated 1,680 16S rRNA libraries 245 metagenomes from microbiomes varying genotypes. We further employed novel genome-capture based enrichment DNA subset these metagenomes,...