- Studies on Chitinases and Chitosanases
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth
- Marine and fisheries research
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
Southern California University for Professional Studies
2025
University of Southern California
2025
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022-2023
Boston University
2022
Marine picocyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, the most abundant photosynthetic cells in oceans, are generally thought to have a primarily single-celled free-living lifestyle. However, while studying ability of supplement carbon fixation with use exogenous organic carbon, we found widespread occurrence genes for breaking down chitin, an source that exists as particles. We show encode chitin degradation pathway display activity, attach particles, enhanced growth under low light...
Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus are abundant marine picocyanobacteria that contribute significantly to ocean primary production. Recent genome sequencing efforts, including those presented here, have yielded a large number of high-quality reference genomes, enabling the classification these in metagenomic sequence data at high phylogenetic resolution. When combined with environmental data, classifications can guide cluster/clade/grade assignments offer insights into niche differentiation...
Coral reefs are increasingly ecologically destabilized across the globe due to climate change. Behavioural plasticity in corallivore behaviour and short-term trophic ecology response bleaching events may influence extent severity of coral subsequent recovery potential, yet our understanding these interactions situ remains unclear. Here, we investigated between corallivory during a severe high thermal event (10.3-degree heating weeks) Belize. We found that parrotfish changed their grazing by...
Isolates of the marine picocyanobacteria, Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, are often accompanied by diverse heterotrophic "contaminating" bacteria, which can act as confounding variables in otherwise controlled experiments. Traditional microbiological methods for eliminating contaminants, such direct streak-plating, unsuccessful with this particular group microorganisms. While they will grow pour plates, colonies remain contaminated bacteria that migrate through soft agar. Additionally,...
Abstract Chitin is an abundant, carbon-rich polymer in the marine environment. Chitinase activity has been detected spent media of Synechococcus WH7803 cultures—yet it was unclear which specific enzymes were involved. Here we delivered a CRISPR tool into cells via electroporation to generate loss-of-function mutants putative candidates and identified ChiA as enzyme required for wild type.
Abstract Chitin is an abundant, carbon-rich polymer in the marine environment. Chitinase activity has been detected spent media of Synechococcus WH7803 cultures – yet it was unclear which specific enzymes were involved. Here we delivered a CRISPR tool into cells via electroporation to generate loss-of-function mutants putative candidates and identified ChiA as enzyme required for wild type.