Global gene expression analysis of the Myxococcus xanthus developmental time course.

To accurately identify the genes and pathways involved in the initiation of the Myxococcus xanthus multicellular developmental program, we have previously reported a method of growing vegetative populations as biofilms within a controllable environment. Using a modified approach to remove up to ~90% rRNAs, we report a comprehensive transcriptional analysis of the M. xanthus developmental cycle while comparing it with the vegetative biofilms grown in rich and poor nutrients.

The Exploration of Novel Regulatory Relationships Drives Haloarchaeal Operon-Like Structural Dynamics over Short Evolutionary Distances.

Operons are a dominant feature of bacterial and archaeal genome organization. Numerous investigations have related aspects of operon structure to operon function, making operons exemplars for studies aimed at deciphering Nature's design principles for genomic organization at a local scale. We consider this understanding to be both fundamentally important and ultimately useful in the de novo design of increasingly complex synthetic circuits.

Combining Microbial Culturing With Mathematical Modeling in an Introductory Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience.

Quantitative techniques are a critical part of contemporary biology research, but students interested in biology enter college with widely varying quantitative skills and attitudes toward mathematics. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) may be an early way to build student competency and positive attitudes. Here we describe the design, implementation, and assessment of an introductory quantitative CURE focused on halophilic microbes.

Draft Genome Sequences of 16 Halophilic Prokaryotes Isolated from Diverse Environments.

Halophile-specific enzymes have wide-ranging industrial and commercial applications. Despite their importance, there is a paucity of available halophile whole-genome sequences. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of 16 diverse salt-tolerant strains of bacteria and archaea isolated from a variety of high-salt environments.