Publications by authors named "P J Weyman"
While diatoms are promising synthetic biology platforms, there currently exists a limited number of validated genetic regulatory parts available for genetic engineering. The standard method for diatom transformation, nonspecific introduction of DNA into chromosomes via biolistic particle bombardment, is low throughput and suffers from clonal variability and epigenetic effects. Recent developments in diatom engineering have demonstrated that autonomously replicating episomal plasmids serve as stable expression platforms for diverse gene expression technologies.
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- In nitrogen-limited boreal forests, the relationship between feathermoss and diazotrophic cyanobacteria, like Nostoc punctiforme, plays a key role in nitrogen input and carbon cycling, but the specific molecular regulators of this association are not well understood.
- Research findings suggest that cyanobacteria rely on organic sulfur for colonization and may communicate with feathermoss through this element, indicating a complex interaction.
- Isotope probing combined with imaging techniques revealed that both carbon and sulfur are exchanged with the cyanobacteria, while nitrogen is transferred to the moss, supporting the idea of a mutualistic partnership with significant nutrient sharing.
Background: Custom synthesized DNA is in high demand for synthetic biology applications. However, current technologies to produce these sequences using assembly from DNA oligonucleotides are costly and labor-intensive. The automation and reduced sample volumes afforded by microfluidic technologies could significantly decrease materials and labor costs associated with DNA synthesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFunctional genomics studies in minimal mycoplasma cells enable unobstructed access to some of the most fundamental processes in biology. Conventional transposon bombardment and gene knockout approaches often fail to reveal functions of genes that are essential for viability, where lethality precludes phenotypic characterization. Conditional inactivation of genes is effective for characterizing functions central to cell growth and division, but tools are limited for this purpose in mycoplasmas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCyanobacteria belonging to the genus Nostoc comprise free-living strains and also facultative plant symbionts. Symbiotic strains can enter into symbiosis with taxonomically diverse range of host plants. Little is known about genomic changes associated with evolutionary transition of Nostoc from free-living to plant symbiont.
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