O. Beja

Virus-encoded Shemin pathway highlights the importance of tetrapyrrole metabolism during host infection

This study identifies viral Shemin pathway genes in bacteriophages that can functionally complement bacterial 5-ALA biosynthesis pathways.

Robust Optogenetic Inhibition with Red-light-sensitive Anion-conducting Channelrhodopsins

The paper identifies and characterizes red-light-sensitive anion-conducting channelrhodopsins (ACRs) for optogenetic inhibition, showing improved temporal resolution in mouse neurons.

Energy transfer in ubiquitous rhodopsin pumps with xanthophyll antennas

The paper detects energy transfer from hydroxylated carotenoids to rhodopsin proton pumps in marine and freshwater bacteria.

Infection cycle and phylogeny of the Polinton-like virus Phaeocystis globosa virus virophage-14T

The paper isolates and characterizes a virophage PgVV-14T that co-infects Phaeocystis globosa with PgV-14T, showing it integrates into the host genome and bridges the gap between Polinton-like viruses and virophages.

Proton-transporting heliorhodopsins from marine giant viruses

This paper identifies a light-gated proton channel in a viral heliorhodopsin from Emiliania huxleyi virus 202, showing its potential role in host manipulation and optogenetic applications.

Saccharibacteria harness light energy using Type-1 rhodopsins that may rely on retinal sourced from microbial hosts

The paper identifies Saccharibacteria using Type-1 rhodopsins that pump protons and rely on retinal from microbial hosts, suggesting a symbiotic relationship for energy generation.

Characterization of heliorhodopsins detected via functional metagenomics in freshwater Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Archaea

This paper discovers and characterizes ten new heliorhodopsins from freshwater microbes using functional metagenomics, revealing their light absorption properties and potential roles in membrane lipid remodeling and oxidative stress.

Rising through the Ranks: Seasonal and Diel Patterns of Marine Viruses

The paper analyzes seasonal and diel patterns of marine viruses using size-fractionated water samples to infer potential host interactions and life history traits.

Exploration of natural red-shifted rhodopsins using a machine learning-based Bayesian experimental design

The paper uses a machine learning model to identify red-shifted rhodopsins, finding 80% of selected candidates show red-shift gains, with some having desirable ion-transporting properties.

Lateral gene transfer of anion-conducting channelrhodopsins between green algae and giant viruses

The paper identifies a new family of anion-conducting channelrhodopsins (ACRs) transferred from green algae to marine giant viruses, which function in light-induced behavioral responses.

A novel uncultured marine cyanophage lineage with lysogenic potential linked to a putative marine Synechococcus ‘relic’ prophage

The paper identifies a novel marine cyanophage lineage with lysogenic potential linked to a Synechococcus prophage, using metagenomic data from the Red Sea and Tara Oceans.

MerMAIDs: A novel family of metagenomically discovered, marine, anion-conducting and intensely desensitizing channelrhodopsins.

The paper identifies a new family of marine anion-conducting channelrhodopsins (MerMAIDs) that rapidly desensitize under continuous light, enabling their use as optogenetic silencers.

Uncultured marine cyanophages encode for active NblA, phycobilisome proteolysis adaptor protein

The paper examines the functionality of nblA-like genes from marine cyanophages in a cyanobacterial knockout model, revealing a functional NblA and new insights into nblA gene distribution.

The sunlit microoxic niche of the archaeal eukaryotic ancestor comes to light

The paper uses phylogenetic analyses and metabolic reconstructions to infer the lifestyle and metabolic environment of the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes, revealing microoxic lifestyles and novel metabolic pathways.

Heliorhodopsins are absent in diderm (Gram-negative) bacteria: Some thoughts and possible implications for activity

The paper examines the presence of heliorhodopsins in diderm bacteria using metagenomic data and finds they are absent, suggesting a possible role in light-driven transport of amphiphilic molecules.

The use of a chimeric rhodopsin vector for the detection of new proteorhodopsins based on color

This paper describes a functional assay using a chimeric rhodopsin vector to detect proteorhodopsins without sequencing, enabling rapid visual results in marine microbiology courses.

Adaptation to sub-optimal hosts is a driver of viral diversification in the ocean

This study shows that viral diversification in marine cyanophages is driven by adaptation to sub-optimal hosts, leading to rapid mutation accumulation and subpopulation formation.

Cyanophage-encoded lipid-desaturases: oceanic distribution, diversity and function

This study identifies and characterizes cyanophage-encoded lipid desaturases, revealing their oceanic distribution, diversity, and role in modulating host membrane fluidity and photoprotection.

Novel Abundant Oceanic Viruses of Uncultured Marine Group II Euryarchaeota Identified by Genome-Centric Metagenomics

The paper identifies novel viruses infecting uncultured marine Group II Euryarchaeota using genome-centric metagenomics, revealing their abundance and potential ecological significance.