S. Pollak

Bacteria face trade-offs in the decomposition of complex biopolymers

This paper uses theoretical modeling to show that microorganisms face trade-offs in producing exo- or endo-enzymes for biopolymer decomposition, affecting their growth under different substrate conditions and community dynamics.

Novel isolates expand the physiological diversity of Prochlorococcus and illuminate its macroevolution

The paper isolates and characterizes four new Prochlorococcus strains, revealing physiological and genomic features that expand the understanding of its macroevolutionary history.

Fundamental metabolic strategies of heterotrophic bacteria

This study identifies a single metabolic strategy axis for heterotrophic bacteria, linking it to genomic features and carbon source preferences.

Ecological stochasticity and phage induction diversify bacterioplankton communities at the microscale

The paper investigates microscale microbial community dynamics on chitin particles, finding that stochastic processes and phage predation drive taxonomic and functional variability.

Hierarchical control of microbial community assembly

The paper shows specialized biopolymer degraders direct microbial community assembly through nutrient crossfeeding in a marine model system.

Public good exploitation in natural bacterioplankton communities

The paper develops a genomic approach to identify public good exploiters in marine microbial communities degrading chitin, showing their activity and potential impact on polysaccharide degradation.