Elizabeth C. Ruck

This study identifies genome-wide metabolic changes driving local adaptation of a marine diatom to the Baltic Sea's environmental gradients over 8,000 years.

The paper sequenced the genome of a nonphotosynthetic diatom to understand metabolic changes after losing photosynthesis and found key genetic constraints and alternative pathways for energy acquisition.

The paper presents an improved reference genome for Cyclotella cryptica CCMP332, enhancing its utility for ecological, genetic, and biotechnology studies.

The paper investigates the evolutionary loss of photosynthesis in diatoms, finding evidence for a single loss event supported by genomic and phylogenetic analyses.