J. K. Michener

Laboratory evolution in Novosphingobium aromaticivorans enables rapid catabolism of a model lignin-derived aromatic dimer

This study uses experimental evolution to identify mutations that enhance catabolism of a lignin-derived aromatic dimer in Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, revealing a key enzyme involved in its degradation.

Catabolic pathway acquisition by soil pseudomonads readily enables growth with salicyl alcohol but does not affect colonization of Populus roots

The paper transfers a catabolic pathway for salicyl alcohol in Pseudomonas soil isolates, showing it enables rapid catabolism but does not confer a fitness advantage in rhizosphere competition.

Protoplast fusion in Bacillus species produces frequent, unbiased, genome-wide homologous recombination

This study uses protoplast fusion in Bacillus species to show genome-wide, unbiased homologous recombination without recombination hotspots or genetic distance effects.

Horizontal transfer of a pathway for coumarate catabolism unexpectedly inhibits purine nucleotide biosynthesis

The paper shows that horizontal transfer of coumarate catabolism pathways into E. coli requires host mutations to function, as intermediates inhibit purine biosynthesis, and some mutations are already present in the native host.

Identification of parallel and divergent optimization solutions for homologous metabolic enzymes

The paper identifies mutations improving enzyme activity in heterologous expression of 4-hydroxybenzoate monooxygenase homologs in E. coli, showing both common and specific mutations across homologs.