J. R. Meyer

Design, optimization, and inference of biphasic decay of infectious virus particles

This paper develops methods to detect and optimize sampling for multiphasic virus decay, applying them to show that 94% of phage ΦD9 decays 16-fold faster than the remaining population.

Asesino: a nucleus-forming phage that lacks PhuZ

The paper studies a phage lacking PhuZ, showing it replicates efficiently without this protein, highlighting variation in nucleus-based replication pathways.

Bacteriophage {Phi}21s receptor-binding protein evolves new functions through destabilizing mutations that generate non-genetic phenotypic heterogeneity

This study shows that bacteriophage Φ21 evolves new host receptor usage through destabilizing mutations that create non-genetic phenotypic heterogeneity in viral particles.

Experimental Test of Evolutionary Safety of a CRISPR-Cas9 Gene-Drive Element

The paper tests the evolutionary safety of CRISPR-Cas9 gene drives in yeast by measuring their impact on mutation rates and loss-of-heterozygosity, finding minimal effects.

A mobile intron facilitates interference competition between co-infecting viruses

The paper shows a mobile intron in bacteriophage ΦPA3 uses its homing endonuclease to interfere with co-infecting phage ΦKZ, providing a competitive reproductive advantage.

Competition-driven eco-evolutionary feedback reshapes bacteriophage lambda's fitness landscape and enables speciation

This study shows how fitness landscapes change during adaptation, enabling speciation by opening new adaptive pathways in bacteriophage lambda.

Rapid bacteria-phage coevolution drives the emergence of multi-scale networks

This study shows that multiscale ecological networks between Escherichia coli and bacteriophage Φ21 can emerge rapidly in lab coevolution without spatial structure.

Fecal virome transplantation is sufficient to alter fecal microbiota and drive lean and obese body phenotypes in mice

This study shows that fecal virome transplantation can alter gut microbiota and influence lean or obese body phenotypes in mice.

Comparison of bacterial suppression by phage cocktails, dual-receptor generalists, and coevolutionarily trained phages

This study compares the effectiveness of phage cocktails, dual-receptor generalists, and coevolutionarily trained phages in suppressing bacterial growth, finding that trained generalists are more effective.

Host-parasite coevolution promotes innovation through deformations in fitness landscapes

The paper tests how coevolution between a virus and its bacterial host affects the likelihood of evolutionary innovation by altering fitness landscapes.

Coevolutionary phage training leads to greater bacterial suppression and delays the evolution of phage resistance

This paper shows that coevolving phages with bacteria for 28 days significantly delays bacterial resistance and enhances phage suppression of growth.

Leapfrog dynamics in phage-bacteria coevolution revealed by joint analysis of cross-infection phenotypes and whole genome sequencing

The paper analyzes phage-bacteria coevolution using phenotypic and genomic data, finding that coevolution does not follow expected arms race dynamics but instead exhibits leapfrog dynamics.

Canonical host-pathogen tradeoffs subverted by mutations with dual benefits

The paper shows that tradeoffs between host-parasite traits can become tradeups, supporting biodiversity through high-dimensional trait interactions.

Viral host-range evolvability changes in response to fluctuating selection

This study shows fluctuating selection on Bacteriophage λ alters its evolvability, with some strains becoming more or less adaptable depending on receptor-binding protein mutations.

Viral gain-of-function experiments uncover residues under diversifying selection in nature

The paper identifies two residues in bacteriophage λ that evolved under diversifying selection in nature, supporting host-shift evolution through experimental and genomic analysis.