Justin L. Merritt

Paired oral clinical specimens reveal the underlying ecology supporting the emergence of inflammophilic microbiome communities

The paper investigates how host inflammation reshapes oral microbiome communities by analyzing paired clinical specimens and identifying metabolic shifts associated with inflammatory states.

Mutation of the peptide-regulated transcription factor ComR for amidated peptide specificity and heterologous function in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1

The paper identifies ComR mutations that enhance specificity for amidated peptides, enabling potential use in biosensor applications.

Engineered Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as a Biosensor Probe for the Lungs

This paper demonstrates a genetically engineered Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain as a biosensor for detecting lung disease by secreting a detectable biomarker in urine.

Adaptation of prokaryotic toxins for negative selection and cloning-independent markerless mutagenesis (CIMM) in Streptococcus species

The paper develops a new negative selection system for markerless mutagenesis in Streptococcus species, improving host range and eliminating the need for toxic substrates.