Christopher J. Marx

Growth rate dependent DNA methylation patterns along bacterial chromosomes

This study investigates how environmental variation affects DNA methylation patterns in bacteria, finding that methylation states depend on genomic position and growth rate.

Evolution uncovers a general tradeoff between recovery after heat shock and growth at elevated temperatures

This study shows a tradeoff between heat shock recovery and growth at elevated temperatures in Methylobacterium strains.

Evolutionary Integration of a Foreign Aromatic Catabolic Pathway Drives Metabolic Trade-offs in Methylobacterium extorquens PA1

This study shows how a foreign aromatic catabolic pathway integrates with central metabolism in Methylobacterium extorquens, leading to substrate-specific metabolic trade-offs and cross-adaptation.

Epigenetic variation can promote adaptation by smoothing rugged fitness landscapes

This paper shows epigenetic changes can improve adaptation in asexual populations by smoothing rugged fitness landscapes through epigenetic quasispecies formation.

Storage polymer polyhydroxybutyrate promotes recovery and limits phenotypic heterogeneity in regrowth from carbon starvation in Methylobacterium extorquens

This study shows that PHB improves survival and reduces phenotypic heterogeneity during carbon starvation in Methylobacterium extorquens, even under extreme osmotic conditions.

Microbial Cell-Adaptive Segmentation in Quantitative Phase Imaging

The paper introduces mCAS, a segmentation framework for QPI that outperforms existing methods in accuracy and speed without requiring training data or specialized hardware.

Engineered Methylobacterium extorquens grows well on methoxylated aromatics due to its formaldehyde metabolism and stress response

This study engineers Methylobacterium extorquens to grow on methoxylated aromatics by enhancing formaldehyde detoxification and stress response, enabling robust growth without formaldehyde accumulation.

Comprehensive phylogenomics of Methylobacterium reveals four evolutionary distinct groups and underappreciated phyllosphere diversity.

The paper uses phylogenomic analysis of 189 Methylobacterium genomes to reveal four evolutionary groups and identify 45 candidate species, highlighting phyllosphere diversity and an ancient transition to plant association.

Multiplex genome editing by natural transformation (MuGENT) for synthetic biology in Vibrio natriegens

The paper introduces MuGENT, a method for high-efficiency multiplex genome editing in Vibrio natriegens using natural transformation.

The E. coli molecular phenotype under different growth conditions

This study presents a comprehensive transcriptomics and proteomics dataset of E. coli under 34 growth conditions, revealing differences between exponential and stationary phases and differential gene expression under specific stresses.