Roy S. K. Walker

Design, Construction, and Functional Characterization of a tRNA Neochromosome in Yeast

A de novo yeast neochromosome carrying all 275 tRNA genes was built and characterized; it imposes a growth burden, with genome doubling and deletions in haploids possibly reflecting compensation.

Debugging and consolidating multiple synthetic chromosomes reveals combinatorial genetic interactions

The paper uses CRISPR D-BUGS and chromosome swapping to identify and resolve genetic interactions in synthetic chromosomes, revealing unexpected links between transcription, inositol metabolism, and tRNA abundance.

Laboratory evolution and polyploid SCRaMbLE reveal genomic plasticity to synthetic chromosome defects and rearrangements

The paper debugs a synthetic yeast chromosome and uses laboratory evolution to identify genomic rearrangements that suppress growth defects caused by synthetic modifications.

Synthetic yeast chromosome XI design enables extrachromosomal circular DNA formation on demand

The paper constructs a synthetic yeast chromosome XI and demonstrates how non-coding DNA modifications affect cell fitness, enabling on-demand extrachromosomal circular DNA formation.