Kaitlin Creamer
@kaitlincreamer.bsky.social
🧬 Postdoc in the Banfield Lab @ UC Berkeley studying soil microbial ecology & carbon sequestration 🌿 Former marine microbe explorer, PhD @ Scripps UC San Diego 🌊 she/her ~soil & ocean microbes are cool~
This was a big team effort- couldn't have done it w/o help & support of co-first author Gabe; Paul, Alyssa & all previous Jensen lab Salinispora experts for inspiration.
Special thanks to then-undergrads Victoria & David: carefully culturing & sequencing hundreds of strains took massive effort! 8/8
Special thanks to then-undergrads Victoria & David: carefully culturing & sequencing hundreds of strains took massive effort! 8/8
December 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
This was a big team effort- couldn't have done it w/o help & support of co-first author Gabe; Paul, Alyssa & all previous Jensen lab Salinispora experts for inspiration.
Special thanks to then-undergrads Victoria & David: carefully culturing & sequencing hundreds of strains took massive effort! 8/8
Special thanks to then-undergrads Victoria & David: carefully culturing & sequencing hundreds of strains took massive effort! 8/8
Does deep sampling find new compounds? 💊 Yes.
Gabriel & Ebru linked many unknown gene clusters to molecules. We also identified fridamycin E & ikarugamycin for the first time in Salinispora cultures; even well-studied bacterial genera have hidden chemical potential!
Gabriel & Ebru linked many unknown gene clusters to molecules. We also identified fridamycin E & ikarugamycin for the first time in Salinispora cultures; even well-studied bacterial genera have hidden chemical potential!
December 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Does deep sampling find new compounds? 💊 Yes.
Gabriel & Ebru linked many unknown gene clusters to molecules. We also identified fridamycin E & ikarugamycin for the first time in Salinispora cultures; even well-studied bacterial genera have hidden chemical potential!
Gabriel & Ebru linked many unknown gene clusters to molecules. We also identified fridamycin E & ikarugamycin for the first time in Salinispora cultures; even well-studied bacterial genera have hidden chemical potential!
Where does this diversity come from? Horizontal gene transfer likely contributes.
We found 18 biosynthetic gene cluster families that were unique to a single strain. This supports the "plug-and-play" evolution of secondary metabolites, reported previously in Salinispora.
We found 18 biosynthetic gene cluster families that were unique to a single strain. This supports the "plug-and-play" evolution of secondary metabolites, reported previously in Salinispora.
December 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Where does this diversity come from? Horizontal gene transfer likely contributes.
We found 18 biosynthetic gene cluster families that were unique to a single strain. This supports the "plug-and-play" evolution of secondary metabolites, reported previously in Salinispora.
We found 18 biosynthetic gene cluster families that were unique to a single strain. This supports the "plug-and-play" evolution of secondary metabolites, reported previously in Salinispora.
Why 2 populations in 1 spot, & globally?
We compared microscale vs. global strains. Result: Pop 1 & Pop 5 were clearly separated by their biosynthetic gene cluster profiles.
Specialized metabolism likely acts as an ecotype-defining trait, helping distinct populations coexist in the same sediment.
We compared microscale vs. global strains. Result: Pop 1 & Pop 5 were clearly separated by their biosynthetic gene cluster profiles.
Specialized metabolism likely acts as an ecotype-defining trait, helping distinct populations coexist in the same sediment.
December 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Why 2 populations in 1 spot, & globally?
We compared microscale vs. global strains. Result: Pop 1 & Pop 5 were clearly separated by their biosynthetic gene cluster profiles.
Specialized metabolism likely acts as an ecotype-defining trait, helping distinct populations coexist in the same sediment.
We compared microscale vs. global strains. Result: Pop 1 & Pop 5 were clearly separated by their biosynthetic gene cluster profiles.
Specialized metabolism likely acts as an ecotype-defining trait, helping distinct populations coexist in the same sediment.
Turns out, specialized metabolite potential plays a huge part.
From 96 "microscale" strains, we captured 67% of the entire S. arenicola global biosynthetic diversity (60 of 89 gene cluster families)!
We even found 11 GCFs that were unique to the microscale plot..
From 96 "microscale" strains, we captured 67% of the entire S. arenicola global biosynthetic diversity (60 of 89 gene cluster families)!
We even found 11 GCFs that were unique to the microscale plot..
December 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Turns out, specialized metabolite potential plays a huge part.
From 96 "microscale" strains, we captured 67% of the entire S. arenicola global biosynthetic diversity (60 of 89 gene cluster families)!
We even found 11 GCFs that were unique to the microscale plot..
From 96 "microscale" strains, we captured 67% of the entire S. arenicola global biosynthetic diversity (60 of 89 gene cluster families)!
We even found 11 GCFs that were unique to the microscale plot..
The answer: Nope.
They were not clonal. They resolved into 2 distinct S. arenicola populations co-existing inches apart! (We also isolated 2 other species).
Huge shoutout to Victoria who led the isolation of these strains: check out these beautiful Salinispora colonies from each sub-quadrat 👇
They were not clonal. They resolved into 2 distinct S. arenicola populations co-existing inches apart! (We also isolated 2 other species).
Huge shoutout to Victoria who led the isolation of these strains: check out these beautiful Salinispora colonies from each sub-quadrat 👇
December 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
The answer: Nope.
They were not clonal. They resolved into 2 distinct S. arenicola populations co-existing inches apart! (We also isolated 2 other species).
Huge shoutout to Victoria who led the isolation of these strains: check out these beautiful Salinispora colonies from each sub-quadrat 👇
They were not clonal. They resolved into 2 distinct S. arenicola populations co-existing inches apart! (We also isolated 2 other species).
Huge shoutout to Victoria who led the isolation of these strains: check out these beautiful Salinispora colonies from each sub-quadrat 👇
Wahoo congrats @jackiezorz.bsky.social !!! 🦠🔬
July 12, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Wahoo congrats @jackiezorz.bsky.social !!! 🦠🔬
Congrats @andrejakust.bsky.social !!! So cool to be able to capture these complex communities reproducibly in the lab! 🦠🔬
July 12, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Congrats @andrejakust.bsky.social !!! So cool to be able to capture these complex communities reproducibly in the lab! 🦠🔬
Wahoo congrats @bethanykolody.bsky.social !!! The “phylocline” decoded!!! 🌊🧬
July 10, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Wahoo congrats @bethanykolody.bsky.social !!! The “phylocline” decoded!!! 🌊🧬