Bradon R. McDonald

TL;DR: It is reported that, despite at least 200 million years of divergence, the two Sulcia genomes have nearly identical gene content and gene order, and that despite being phylogenetically distant and drastically different in genome size and architecture, Hodgkinia and Baumannia have converged on gene sets conferring similar capabilities for essential amino acid biosynthesis.

TL;DR: Using a combination of genome sequencing and high-throughput proteomics, it is shown that an α-Proteobacterial symbiont of cicadas has the unprecedented combination of an extremely small genome, a GC–biased base composition, and a coding reassignment of UGA Stop→Trp.

TL;DR: Together, the evolution of high cellulolytic ability and diverse chemistry, shaped by their ecological roles in nature, make Actinobacteria a promising group for the bioenergy industry.

TL;DR: This study demonstrates the power of single cell genomics to generate a complete, high quality, non-composite reference genome within an environmental sample, which can be used for population genetic analyzes.

TL;DR: The antimicrobial potential of insect-associated Streptomyces is uncovered and a compound, cyphomycin, active against multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens is identified, indicating host microbiomes are feasible sources for drug discovery.