Title: Exploring the Diversity of Marine Plasmids

Marine environments teem with diverse microbial life, where plasmids play a crucial role in microbial adaptability. Despite limited understanding and representation in databases, marine plasmids are gaining attention. We’ve developed a pipeline for de novo assembly of marine plasmids from metagenomic data, identifying 362 candidates in the Red Sea. Their distribution correlates with environmental factors like depth and temperature. Functional analysis revealed novel plasmids, suggesting geographical influences on microbial functions. Furthermore, using CRISPR spacers, we have identified potential hosts for 3 of the newly discovered plasmid candidates and alternative hosts for plasmids from plasmids database. This research sheds light on the marine plasmidome, its interactions, environmental impacts, and genetic engineering prospects.

Name: Lucy Androsiuk

Lucy Androsiuk is currently a PhD student at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, where she also completed her Master’s degree. Prior to her academic journey in Israel, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnologies from the National Technical University of Ukraine. Specializing in marine plasmidome dynamics and utilizing metagenomic sequencing data, Lucy’s research focuses on the detection and characterization of plasmids in environmental and mariculture samples.

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