Michi Taga
Title
Associate Professor
Department
Dept of Plant and Microbial Biology
Research Group
Email
Phone
(510) 642-6391
Fax
(510) 642-4995
Research Expertise and Interest
molecular biology, genetics, microbial biology, chemical biology, cofactors, nutrient exchange, microbial communities
Research Description
We study nutrient sharing in microbial communities using corrinoids, the vitamin B12 family of molecules, as a model nutrient. We are investigating the biosynthesis of corrinoids, how bacteria obtain corrinoids from their environment, and the role of corrinoid sharing in microbial community dynamics. We use a combination of biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, computational modeling, and bioinformatics approaches to explore the molecular basis of corrinoid selectivity and the mechanisms and evolution of corrinoid sharing.