Education
PhD, The University of British Columbia, 2016
Research focus
Prokaryotic physiology, genetics and gene flow
Publications
Guaranteeing a captive audience: coordinated regulation of gene transfer agent (GTA) production and recipient capability by cellular regulators.
Westbye AB, Beatty JT, Lang AS.
Curr Opin Microbiol. 2017 Jun 6;38:122-129. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.05.003.
The Distribution, Evolution, and Roles of Gene Transfer Agents in Prokaryotic Genetic Exchange.
Lang AS, Westbye AB, Beatty JT.
Annu Rev Virol. 2017 Sep 29;4(1):87-104. doi: 10.1146/annurev-virology-101416-041624.
The Rhodobacter capsulatus gene transfer agent is induced by nutrient depletion and the RNAP omega subunit.
Westbye AB, O'Neill Z, Schellenberg-Beaver T, Beatty JT.
Microbiology. 2017 Sep;163(9):1355-1363. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.000519
The SOS Response Master Regulator LexA Regulates the Gene Transfer Agent of Rhodobacter capsulatus and Represses Transcription of the Signal Transduction Protein CckA.
Kuchinski KS, Brimacombe CA, Westbye AB, Ding H, Beatty JT.
J Bacteriol. 2016 Feb 1;198(7):1137-48. doi: 10.1128/JB.00839-15.
The Gene Transfer Agent RcGTA Contains Head Spikes Needed for Binding to the Rhodobacter capsulatus Polysaccharide Cell Capsule.
Westbye AB, Kuchinski K, Yip CK, Beatty JT.
J Mol Biol. 2016 Jan 29;428(2 Pt B):477-91. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.12.010.
Gene co-expression network analysis in Rhodobacter capsulatus and application to comparative expression analysis of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.
Peña-Castillo L, Mercer RG, Gurinovich A, Callister SJ, Wright AT, Westbye AB, Beatty JT, Lang AS.
BMC Genomics. 2014 Aug 28;15:730. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-730.
Phosphate concentration and the putative sensor kinase protein CckA modulate cell lysis and release of the Rhodobacter capsulatus gene transfer agent.
Westbye AB, Leung MM, Florizone SM, Taylor TA, Johnson JA, Fogg PC, Beatty JT.
J Bacteriol. 2013 Nov;195(22):5025-40. doi: 10.1128/JB.00669-13.
One for all or all for one: heterogeneous expression and host cell lysis are key to gene transfer agent activity in Rhodobacter capsulatus.
Fogg PC, Westbye AB, Beatty JT.
PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43772. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043772.