Senior Lecturer
חבר/ת סגל אקדמי בכיר
The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR), The French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands
בניין חקלאות מדברית וביוטכנולוגיה - B25 Room 46, Sde Boker Campus
Dr. Nina Kamennaya
Departments
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08-659-6817
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חוקר במרכז
בית הספר לקיימות ושינויי אקלים
Staff member contact section
About
The research in my lab focuses on physiology and ecology of cyanobacteria, the major photosynthetic organisms that evolved >2.7 billion years ago, drove oxygenation of the planet and continue producing ~1/4 of the atmospheric oxygen. Cyanobacteria populate virtually all sun-light environments on the planet and play a key role in microbial communities by sustaining them with a range of organic compounds. Their ability to fix carbon and nitrogen makes them attractive for biotechnological uses, while their oxygen-producing metabolism and strong resistance to environmental stress place cyanobacteria at the forefront of astrobiology and terraforming research.The specific research questions addressed in my lab include:
- physiological response of cyanobacteria to excess CO2 availability
- carbohydrate metabolism of cyanobacteria
- cyanobacteria of the desert crusts
- interactions between cyanobacteria and their unicellular predators
- Soil restoration using cyanobacterial polysaccharides
Methods:
- Molecular biology and genetic engineering
- Microscopy and flow cytometry
- Physiology, biochemistry and metabolic tracing
- Field work
The University bears no responsibility for the content displayed on this page or on any other faculty members’ pages. Full responsibility for the content rests solely with the faculty members themselves, who independently update and manage the information on their pages
Courses
Biotechnology of Algae (001-1-9303), 2 credits, B.Sc.-M.Sc., BGU
Physiology of Aquatic Microbes (001-2-2080), 3 credits, M.Sc.-Ph.D., BGU
Practical Environmental Cytometry (0-1-2-2076), 2.5 credits, M.Sc.-Ph.D., BGU
The History of Landuse, Agriculture and Domestication (001-2-2060), 2 credit, M.Sc.-Ph.D., BGU
Physiology of Aquatic Microbes (001-2-2080), 3 credits, M.Sc.-Ph.D., BGU
Practical Environmental Cytometry (0-1-2-2076), 2.5 credits, M.Sc.-Ph.D., BGU
The History of Landuse, Agriculture and Domestication (001-2-2060), 2 credit, M.Sc.-Ph.D., BGU
Publications
Kyi, K. M., Levintal, E., & Kamennaya, N. A. 2025. Similar growth potentials of cyanobacteria and algae explain their coexistence in desert soils. Sci. Rep. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-30489-1.
Kyi, K. M., Zubkov, M. V., & Kamennaya, N. A. 2025. A minority of desert cyanobacteria and algae is responsible for the bulk of CO2 fixation. Physiol. Plant., 177 : e70634. doi:10.1111/ppl.70634.
Tosens, T., Alboresi, A., van Amerongen, H., Bassi, R., Busch, F. A., Consoli, G., Ebenh?h, O., Flexas, J., Harbinson, J., Jahns, P., Kamennaya, N., ... Weber, A. P. 2025. New avenues in photosynthesis: from light harvesting to global modeling. Physiol. Plant., 177 : e70198. doi:10.1111/ppl.70198.
Nguyen, T. T., Altman, A., Huang, L., Mazza Rodrigues, J. L. Dahlke, H. E., Kamennaya, N. A., Levintal, E.. 2025. A portable, open-source, low-cost incubation chamber for real-time characterization of soil respiration and microbial activity. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 89 : e20800.
Edris, R., Sultan, L.D., Best, C., Mizrahi, R., Weinstein, O., Chen, S., Kamennaya, N.A., Keren, N., Zer, H., Zhu, H. & O. Ostersetzer-Biran. 2023. Root Primordium Defective 1 encodes an essential PORR protein required for the splicing of mitochondria encoded group II introns and for respiratory complex I biogenesis. Plant Cell Physiol. 65 : 602. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcad101.
Zaady, E., Stavi, I., Dubinin, V., Kamennaya, N.A., Abu-Glion, H., Shuker, S. & H. Yizhaq. 2022. Hillslope geodiversity impact on biocrusts' biogeochemical functions. Land 11 : 1983, doi: 10.3390/land11111983.
Baig , M.S., Rajpoot, S., Ohishi, T., Savai, R., Seidel, S., Kamennaya, N.A., Bezsonov, E.E., Orekhov, A.N., Mahajan, P., Solanki, K. & U. Saqib. 2022. Anti-lung cancer properties of cyanobacterial bioactive compounds. Arch. Microbiol. 204 : 1, doi: 10.1007/s00203-022-03194-0.
Wang, L., Kamennaya, N., Cohen, M. F., & X. Li. 2022. Highlighting the role of microbes in greener wastewater treatment. Front. Environ. Sci. 352, doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2022.891761. 21.
Kamennaya, N.A., Kennaway, G., Leadbeater, BSC., Sleigh, M. & M.V. Zubkov. 2022. Flow cytometric sorting of loricate choanoflagellates from the oligotrophic ocean. Eur. J. Protistol. 86 : 125914, doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125914.
Kamennaya, N.A., Sleigh, M. & M.V. Zubkov. 2022. Notable predominant morphology of the smallest most abundant protozoa of the open ocean revealed by electron microscopy. J. Plankton Res. 44 : 542, doi: 10.1093/plankt/fbac031.
Thomsen, H.A., Kamennaya, N.A., Zubkov, M.V. and J.B. ?stergaard. 2020. Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. VII. Calotheca Thomsen and Moestrup, Stephanacantha Thomsen and Syndetophyllum Thomsen and Moestrup. Eur. J. Protistol. 76 : 125728, doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2020.125728.
Thomsen, H.A., Kamennaya, N.A., Zubkov, M.V. and J.B. ?stergaard. 2020. Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. VI. Pleurasiga Schiller and Parvicorbicula Deflandre. Eur. J. Protistol. 75 : 125717, doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2020.125717.
Kamennaya, N.A., Geraki, K., Scanlan, D.J. and M.V. Zubkov. 2020. Accumulation of ambient phosphate into the periplasm of marine bacteria is proton motive force dependent. Nat. Commun. 11: 2642, doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16428-w.
Giljan, G., Kamennaya, N.A., Otto, A., Becher, D., Ellrott, A., Meyer, V., Murton, B.J., Fuchs, B.M., Amann, R.I. & M.V. Zubkov. 2020. Bacterioplankton reveal years-long retention of Atlantic deep-ocean water by the Tropic Seamount. Sci. Rep. 10: 4715, doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61417-0.
Kamennaya, N.A., Gray, J., Ito, S., Kainuma, M., Nguyen, M.V., Khilyas, I.V., Birarda, G., Bernie, F., Hunt, M., Vasadia, D., Lin, J., Holman, H.-Y., Torok, T. and M.F. Cohen. 2020. Deconstruction of plant biomass by a Cellulomonas strain isolated from an ultra-basic (lignin-stripping) spring. Arch. Microbiol. 202: 1077-1084.
Kamennaya, N.A., Hu, P. and C. Jansson. 2020. Sedimentation of ballasted cells-free EPS in meromictic Fayetteville Green Lake. Geobiol. 18: 80-92.
Dabrowska A., Kamennaya, N.A., Murton, B. and M.V. Zubkov. 2019. Impact of deep-ocean crust mining on biological CO2 fixation in the surface ocean. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 146: 1002-1006.
Kamennaya, N.A., Zemla, M., Mahoney, L., Chen, L., Holman E., Holman, H.-Y., Auer, M., Ajo-Franklin, C. and C. Jansson. 2018. High pCO2-induced exopolysaccharide-rich ballasted aggregates of planktonic cyanobacteria could explain Paleoproterozoic carbon burial. Nat. Commun. 91: 2116.
Kamennaya, N.A., Kennaway, G., Fuchst, B.M. and M.V. Zubkov. 2018. ?Pomacytosis? - Semi-extracellular phagocytosis of cyanobacteria by the smallest marine algae. PLoS Biol. 16: e2003502.
Cohen, M.F., Hu, P., Nguyen, M.V., Kamennaya, N.A., Brown, N., Woyke, T., Kyrpides, N., Holman, H.-Y. and T. Torok. 2015. Genome sequence of the alkaline-tolerant Cellulomonas sp. strain FA1. Genome Announc. 3: e00646-15.
Kamennaya, N.A., Ahn, S.E., Park, H., Bartal R., Sasaki, K.A., Holman, H.-Y. and C. Jansson. 2015. Installing extra bicarbonate transporters in the cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 enhances biomass production. Metab. Eng. 29: 76-85.
Hu, P., BorglinC, S., Kamennaya, N.A., Holman, H.-Y., Chen, L., Park H., Mahoney, L., Kijac, A., Kamennaya, N.A. and A. Post. 2014. Distribution and expression of the cyanate acquisition potential among cyanobacterial populations in oligotrophic marine waters. Limnol. Oceanogr. 58: 1959-1971.
Shan, G., Chavarr?a, K., Zhang, C., Quinn, N., Wemmer, D. and C. Jansson. 2013. Metabolic phenotyping of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803 engineered for production of alkanes and free fatty acids. Appl. Energ. 120: 850-859.
Kamennaya, N.A., Ajo-Franklin, C., Northern, T. and C. Jansson. 2012. Cyanobacteria as biocatalysts for carbonate mineralization. Minerals 2: 338-364.
Wickham, S.A., Steinmair U. and N.A. Kamennaya. 2011. Ciliate distributions and forcing factors in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas (Antarctica). Aquat. Microb. Ecol. 62: 215-230.
Kamennaya, N.A. and A. Post. 2010. Characterization of cyanate metabolism in marine Synechococcus & Prochlorococcus spp.. Appl Environ. Microbiol. 77: 291-301.
Kamennaya, N.A., Chernihovsky M. and A. Post. 2008. The cyanate utilization capacity of marine unicellular cyanobacteria. Limnol. Oceanogr. 53: 2485-2494.
Kyi, K. M., Zubkov, M. V., & Kamennaya, N. A. 2025. A minority of desert cyanobacteria and algae is responsible for the bulk of CO2 fixation. Physiol. Plant., 177 : e70634. doi:10.1111/ppl.70634.
Tosens, T., Alboresi, A., van Amerongen, H., Bassi, R., Busch, F. A., Consoli, G., Ebenh?h, O., Flexas, J., Harbinson, J., Jahns, P., Kamennaya, N., ... Weber, A. P. 2025. New avenues in photosynthesis: from light harvesting to global modeling. Physiol. Plant., 177 : e70198. doi:10.1111/ppl.70198.
Nguyen, T. T., Altman, A., Huang, L., Mazza Rodrigues, J. L. Dahlke, H. E., Kamennaya, N. A., Levintal, E.. 2025. A portable, open-source, low-cost incubation chamber for real-time characterization of soil respiration and microbial activity. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 89 : e20800.
Edris, R., Sultan, L.D., Best, C., Mizrahi, R., Weinstein, O., Chen, S., Kamennaya, N.A., Keren, N., Zer, H., Zhu, H. & O. Ostersetzer-Biran. 2023. Root Primordium Defective 1 encodes an essential PORR protein required for the splicing of mitochondria encoded group II introns and for respiratory complex I biogenesis. Plant Cell Physiol. 65 : 602. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcad101.
Zaady, E., Stavi, I., Dubinin, V., Kamennaya, N.A., Abu-Glion, H., Shuker, S. & H. Yizhaq. 2022. Hillslope geodiversity impact on biocrusts' biogeochemical functions. Land 11 : 1983, doi: 10.3390/land11111983.
Baig , M.S., Rajpoot, S., Ohishi, T., Savai, R., Seidel, S., Kamennaya, N.A., Bezsonov, E.E., Orekhov, A.N., Mahajan, P., Solanki, K. & U. Saqib. 2022. Anti-lung cancer properties of cyanobacterial bioactive compounds. Arch. Microbiol. 204 : 1, doi: 10.1007/s00203-022-03194-0.
Wang, L., Kamennaya, N., Cohen, M. F., & X. Li. 2022. Highlighting the role of microbes in greener wastewater treatment. Front. Environ. Sci. 352, doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2022.891761. 21.
Kamennaya, N.A., Kennaway, G., Leadbeater, BSC., Sleigh, M. & M.V. Zubkov. 2022. Flow cytometric sorting of loricate choanoflagellates from the oligotrophic ocean. Eur. J. Protistol. 86 : 125914, doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125914.
Kamennaya, N.A., Sleigh, M. & M.V. Zubkov. 2022. Notable predominant morphology of the smallest most abundant protozoa of the open ocean revealed by electron microscopy. J. Plankton Res. 44 : 542, doi: 10.1093/plankt/fbac031.
Thomsen, H.A., Kamennaya, N.A., Zubkov, M.V. and J.B. ?stergaard. 2020. Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. VII. Calotheca Thomsen and Moestrup, Stephanacantha Thomsen and Syndetophyllum Thomsen and Moestrup. Eur. J. Protistol. 76 : 125728, doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2020.125728.
Thomsen, H.A., Kamennaya, N.A., Zubkov, M.V. and J.B. ?stergaard. 2020. Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. VI. Pleurasiga Schiller and Parvicorbicula Deflandre. Eur. J. Protistol. 75 : 125717, doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2020.125717.
Kamennaya, N.A., Geraki, K., Scanlan, D.J. and M.V. Zubkov. 2020. Accumulation of ambient phosphate into the periplasm of marine bacteria is proton motive force dependent. Nat. Commun. 11: 2642, doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16428-w.
Giljan, G., Kamennaya, N.A., Otto, A., Becher, D., Ellrott, A., Meyer, V., Murton, B.J., Fuchs, B.M., Amann, R.I. & M.V. Zubkov. 2020. Bacterioplankton reveal years-long retention of Atlantic deep-ocean water by the Tropic Seamount. Sci. Rep. 10: 4715, doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61417-0.
Kamennaya, N.A., Gray, J., Ito, S., Kainuma, M., Nguyen, M.V., Khilyas, I.V., Birarda, G., Bernie, F., Hunt, M., Vasadia, D., Lin, J., Holman, H.-Y., Torok, T. and M.F. Cohen. 2020. Deconstruction of plant biomass by a Cellulomonas strain isolated from an ultra-basic (lignin-stripping) spring. Arch. Microbiol. 202: 1077-1084.
Kamennaya, N.A., Hu, P. and C. Jansson. 2020. Sedimentation of ballasted cells-free EPS in meromictic Fayetteville Green Lake. Geobiol. 18: 80-92.
Dabrowska A., Kamennaya, N.A., Murton, B. and M.V. Zubkov. 2019. Impact of deep-ocean crust mining on biological CO2 fixation in the surface ocean. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 146: 1002-1006.
Kamennaya, N.A., Zemla, M., Mahoney, L., Chen, L., Holman E., Holman, H.-Y., Auer, M., Ajo-Franklin, C. and C. Jansson. 2018. High pCO2-induced exopolysaccharide-rich ballasted aggregates of planktonic cyanobacteria could explain Paleoproterozoic carbon burial. Nat. Commun. 91: 2116.
Kamennaya, N.A., Kennaway, G., Fuchst, B.M. and M.V. Zubkov. 2018. ?Pomacytosis? - Semi-extracellular phagocytosis of cyanobacteria by the smallest marine algae. PLoS Biol. 16: e2003502.
Cohen, M.F., Hu, P., Nguyen, M.V., Kamennaya, N.A., Brown, N., Woyke, T., Kyrpides, N., Holman, H.-Y. and T. Torok. 2015. Genome sequence of the alkaline-tolerant Cellulomonas sp. strain FA1. Genome Announc. 3: e00646-15.
Kamennaya, N.A., Ahn, S.E., Park, H., Bartal R., Sasaki, K.A., Holman, H.-Y. and C. Jansson. 2015. Installing extra bicarbonate transporters in the cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 enhances biomass production. Metab. Eng. 29: 76-85.
Hu, P., BorglinC, S., Kamennaya, N.A., Holman, H.-Y., Chen, L., Park H., Mahoney, L., Kijac, A., Kamennaya, N.A. and A. Post. 2014. Distribution and expression of the cyanate acquisition potential among cyanobacterial populations in oligotrophic marine waters. Limnol. Oceanogr. 58: 1959-1971.
Shan, G., Chavarr?a, K., Zhang, C., Quinn, N., Wemmer, D. and C. Jansson. 2013. Metabolic phenotyping of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803 engineered for production of alkanes and free fatty acids. Appl. Energ. 120: 850-859.
Kamennaya, N.A., Ajo-Franklin, C., Northern, T. and C. Jansson. 2012. Cyanobacteria as biocatalysts for carbonate mineralization. Minerals 2: 338-364.
Wickham, S.A., Steinmair U. and N.A. Kamennaya. 2011. Ciliate distributions and forcing factors in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas (Antarctica). Aquat. Microb. Ecol. 62: 215-230.
Kamennaya, N.A. and A. Post. 2010. Characterization of cyanate metabolism in marine Synechococcus & Prochlorococcus spp.. Appl Environ. Microbiol. 77: 291-301.
Kamennaya, N.A., Chernihovsky M. and A. Post. 2008. The cyanate utilization capacity of marine unicellular cyanobacteria. Limnol. Oceanogr. 53: 2485-2494.
