About the Authors

Rania Siam

rsiam@aucegypt.edu

Affiliations Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, Department of Biology, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, The Science and Technology Research Center, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Ghada A. Mustafa

Affiliations Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, The Science and Technology Research Center, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Hazem Sharaf

Affiliation Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Ahmed Moustafa

Affiliations Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, Department of Biology, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Adham R. Ramadan

Affiliation Department of Chemistry, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Andre Antunes

Affiliation Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Vladimir B. Bajic

Affiliation Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Uli Stingl

Affiliation Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Nardine G. R. Marsis

Affiliation Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Marco J. L. Coolen

Affiliation Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America

Mitchell Sogin

Affiliation Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America

Ari J. S. Ferreira

Affiliations Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, Department of Biology, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Hamza El Dorry

Affiliations Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, Department of Biology, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, The Science and Technology Research Center, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Competing Interests

The authors have read the journal's policy and have the following conflicts: AM and VBB (coauthors) serve on the editorial board. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLoS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: RS ARR NGRM MJLC MS HE. Performed the experiments: RS GAM HS NGRM. Analyzed the data: RS GAM HS AM ARR AA HE. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: RS MJLC MS HE. Wrote the paper: RS GAM AA VBB US AJSF MJLC.