Article
Biology
Andrew D. Sweet, Kevin P. Johnson, Stephen L. Cameron
Summary: The fragmentation of mitochondrial genomes in parasitic lice has evolved multiple times and is highly variable, showing associations with relaxed selection and lower AT% composition. These findings provide important insights into mitochondrial evolution.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naina Bhatia-Dey, Antonei B. Csoka, Thomas Heinbockel
Summary: Throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, the association of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction with viral infection has drawn much attention. The loss of our sense of smell and taste has become a reliable indicator of COVID-19 infection. Olfactory and gustatory disturbances persist in the post-infection phase, especially in cases with long-term effects. Additionally, age-related decline in these sensory modalities has been observed in the study of neurodegenerative conditions. Genetic factors, evolutionary forces, and epigenetic alterations play a complex role in regulating gustation and olfaction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marta Pla-Diaz, Leonor Sanchez-Buso, Lorenzo Giacani, David Smajs, Philipp P. Bosshard, Homayoun C. Bagheri, Verena J. Schuenemann, Kay Nieselt, Natasha Arora, Fernando Gonzalez-Candelas
Summary: The incidence of syphilis is increasing globally, and recombination and selection among the Treponema pallidum subspecies play an important role in the evolution and spread of the bacteria causing syphilis.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Genetics & Heredity
Covadonga Vara, Aurora Ruiz-Herrera
Summary: Germ cells are crucial in understanding the evolutionary history and potential of a species, as they reflect the organization of the genome in gametes. This knowledge is fundamental in understanding fertility and its impact on genetic diversity and species evolution.
TRENDS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Francois Papale
Summary: This paper analyzes recent attempts to reject reproduction with lineage formation as a necessary condition for evolution by means of natural selection and argues that a robust formulation of evolution by natural selection without reproduction can be established. It reformulates Lewontin's three principles and states that paradigmatic evolution by natural selection, which can generate adaptations, requires the additional condition of regeneration.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Georg Otto Mueller, Niels Henrik Mortensen, Lars Hvam, Anders Haug, Janus Johansen
Summary: This paper investigates the development and utilization of configurator technology for the specification of commissioning services. Based on literature research, a five-step approach to developing commissioning service configurators is proposed. The approach was tested in a case company and proved to be well-received, resulting in significant time and resource savings.
COMPUTERS IN INDUSTRY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Anthony S. Findley, Xinjun Zhang, Carly Boye, Yen Lung Lin, Cynthia A. Kalita, Luis Barreiro, Kirk E. Lohmueller, Roger Pique-Regi, Francesca Luca
Summary: Ancient human migrations led to diverse settlements in varied environments, shaping human genetic diversity. Recent studies suggest that introgression of archaic alleles in modern human genomes may aid in adaptation to environmental pressures. Functional genomic studies indicate that gene expression variation is a key mechanism underlying complex trait variation in response to environmental perturbations.
Article
Ecology
Fabio A. Machado, Carrie S. Mongle, Graham Slater, Anna Penna, Anna Wisniewski, Anna Soffin, Vitor Dutra, Josef C. Uyeda
Summary: Macroevolutionary biologists have traditionally rejected the idea that higher-level patterns of divergence are the result of microevolutionary processes within populations. However, a new approach called evo-devo has been proposed to reconcile micro- and macroevolution. In this study, the authors evaluate the evolution of primate lower molars using evo-devo models, and find that these models can help bridge the gap between micro- and macroevolution.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Fabio A. Machado, Carrie S. Mongle, Graham Slater, Anna Penna, Anna Wisniewski, Anna Soffin, Vitor Dutra, Josef C. Uyeda
Summary: Macroevolutionary biologists have traditionally rejected the idea that higher-level divergence patterns can be explained by microevolutionary processes within populations. However, this study proposes using evo-devo models to quantify biological variation and bridge the gap between micro- and macroevolution. Through analysis of primate molar data, the authors show that morphospaces designed to quantify developmental phenomena are effective in bridging the gap between micro- and macroevolution. Rating: 8/10
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaoyu Weng, Haili Song, Avinash Sreedasyam, Taslima Haque, Li Zhang, Cindy Chen, Yuko Yoshinaga, Melissa Williams, Ronan C. O'Malley, Jane Grimwood, Jeremy Schmutz, Thomas E. Juenger
Summary: A comparative analysis of the transcriptome and DNA methylome of Panicum hallii revealed gene expression and DNA methylation differences between upland and lowland ecotypes. This study provides insights into the inflorescence divergence in P. hallii and a genomic resource for perennial grass biology.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer Klunk, Tauras P. Vilgalys, Christian E. Demeure, Xiaoheng Cheng, Mari Shiratori, Julien Madej, Remi Beau, Derek Elli, Maria Patino, Rebecca Redfern, Sharon N. DeWitte, Julia A. Gamble, Jesper L. Boldsen, Ann Carmichael, Nukhet Varlik, Katherine Eaton, Jean-Christophe Grenier, G. Brian Golding, Alison Devault, Jean-Marie Rouillard, Vania Yotova, Renata Sindeaux, Chun Jimmie Ye, Matin Bikaran, Anne Dumaine, Jessica F. Brinkworth, Dominique Missiakas, Guy A. Rouleau, Matthias Steinrucken, Javier Pizarro-Cerda, Hendrik N. Poinar, Luis B. Barreiro
Summary: Infectious diseases have been a significant driving force in human evolution. The second pandemic of plague, known as the Black Death, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, resulted in a devastating mortality event in Afro-Eurasia. By studying genetic variation in immune-related genes, researchers found evidence of positive selection during the Black Death. Several variants associated with immune response and control of Yersinia pestis were identified. Furthermore, protective variants overlapped with alleles associated with increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.
Article
Biology
Sergey Kryazhimskiy
Summary: The study revealed rules of epistasis between genes, indicating that weak epistasis between mutations at a lower level may become distorted as it propagates to higher levels. Computational analyses showed that in more realistic models, epistasis follows similar but more complex patterns.
Review
Ecology
M. Florencia Camus, Bridie Alexander-Lawrie, Joel Sharbrough, Gregory D. D. Hurst
Summary: In this article, the authors discuss the diversity and peculiarities of cytoplasmic inherited genomes, as well as the broad evolutionary consequences of non-Mendelian inheritance. The origins of vertical transmission and uniparental inheritance are explored, and the vast diversity of cytoplasmic inheritance systems in Eukaryota is described. The evolution of genomic organisation and its interactions with the nuclear genome and population genetics dynamics are also discussed. The authors highlight the importance of understanding hereditary symbiosis in order to understand the evolution of eukaryotes.
Article
Fisheries
Ji Zhao, Qiaozhen Ke, Lingwei Miao, Jiaying Wang, Yulin Bai, Fei Pu, Tao Zhou, Peng Xu
Summary: Genomic selection is a powerful tool for improving economic traits in animal and plant breeding. This study investigates the interaction effect between marker density and genetic architecture on the accuracy of genomic selection. The results show that the predictive curve of genomic selection varies based on the genetic architecture and marker density.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tianpeng Wang, Yaqiong Guo, Dawn M. Roellig, Na Li, Monica Santin, Jason Lombard, Martin Kvac, Doaa Naguib, Ziding Zhang, Yaoyu Feng, Lihua Xiao
Summary: Genetic recombination between sympatric ancestral populations leads to the emergence of divergent subpopulations of the zoonotic parasite Cryptosporidium parvum with modified host ranges. This study reveals the ancestral origins of C. parvum and suggests that pathogen import through modern animal farming promotes the emergence of subpopulations with modified host preference.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)