Articles tagged with Evolutionary Genetics
Researchers analyzed 1,785 ancient human genomes to determine parental relatedness, revealing that cousin marriages occurred only 3% of the time. The new method allowed for more efficient screening of ancient DNA, also providing insights into population dynamics and demographic impact of agriculture.
Researchers successfully used cryopreserved sperm to fertilize coral eggs from hundreds of miles away, demonstrating the reproductive compatibility of distant coral colonies. The technique, known as assisted gene flow, has potential as a conservation tool for endangered corals and could accelerate their adaptation to climate change.
A comparative genomic study of 57 mammal species identified over 2,000 new genes linked to longevity in humans. These genes are involved in DNA repair, coagulation and inflammatory response mechanisms, and codify more stable proteins in longer-living species.
Researchers found that viral fossils in Australian marsupials are used to make non-coding RNAs that protect against outside infection. The study suggests that these viral fossils may be helping to immunize animals, potentially providing a mechanism similar to vaccination.
A whole genome analysis of a Staphylococcus aureus collection recovered from Cape Verde reveals high genetic variability among isolates. The study identifies three primary genetic clusters associated with lineages ST152, ST15, and ST5, commonly found in S. aureus infections worldwide.
A decade-long study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers shows how aspen stands change their genetic structure over time, adapting to environmental fluctuations. The findings suggest that exposure to various environmental changes can maintain diverse forests capable of responding to different stresses.
A recent study has identified nearly half of the fastest-evolving human genes as playing a crucial role in rewriting the course of human brain development. The research used an innovative approach called CaptureMPRA to analyze the function of Human Accelerated Regions (HARs) in regulating gene expression in the brain.
Research reveals cichlids exhibit highly dynamic sex chromosomes, transitioning between XY and ZW systems. Genome analysis identified over 70 species with distinct sex-determining genes.
Researchers analyzed skunk DNA to determine the correct number of species, revealing seven species, including the previously recognized four. The revised family tree highlights the distinct evolutionary lineages of each species, making conservation efforts more effective.
Researchers sequenced the bowfin genome to investigate its unique combination of ancestral and advanced features. The study found unexpected insights into diverse aspects of bowfin biology, including the absence of key genes in its pectoral fin.
Researchers at McGill University have developed a new way to track genetically modified animals using artificial transgenes. The discovery provides a powerful tool for locating and managing escaped or released GM animals.
A Spartan-led team has assembled the most complete picture of the bowfin genome to date, revealing striking similarities between bowfin gas bladder development and human lung development. This breakthrough provides a better model for studying human health and disease, with potential implications for understanding evolutionary history.
Scientists have discovered that ferns can actively close their stomata in response to low humidity or the hormone ABA, similar to flowering plants. This finding confirms that the earliest land plants were able to control water loss through stomata, providing valuable insights into plant evolution and climate change adaptation.
Researchers created a model to estimate viral population variability using epidemiological data, predicting the emergence of novel variants. The study suggests that lack of vaccination increases mutation frequency and spread.
The New Roots for Restoration Biology Integration Institute aims to integrate plant traits, communities, and the soil ecosphere to advance restoration of natural and agricultural ecosystems. The project seeks to understand how root traits influence plant interactions with each other and with the soil.
Researchers discover that gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is widely conserved among vertebrates, but the NMB/bombesin system has diversified in some lineages. GRP has evolved independently from a single ancestral homologue and plays a role in regulating energy intake and expenditure in both amphibians and mammals.
A new study has identified 20 genetic regions linked to face shape in East Africans, highlighting the importance of diverse populations in understanding human facial features. The findings also reveal that shared genetic factors contribute to similarities across populations, while population-specific variants drive differences.
An international team found the genetic basis for the seadragon's lack of teeth, leaf-like appendages and sex-determination gene. The research also showed that males care for fertilized eggs until they hatch.
Researchers reconstructed genetic histories and social organization in two ancient Croatian sites, uncovering a diverse population with little biological kinship. The study found that individuals from different burial rites had similar genetic ancestry, but also identified endogamous mating practices and patrilocal social organization.
Researchers sequenced DNA from plant specimens collected nearly 50 years ago to analyze genetic diversity and its response to climate change. The study found that several species restricted to the Guadalupe Mountains had surprisingly high amounts of genetic diversity, which could help them adapt to changing conditions.
A new study by Professor Danika Bannasch and colleagues reveals that five distinct dog coat patterns have an ancient origin, dating back over 2 million years. The research suggests that lighter coat colors would have been advantageous to an extinct canid ancestor in arctic environments during glaciation periods.
Flipon genetics proposes that evolution happens on a faster time scale than Darwin imagined, with rapid adaptations occurring in real-time within individuals. This is achieved through the simple sequence repeats of DNA, which can adopt alternative shapes and transmit adaptations to offspring.
A team of researchers has cracked the code on dog coat color patterns by identifying five distinct genetic variants that cause different colors. These variants originated in an extinct species and were introduced into modern dogs through hybridization events.
Researchers at Rice University are developing novel computational approaches to track environmental microbiome dynamics over time, across species and after perturbations. The team will use biofilm-based 'species abundance networks' on scaffolds to observe how they form their own genome-exchange networks.
A new study published in Genome Biology found that the ability of gut bacteria to produce spores is associated with their adaptation to humans. Bacteria that can produce spores have larger genomes and are less abundant in the gut, while those that cannot have smaller genomes and are more adapted to human hosts.
Researchers discovered an enzyme from Amazon fungus Trichoderma harzianum capable of breaking down diverse plant biomass sugars, enhancing the efficiency of second-generation ethanol production. The enzyme's industrial use is now viable at low cost due to genetic engineering techniques.
Researchers mapped genetic control elements of active genes in the mouse cerebellum, identifying over 200,000 control elements and a temporal pattern shared between different cell types. The study also shed light on the evolution of gene regulatory programmes in mammals.
Researchers analyzed Neandertal and Denisovan genomes to identify blood groups, confirming their African origin and Eurasian dispersal. The study also found evidence of low genetic diversity and possible demographic fragility, shedding light on the disappearance of Neandertals.
Researchers have discovered a rare class of inherited genetic variants associated with autism, revealing new potential causes and pathways. These variants, less damaging than previously thought, contribute almost as much risk to the condition.
New study reveals Sulawesi Babblers have diversified rapidly over a short period of time due to their understorey lifestyle, changing genetically, physically and behaviorally. The research suggests that these birds can evolve quickly even in relatively small geographic areas.
A new study in Genome Biology and Evolution reveals extensive gene flow among butterfly lineages, resulting in a network of related species rather than a simple tree. This challenges traditional models of evolution and highlights the importance of adaptive introgression in shaping species diversity.
A recent study found that genome-wide association studies (GWAS) often miss important associations between genotype and phenotype due to high genetic heterogeneity, but examining smaller, genetically homogeneous samples yields valuable new insights
Researchers found menopause in two distinct killer whale ecotypes, with striking similarities between them. The study suggests that the evolutionary benefits of grandmothering may be a key factor in the development of menopause.
Scientists have discovered a species of algae with three sexes - male, female, and bisexual - which can breed in pairs, shedding new light on the evolutionary transition to self-compatible mating systems. This phenomenon is rare among living organisms, but researchers believe it may not be as uncommon as previously thought.
The study reveals that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii undergoes mutations leading to the emergence of multicellular life. The experiment confirms a theory on the origin of multicellularity, where cell groups are better at reproduction and more likely to survive than single cells.
Researchers at the University of Konstanz have identified genetic pathways controlling fin spine development, showing how spines arise during embryonic development and evolve independently in different fish lineages. This study provides insights into the evolution of fin spines, which offer a strong evolutionary advantage to fish.
A new study from Uppsala University reveals that males play a crucial role in maintaining genetic health by eliminating harmful mutations. The research found that selective pressure on males leads to the purging of deleterious mutations, resulting in healthier genes and increased reproductive capacity.
A new study of Chinese cats reveals the evolutionary uniqueness and premier conservation importance of the elusive Chinese mountain cat, found only in the Tibetan plateau of China. The research resolves taxonomic classification uncertainty and pinpoints the prospects for survival of this endangered species.
Summer Thyme, a University of Alabama at Birmingham assistant professor, is one of five Pew Scholars focusing on brain research. Her $75,000 grant will support her four-year investigation into neurodevelopmental disease using zebrafish.
The Pew Scholars Program in Biomedical Sciences has selected 22 early-career researchers to investigate timely questions surrounding human health and disease. These scientists will receive funding over four years to uncover new solutions to significant biomedical challenges.
Researchers suggest that humans evolved to specialise in different ways of thinking to adapt to dramatic environmental variability. This theory of 'complementary cognition' provides insights into the emergence of language and cultural adaptations.
Researchers developed a novel technique to study viral structure and evolution, revealing hallmarks of natural viruses in an artificial system. The findings suggest that these 'containers' efficiently package genetic cargo, potentially leading to new gene therapeutic applications.
Cells introduce hundreds of DNA DSBs to facilitate genetic recombination, but researchers found that approximately 20% of breaks correspond to closely positioned pairs of DSBs, which can initiate recombination at chromosome gaps
The study provides clues to how early agricultural practices shaped the evolution of these animals. Genetic analyses show that the ancient goats fell at the base of the domestic goat lineage, suggesting they were closely related to the animals first recruited during domestication.
A Rice University study, likened to the movie 'The Truman Show,' found that genetic variation plays a significant role in determining social positions within groups of cloned fruit flies. The researchers measured social interactions between identical clones in separate enclosures under different environmental conditions.
A new study has identified the genetic root of bitter taste in greens like broccoli rabe and bok choy. The research team reconstructed an evolutionary tree from DNA sequences analysis of over 400 Brassica rapa varieties, revealing that Central Asian turnips were the most genetically diverse crops.
A recent review in Genome Biology and Evolution discusses the evolutionary fates of supergenes, revealing new findings that challenge classical models. The genomic architecture of a supergene is inextricably tied to its evolutionary fate, with empirical studies yielding surprises about their origin and genetic architecture.
Researchers found that coral species Pocillopora maintain close relationships with specific algae genera Cladocopium despite intense climate fluctuations over the last 1.5 million years. This resilience may enable them to adapt to modern ocean warming, at least in the coming decades.
A new study in PNAS reveals that domesticated watermelons come from wild crop progenitors in northeast Africa. The research uses DNA from hundreds of watermelon varieties to confirm the correct origin, correcting a long-held misconception about their South African roots.
Researchers propose a new atavistic model of cancer, suggesting that ancient genes and reversions to ancestral forms are responsible for cancer's ability to survive and proliferate. The Serial Atavism Model challenges the conventional standard model of cancer, offering a novel perspective on the disease.
Researchers analyzed 12,000-year-old fish bones from three-spine sticklebacks to study the evolutionary process. They found that genetic variants enabling adaptation to freshwater existed in ocean populations thousands of years ago.
Researchers discovered innate immune markers increased in frequency in modern people from a region that experienced the plague, suggesting these markers might have evolved to resist the disease. The study also found changes in allele distribution for immune-related genes, which could be evidence of past Yersinia pestis exposure.
Researchers from McGill University studied threespine stickleback fish adapting to seasonal changes, finding genetic shifts that mirror past adaptations. The study's findings suggest predicting evolutionary future of populations under environmental stressors like climate change.
The study of Xerocrassa montserratensis reveals new insights into the conservation of this endemic and threatened species. The researchers identified genetic groups in different areas where sub-species had been described, providing a better understanding of the species' population structure.
A recent study published in Molecular Biology and Evolution reveals that the DNA replication machinery of Mimivirus, a giant virus, is ancient and evolved over time. The research suggests that Mimiviral genes related to DNA replication are subject to purifying selection, indicating their essential role in the organism's survival.
A recent study led by NSU researcher sequenced the leopard genome, showing distinct genetic patterns between African and Asian populations. The analysis suggests that all African leopards should be considered a single subspecies due to abundant gene flow across Africa.
Researchers discovered that a growth factor, BMP11, drives the development of male water strider's long legs and fighting behavior. Knocking out this gene in males reduced leg size and aggression, highlighting its role in hyperallometry.
Three manatee species share a common ancestor after the Amazon Basin was formed, with genetic data showing adaptation to environments influenced their evolution. The research adds new information on the evolutionary history of aquatic mammals, shedding light on how geological events shaped their distribution.
A recent study led by Shinshu University found that flower size is correlated with pollinator size in different mountain regions, evolving independently in each area. Despite genetic similarity between plants across regions, flower sizes varied greatly, suggesting parallel evolution of this trait among mountains.
A recent study uses phylogenetic methods to integrate vertical and horizontal gene transmission, revealing that genes travel vertically two-thirds of the time. This analysis predicts a root between two major clades, Terrabacteria and Gracilicutes, shedding light on early bacterial evolution.