Evo GoodReads Archive

Digestible synopses of recent scientific articles about evolution.

2021

A supergene underlies linked variation in color and morphology in a Holarctic songbird

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Genome sequencing of redpoll finches reveals that an inversion controls multiple traits such as melanogenesis, carotenoid coloration, and bill shape. This finding reveals how a single inversion can impact phenotypic variation.
Funk, et al. (2021). Nat. Commun. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-27173-z.



Population insights into the European Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans epidemic

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Population-level sequencing of six outbreak populations of the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans reveals intra-lineage diversity and isolate specific adaptations through a constellation of evolutionary forces.
Kelly, et al. (2021). Nat. Commun. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-27005-0.



Comparative genomics of wild and domestic ducks provides insight into avian domestication

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Comparative genomics of high-quality genome assemblies of wild and domesticated ducks provides insight into the impact of artificial human selection during avian domestication. These results pave the way for understanding duck evolution and other domestication events.
Zhu, et al. (2021). Nat. Commun. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-26272-1.



Are bacterial chromosomes mobile genetic elements?

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Horizontal gene transfer among chromosomal genes in bacteria can exceed that of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids. This observation suggests bacterial chromosomes should be thought of as mobile genetic elements.
Hall (2021). Nat. Commun. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-26758-y.



Recoding and gene-specific mixture models suggests sponges are the root of the animal tree

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Incorporating mixture models and character recoding into partitioned phylogenomic analysis revealed better fitting models support sponges as sister to all other animals.
Redmond and McLysaght (2021). Nat. Commun. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22074-7.



Epigenetics and environment impact mutation rate in a pathogenic fungus

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Epigenetics and environment impact genome-wide and intra-genomic mutation rate variation in a fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici, which can influence evolutionary trajectory.
Habig, et al. (2021). Nat. Commun. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-26108-y.



Microevolution leads to antifungal drug resistance in a fungal pathogen

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Experimental evolution reveals the mutational paths that lead to antifungal drug resistance and cross-resistance in a major fungal pathogen Candida glabrata.
Ksiezopolska et al. (2021). Curr. Biol. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.09.084.



The evolutionary history of fungi

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Phylogenomics resolves historically contentious branches in the fungal tree of life and identifies episodic radiation events thereby establishing a framework for studies of fungal evolution.
Li et al. (2021). Curr. Biol. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.074.



Insights into the emergence of the mycorrhizal symbiosis

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Genome sequence of a basal Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi provides key insights into the evolution origin of plant-fungus symbiosis, an event that contributed to terrestrial colonization by plants.
Malar et al. (2021). Curr. Biol. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.058.


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