Molecular Biology and Evolution
@molbioevol.bsky.social
MBE publishes fresh insights into the patterns and processes that impact the evolution of life at molecular levels.
🔗 academic.oup.com/mbe
🏠 @official-smbe.bsky.social
🤝 @genomebiolevol.bsky.social
#evobio #molbio #science #biology #societyjournal
🔗 academic.oup.com/mbe
🏠 @official-smbe.bsky.social
🤝 @genomebiolevol.bsky.social
#evobio #molbio #science #biology #societyjournal
Pinned
The December cover of Molecular Biology and Evolution features the work of Chiu et al., who showed that later-evolving strains of SARS-CoV-2 acquired infectivity towards cultivated cells expressing New World monkey ACE2.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf281
#evobio #molbio #sarscov2
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf281
#evobio #molbio #sarscov2
Stanek et al. studied the Drosophila "dot chromosome” to investigate chromosome-specific size expansion, focusing on four species whose dot chromosomes are 2- to 15-fold larger compared to D. melanogaster.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf304
#evobio #molbio #drosophila
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf304
#evobio #molbio #drosophila
December 30, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Stanek et al. studied the Drosophila "dot chromosome” to investigate chromosome-specific size expansion, focusing on four species whose dot chromosomes are 2- to 15-fold larger compared to D. melanogaster.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf304
#evobio #molbio #drosophila
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf304
#evobio #molbio #drosophila
Sigeman et al. used comparative population genomics of 264 individuals from all seven European wood ant species, proposing that selection to escape fitness costs underlies haplotype loss in obligately polygynous wood ants.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf320
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf320
#evobio #molbio
The loss of a supergene in obligately polygynous Formica wood ant species
Abstract. Some of the most striking examples of phenotypic variation within species are controlled by supergenes. However, most research on supergenes has
doi.org
December 29, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Sigeman et al. used comparative population genomics of 264 individuals from all seven European wood ant species, proposing that selection to escape fitness costs underlies haplotype loss in obligately polygynous wood ants.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf320
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf320
#evobio #molbio
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
A postdoc in my lab, Ben Flanagan, just had a really nice paper come out in MB&E @official-smbe.bsky.social comparing transcriptomic response to a standardized immune challenge in 14 phylogenetically diverse species of ray-finned fishes
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Macroevolutionary changes in gene expression response to an immune stimulus across the diversity of fishes
Abstract. Our understanding of the vertebrate immune system is dominated by a few model organisms such as mice. This use of a few model systems is reasonab
academic.oup.com
December 27, 2025 at 12:40 AM
A postdoc in my lab, Ben Flanagan, just had a really nice paper come out in MB&E @official-smbe.bsky.social comparing transcriptomic response to a standardized immune challenge in 14 phylogenetically diverse species of ray-finned fishes
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
🧪 Scientists are learning more about higher levels of emergent interactions between transcription factors- is this a new 🔑 to understanding both primitive and sentient cognition phenotypes in animal neuroscience?
Lee et al. used B-lymphoblastoid cells from three great ape species and humans to show that human ZEB2 is distinct in regulating a larger repertoire of genes implicated in neuronal development.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf318
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf318
#evobio #molbio
Comparing great apes reveals human-specific ZEB2 roles in neural development
Abstract. Humans differ from other primates in various traits, despite nearly identical protein-coding sequences. Understanding the evolution of these diff
doi.org
December 28, 2025 at 6:03 PM
🧪 Scientists are learning more about higher levels of emergent interactions between transcription factors- is this a new 🔑 to understanding both primitive and sentient cognition phenotypes in animal neuroscience?
Lee et al. used B-lymphoblastoid cells from three great ape species and humans to show that human ZEB2 is distinct in regulating a larger repertoire of genes implicated in neuronal development.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf318
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf318
#evobio #molbio
Comparing great apes reveals human-specific ZEB2 roles in neural development
Abstract. Humans differ from other primates in various traits, despite nearly identical protein-coding sequences. Understanding the evolution of these diff
doi.org
December 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Lee et al. used B-lymphoblastoid cells from three great ape species and humans to show that human ZEB2 is distinct in regulating a larger repertoire of genes implicated in neuronal development.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf318
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf318
#evobio #molbio
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
"cis-regulatory evolution involves turnover of thousands of individual binding site instances while largely preserving transcription factors’ binding preferences."
From: academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
From: academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Widespread turnover of a conserved cis-regulatory code across 589 grass species
Abstract. The growing availability of genomes from non-model organisms offers new opportunities to identify functional loci underlying trait variation thro
academic.oup.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:40 PM
"cis-regulatory evolution involves turnover of thousands of individual binding site instances while largely preserving transcription factors’ binding preferences."
From: academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
From: academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
If functional constraints limit the realm of possibilities in terms of allowed #gene evolutionary trajectories then recurring patterns should be observable for genes evolving under similar constraints academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
December 21, 2025 at 10:27 AM
If functional constraints limit the realm of possibilities in terms of allowed #gene evolutionary trajectories then recurring patterns should be observable for genes evolving under similar constraints academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
Question for the #microsky nerds -- Would you expect to see the same trends for environmentally transmitted plant pathogens?
(Also if you have any papers on this topic, please share!)
Question for the #microsky nerds -- Would you expect to see the same trends for environmentally transmitted plant pathogens?
(Also if you have any papers on this topic, please share!)
Genome Reduction Is Associated with Bacterial Pathogenicity across Different Scales of Temporal and Ecological Divergence
Abstract. Emerging bacterial pathogens threaten global health and food security, and so it is important to ask whether these transitions to pathogenicity h
academic.oup.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:14 PM
academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
Question for the #microsky nerds -- Would you expect to see the same trends for environmentally transmitted plant pathogens?
(Also if you have any papers on this topic, please share!)
Question for the #microsky nerds -- Would you expect to see the same trends for environmentally transmitted plant pathogens?
(Also if you have any papers on this topic, please share!)
@rcply.bsky.social argues that phylogenetic inferences in sponge–ctenophore–bilaterian relationships based on shared chromosomal rearrangements suffer from insufficient statistical support.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf321
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf321
#evobio #molbio
Sponges, ctenophores, and the statistical significance of syntenies
Abstract. Shared fusions between ancestral chromosomal linkage groups have previously been used to support phylogenetic groupings, notably sponges with cni
doi.org
December 26, 2025 at 7:46 AM
@rcply.bsky.social argues that phylogenetic inferences in sponge–ctenophore–bilaterian relationships based on shared chromosomal rearrangements suffer from insufficient statistical support.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf321
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf321
#evobio #molbio
Our recent article on the adaptive consequences of altered translation accuracy is the focus of December's MBE Highlight.
Highlight: How Life's “Mistakes” Impact Adaptation
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf308
#evobio #molbio
Highlight: How Life's “Mistakes” Impact Adaptation
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf308
#evobio #molbio
December 23, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Our recent article on the adaptive consequences of altered translation accuracy is the focus of December's MBE Highlight.
Highlight: How Life's “Mistakes” Impact Adaptation
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf308
#evobio #molbio
Highlight: How Life's “Mistakes” Impact Adaptation
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf308
#evobio #molbio
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
Reposting as the first author — it’s an honour to see this work published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, and I’m happy to answer questions about it!
Severino, Cuéllar et al. used ancestral sequence reconstruction and protein resurrection to infer and characterize the ancestor of chaperonins, providing structural reconstruction of the most ancient and complex multimeric proteins so far.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf314
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf314
#evobio #molbio
December 20, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Reposting as the first author — it’s an honour to see this work published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, and I’m happy to answer questions about it!
@laasya2.bsky.social @deepaagashe.bsky.social et al. quantified the growth cost of mistranslation rates and exposure to antibiotics in E. coli, finding that altered translation accuracy can shape adaptive outcomes.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf312
🖌️ Nishant Asawadekar
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf312
🖌️ Nishant Asawadekar
#evobio #molbio
December 19, 2025 at 6:53 PM
@laasya2.bsky.social @deepaagashe.bsky.social et al. quantified the growth cost of mistranslation rates and exposure to antibiotics in E. coli, finding that altered translation accuracy can shape adaptive outcomes.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf312
🖌️ Nishant Asawadekar
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf312
🖌️ Nishant Asawadekar
#evobio #molbio
@soniacelestini.bsky.social @lipanovaveronika.bsky.social J. Vlček & F. Kolář combined soil data with genomes of 76 populations of diploid–autotetraploid Arabidopsis arenosa to test adaptation to distinct soil types between ploidies.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf298
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf298
#evobio #molbio
Whole-Genome Duplication Reshapes Adaptation: Autotetraploid Arabidopsis arenosa Leverages its High Genetic Variation to Compensate for Selection Constraints
Abstract. Whole-genome duplication (WGD), a widespread macromutation across eukaryotes, is predicted to affect the tempo and modes of evolutionary processe
doi.org
December 19, 2025 at 6:18 PM
@soniacelestini.bsky.social @lipanovaveronika.bsky.social J. Vlček & F. Kolář combined soil data with genomes of 76 populations of diploid–autotetraploid Arabidopsis arenosa to test adaptation to distinct soil types between ploidies.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf298
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf298
#evobio #molbio
Nilkant et al. construct the phylogeny of the tri-PDZ domains in DLG4 (one of the most abundant synaptic proteins) to its deep ancestral origin in Filozoa, which includes animals and their nearest unicellular relatives.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf309
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf309
#evobio #molbio
Evolution of the Tri-PDZ Domain in PSD95 (DLG-4 Gene)
Abstract. Some genes encoding proteins within the co-evolved pre- and postsynaptic compartments are present in genomes long preceding the origination of th
doi.org
December 19, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Nilkant et al. construct the phylogeny of the tri-PDZ domains in DLG4 (one of the most abundant synaptic proteins) to its deep ancestral origin in Filozoa, which includes animals and their nearest unicellular relatives.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf309
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf309
#evobio #molbio
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
SMBE is now on Weixin/WeChat!
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, and articles published in @molbioevol.bsky.social and @genomebiolevol.bsky.social
Follow the @officialSMBE account, or scan the QR code with the app.
🔗 academic.oup.com/smbejournals/pages/wechat
#society
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, and articles published in @molbioevol.bsky.social and @genomebiolevol.bsky.social
Follow the @officialSMBE account, or scan the QR code with the app.
🔗 academic.oup.com/smbejournals/pages/wechat
#society
December 18, 2025 at 11:21 AM
SMBE is now on Weixin/WeChat!
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, and articles published in @molbioevol.bsky.social and @genomebiolevol.bsky.social
Follow the @officialSMBE account, or scan the QR code with the app.
🔗 academic.oup.com/smbejournals/pages/wechat
#society
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, and articles published in @molbioevol.bsky.social and @genomebiolevol.bsky.social
Follow the @officialSMBE account, or scan the QR code with the app.
🔗 academic.oup.com/smbejournals/pages/wechat
#society
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
So happy that this work simultaneously measuring the costs of antibiotic exposure and mistranslation is finally out in MBE! Work from @deepaagashe.bsky.social (who was ultra patient!) and my labs. Do see the research highlight here, with Nishant's lovely graphic. academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
How Life's “Mistakes” Impact Adaptation
Even in a colony of genetically identical bacteria, no two individuals are exactly alike. This phenomenon, known as phenotypic “noise,” is a long-standing
academic.oup.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:22 PM
So happy that this work simultaneously measuring the costs of antibiotic exposure and mistranslation is finally out in MBE! Work from @deepaagashe.bsky.social (who was ultra patient!) and my labs. Do see the research highlight here, with Nishant's lovely graphic. academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
How do bacteria deal with double costs? And how costly are unusual levels of mistranslation anyway? In short - antibiotics are more of an issue than less/more mistranslation, but the latter changes how populations deal with antibiotics. For the long story, check out our new paper!
So happy that this work simultaneously measuring the costs of antibiotic exposure and mistranslation is finally out in MBE! Work from @deepaagashe.bsky.social (who was ultra patient!) and my labs. Do see the research highlight here, with Nishant's lovely graphic. academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
How Life's “Mistakes” Impact Adaptation
Even in a colony of genetically identical bacteria, no two individuals are exactly alike. This phenomenon, known as phenotypic “noise,” is a long-standing
academic.oup.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
How do bacteria deal with double costs? And how costly are unusual levels of mistranslation anyway? In short - antibiotics are more of an issue than less/more mistranslation, but the latter changes how populations deal with antibiotics. For the long story, check out our new paper!
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
More #Crustmas science, and about today's topic of parasitic barnacles 🧪
Jung et al. analyse mtDNA genomes of parasitic and non-parasitic barnacles, revealing that Rhizocephala species exhibit patterns of mtDNA evolution associated with their parasitic lifestyle, driven by adaptive and non-adaptive processes.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf303
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf303
#evobio #molbio
Accelerated Mitochondrial Genome Evolution in Parasitic Barnacles Driven by Adaptive and Non-adaptive Responses
Abstract. Parasitic lifestyles often impose profound evolutionary pressures, affecting molecular evolution through both adaptive and non-adaptive mechanism
doi.org
December 18, 2025 at 2:09 AM
More #Crustmas science, and about today's topic of parasitic barnacles 🧪
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
Go have a look at this great paper by @julietteluiselli.bsky.social and Paul Banse!!
@julietteluiselli.bsky.social et al. introduce a mathematical model of genome size evolution, showing that the noncoding fraction of the genome is shaped by biases in mutational neutrality, and robustness selection arising from structural mutations
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf315
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf315
#evobio #molbio
December 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Go have a look at this great paper by @julietteluiselli.bsky.social and Paul Banse!!
Vericel et al. compared genomes of 46 aphid species to test whether transitions from heteroecy to monoecy alter evolutionary dynamics at the gene level; results suggest that the loss of a complex life cycle leads to reduced selective constraints.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf307
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf307
#evobio #molbio
Life Cycle Simplifications in Aphids Drive Changes in Evolutionary Rates and Selection Regimes
Abstract. Transitions toward simplified life cycles can reshape evolutionary trajectories, yet their impact on the rate of molecular evolution remains poor
doi.org
December 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Vericel et al. compared genomes of 46 aphid species to test whether transitions from heteroecy to monoecy alter evolutionary dynamics at the gene level; results suggest that the loss of a complex life cycle leads to reduced selective constraints.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf307
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf307
#evobio #molbio
Severino, Cuéllar et al. used ancestral sequence reconstruction and protein resurrection to infer and characterize the ancestor of chaperonins, providing structural reconstruction of the most ancient and complex multimeric proteins so far.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf314
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf314
#evobio #molbio
December 17, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Severino, Cuéllar et al. used ancestral sequence reconstruction and protein resurrection to infer and characterize the ancestor of chaperonins, providing structural reconstruction of the most ancient and complex multimeric proteins so far.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf314
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf314
#evobio #molbio
Jung et al. analyse mtDNA genomes of parasitic and non-parasitic barnacles, revealing that Rhizocephala species exhibit patterns of mtDNA evolution associated with their parasitic lifestyle, driven by adaptive and non-adaptive processes.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf303
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf303
#evobio #molbio
Accelerated Mitochondrial Genome Evolution in Parasitic Barnacles Driven by Adaptive and Non-adaptive Responses
Abstract. Parasitic lifestyles often impose profound evolutionary pressures, affecting molecular evolution through both adaptive and non-adaptive mechanism
doi.org
December 17, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Jung et al. analyse mtDNA genomes of parasitic and non-parasitic barnacles, revealing that Rhizocephala species exhibit patterns of mtDNA evolution associated with their parasitic lifestyle, driven by adaptive and non-adaptive processes.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf303
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf303
#evobio #molbio
Reposted by Molecular Biology and Evolution
Some more shenanigans on the Ctenophora Porifera debate from @rcply.bsky.social academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Sponges, ctenophores and the statistical significance of syntenies
Abstract. Shared fusions between ancestral chromosomal linkage groups have previously been used to support phylogenetic groupings, notably sponges with cni
academic.oup.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Some more shenanigans on the Ctenophora Porifera debate from @rcply.bsky.social academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
@julietteluiselli.bsky.social et al. introduce a mathematical model of genome size evolution, showing that the noncoding fraction of the genome is shaped by biases in mutational neutrality, and robustness selection arising from structural mutations
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf315
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf315
#evobio #molbio
December 16, 2025 at 12:14 PM
@julietteluiselli.bsky.social et al. introduce a mathematical model of genome size evolution, showing that the noncoding fraction of the genome is shaped by biases in mutational neutrality, and robustness selection arising from structural mutations
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf315
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf315
#evobio #molbio
Espino et al. investigate the evolutionary history of conotoxins as a model to understand the mechanism of ancestral gene neofunctionalization, which may have contributed to the emergence of mollusk-hunting in cone snails.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf302
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf302
#evobio #molbio
December 16, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Espino et al. investigate the evolutionary history of conotoxins as a model to understand the mechanism of ancestral gene neofunctionalization, which may have contributed to the emergence of mollusk-hunting in cone snails.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf302
#evobio #molbio
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf302
#evobio #molbio