EvoBioLMU
@evobiolmu.bsky.social
News from the Evolutionary Biology Department at LMU Munich. https://www.evol.bio.lmu.de
@jochenwolflab.bsky.social Check out the latest paper spearheaded by @chyiyin.bsky.social. She explored different methods for target enrichment of DNA extracted from thousands of years old crow bones. Long live ancient DNA!
doi.org/10.1111/1755...
doi.org/10.1111/1755...
Performance of Two Custom Probe Kits for In‐Solution Enrichment of Ancient Avian DNA
Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis remains challenging due to low endogenous DNA content of degraded samples. Hybridisation-based in-solution enrichment has emerged as an effective tool for targeting genomi...
doi.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:47 PM
@jochenwolflab.bsky.social Check out the latest paper spearheaded by @chyiyin.bsky.social. She explored different methods for target enrichment of DNA extracted from thousands of years old crow bones. Long live ancient DNA!
doi.org/10.1111/1755...
doi.org/10.1111/1755...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
🎉We are happy to announce that our wonderful GEvol SPP will be funded by @dfg.de for another 3 years. Included are 17 great projects all over Germany with amazing people. You want to be part of this fantastic community? Soon you can find new PhD/Post-Doc positions here & on our website. Stay tuned🎉
November 10, 2025 at 11:39 AM
🎉We are happy to announce that our wonderful GEvol SPP will be funded by @dfg.de for another 3 years. Included are 17 great projects all over Germany with amazing people. You want to be part of this fantastic community? Soon you can find new PhD/Post-Doc positions here & on our website. Stay tuned🎉
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Matrilines attack,
for the hosts there is no hope.
Egg kaleidoscope.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
for the hosts there is no hope.
Egg kaleidoscope.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Genomic architecture of egg mimicry and its consequences for speciation in parasitic cuckoos
Host-parasite arms races facilitate rapid evolution and can fuel speciation. Cuculus cuckoos are deceptive egg mimics that exhibit a broad diversity of counterfeit egg phenotypes, representing host-ad...
www.science.org
October 31, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Matrilines attack,
for the hosts there is no hope.
Egg kaleidoscope.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
for the hosts there is no hope.
Egg kaleidoscope.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
This month is my turn to bust science myths in our institute's mini-videos series. This month's topic: fruit flies and evolution! 🪰🧬
@mpi-bio-fml.bsky.social
@mpi-bio-fml.bsky.social
Fruit flies are more than pests! Humans share 60% of their genome with them. @luisapallares.bsky.social busts myths about how these tiny creatures can tell us about human diseases. Watch Luisa's full video here: www.fml.tuebingen.mpg.de/71433/videos #BiologyMyths #Drosophila #Genomics
October 23, 2025 at 6:58 PM
This month is my turn to bust science myths in our institute's mini-videos series. This month's topic: fruit flies and evolution! 🪰🧬
@mpi-bio-fml.bsky.social
@mpi-bio-fml.bsky.social
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Fantastic comparative study by Gina Calabrese in coop with Safran & Rabosky lab explores whether seasonal migration can promote speciation in birds. A large-scale comparative analysis packed with methodological insights!
academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...
academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...
No Consistent Effect of Migration on Speciation Rates in Two Avian Superfamilies: A Check on the Robustness of Trait-Dependent Diversification Methods
Abstract. Seasonal migration is performed by taxonomically diverse groups across the planet’s oceans and continents. Migration has been hypothesized to pro
academic.oup.com
October 8, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Fantastic comparative study by Gina Calabrese in coop with Safran & Rabosky lab explores whether seasonal migration can promote speciation in birds. A large-scale comparative analysis packed with methodological insights!
academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...
academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Heads up: ignore samtools dot org, similarly minimap2 dot com and likely others. It's owned by a known phishing site and while the binaries they offer look valid currently (but note they may be serving us different binaries to others), that could change.
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
September 15, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Heads up: ignore samtools dot org, similarly minimap2 dot com and likely others. It's owned by a known phishing site and while the binaries they offer look valid currently (but note they may be serving us different binaries to others), that could change.
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
SINGER, our ARG inference method, is finally published and freely available online:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
Robust and accurate Bayesian inference of genome-wide genealogies for hundreds of genomes - Nature Genetics
SINGER is a method for creating ancestral recombination graphs to understand the genealogical history of genomes. The method has increased speed, and thus scalability, without sacrificing accuracy.
doi.org
September 11, 2025 at 3:50 AM
SINGER, our ARG inference method, is finally published and freely available online:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Many thanks to all GEvol members for a truly wonderful annual meeting. It was really great to catch up with you all again.
September 5, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Many thanks to all GEvol members for a truly wonderful annual meeting. It was really great to catch up with you all again.
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Mutation load sits on the large chromosomes in birds. Fidel's comparative work on 19 bird species shows an interesting interaction between recombination, selection and gene conversion affecting the genomic distribution of genetic load.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Determinants of mutation load in birds
Mutations contribute substantially to mortality and disease. The mutation load in a population depends on the efficacy of purifying selection in removing deleterious genetic variation. Here, we estima...
www.biorxiv.org
September 3, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Mutation load sits on the large chromosomes in birds. Fidel's comparative work on 19 bird species shows an interesting interaction between recombination, selection and gene conversion affecting the genomic distribution of genetic load.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Chongyi's paper from the biodiversity exploratories (@bexplo.bsky.social) is finally out ! How do genomic traits interact with community ecology?
Antropogenic
havoc. Communities shake.
Genomes grow and break.
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Antropogenic
havoc. Communities shake.
Genomes grow and break.
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Context‐dependent relationships between genomic traits and plant performance in temperate grasslands
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
doi.org
August 6, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Chongyi's paper from the biodiversity exploratories (@bexplo.bsky.social) is finally out ! How do genomic traits interact with community ecology?
Antropogenic
havoc. Communities shake.
Genomes grow and break.
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Antropogenic
havoc. Communities shake.
Genomes grow and break.
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Two million bases
defy conformity. Meth
rebels follow lead.
Merondun (2025) Mol Ecol
doi.org/10.1111/mec....
defy conformity. Meth
rebels follow lead.
Merondun (2025) Mol Ecol
doi.org/10.1111/mec....
DNA Methylation Reflects Cis‐Genetic Differentiation Across the European Crow Hybrid Zone
Chromatin modifications provide a substrate for epigenetic variation with evolutionary potential. To quantify the contribution of this layer of variation during speciation in crows, we leveraged geno...
doi.org
July 26, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Two million bases
defy conformity. Meth
rebels follow lead.
Merondun (2025) Mol Ecol
doi.org/10.1111/mec....
defy conformity. Meth
rebels follow lead.
Merondun (2025) Mol Ecol
doi.org/10.1111/mec....
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Sauna, vodka, tea.
Inhale the North, speciate.
Even ants must pee.
Stankowski (2024) Evol J Linnean Soc
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Inhale the North, speciate.
Even ants must pee.
Stankowski (2024) Evol J Linnean Soc
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Toward the integration of speciation research
Abstract. Speciation research—the scientific field focused on understanding the origin and diversity of species—has a long and complex history. While relev
doi.org
July 26, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Sauna, vodka, tea.
Inhale the North, speciate.
Even ants must pee.
Stankowski (2024) Evol J Linnean Soc
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Inhale the North, speciate.
Even ants must pee.
Stankowski (2024) Evol J Linnean Soc
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Years of fury on
ancient chromosomal dust.
Peace regained. Helas!
Mirarab et al. (2024) PNAS
doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
ancient chromosomal dust.
Peace regained. Helas!
Mirarab et al. (2024) PNAS
doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
A region of suppressed recombination misleads neoavian phylogenomics | PNAS
Genomes are typically mosaics of regions with different evolutionary histories. When
speciation events are closely spaced in time, recombination ma...
doi.org
July 26, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Years of fury on
ancient chromosomal dust.
Peace regained. Helas!
Mirarab et al. (2024) PNAS
doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
ancient chromosomal dust.
Peace regained. Helas!
Mirarab et al. (2024) PNAS
doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Swallows, match your love!
tails and feathers, red or buff.
And genes will couple.
Shield et al. (2024) Science
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
tails and feathers, red or buff.
And genes will couple.
Shield et al. (2024) Science
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Sexual selection promotes reproductive isolation in barn swallows
Despite the well-known effects of sexual selection on phenotypes, links between this evolutionary process and reproductive isolation, genomic divergence, and speciation have been difficult to establis...
doi.org
July 26, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Swallows, match your love!
tails and feathers, red or buff.
And genes will couple.
Shield et al. (2024) Science
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
tails and feathers, red or buff.
And genes will couple.
Shield et al. (2024) Science
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Two #LMU projects receive ERC #ProofOfConcept Grants!
🌿 Silke Robatzek is pursuing a novel approach in plant protection strategies.
🧠 @tobiasstaudigl.bsky.social optimizes deep brain stimulation with functional markers.
#LMU #ERC #ResearchInThePractice Read more here: www.lmu.de/en/newsroom/...
🌿 Silke Robatzek is pursuing a novel approach in plant protection strategies.
🧠 @tobiasstaudigl.bsky.social optimizes deep brain stimulation with functional markers.
#LMU #ERC #ResearchInThePractice Read more here: www.lmu.de/en/newsroom/...
July 15, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Two #LMU projects receive ERC #ProofOfConcept Grants!
🌿 Silke Robatzek is pursuing a novel approach in plant protection strategies.
🧠 @tobiasstaudigl.bsky.social optimizes deep brain stimulation with functional markers.
#LMU #ERC #ResearchInThePractice Read more here: www.lmu.de/en/newsroom/...
🌿 Silke Robatzek is pursuing a novel approach in plant protection strategies.
🧠 @tobiasstaudigl.bsky.social optimizes deep brain stimulation with functional markers.
#LMU #ERC #ResearchInThePractice Read more here: www.lmu.de/en/newsroom/...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
We are quite delighted by the media coverage of our paper:
This Jungle Plant Is a Good Landlord to Its Tenant Ants www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/s...
This Jungle Plant Is a Good Landlord to Its Tenant Ants www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/s...
This Jungle Plant Is a Good Landlord to Its Tenant Ants
www.nytimes.com
July 14, 2025 at 9:43 PM
We are quite delighted by the media coverage of our paper:
This Jungle Plant Is a Good Landlord to Its Tenant Ants www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/s...
This Jungle Plant Is a Good Landlord to Its Tenant Ants www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/s...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Also here:
This tropical plant builds isolated ‘apartments’ to prevent battles among the aggressive ant tenants it relies on for survival theconversation.com/this-tropica...
This tropical plant builds isolated ‘apartments’ to prevent battles among the aggressive ant tenants it relies on for survival theconversation.com/this-tropica...
This tropical plant builds isolated ‘apartments’ to prevent battles among the aggressive ant tenants it relies on for survival
Squamellaria plants grow special structures to host the ants they symbiotically rely on for nutrients. Distinct compartments help different ant colonies live peacefully side by side.
theconversation.com
July 14, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Also here:
This tropical plant builds isolated ‘apartments’ to prevent battles among the aggressive ant tenants it relies on for survival theconversation.com/this-tropica...
This tropical plant builds isolated ‘apartments’ to prevent battles among the aggressive ant tenants it relies on for survival theconversation.com/this-tropica...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Is there an independent role of epigenetic variation in speciation? We looked for answers in the crow hybrid zone.
In brief: DNA seems to be in the driving seat.
Congrats Justin! This was a long journey.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
In brief: DNA seems to be in the driving seat.
Congrats Justin! This was a long journey.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 14, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Is there an independent role of epigenetic variation in speciation? We looked for answers in the crow hybrid zone.
In brief: DNA seems to be in the driving seat.
Congrats Justin! This was a long journey.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
In brief: DNA seems to be in the driving seat.
Congrats Justin! This was a long journey.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Compartmentalization reduces conflict in multipartner plant-insect symbioses | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Compartmentalization reduces conflict in multipartner plant-insect symbioses
Many symbioses involve one host species having several mutualist partners, yet theory predicts that unrelated symbionts lead to destabilizing conflict through competition for host resources. We combin...
www.science.org
July 12, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Compartmentalization reduces conflict in multipartner plant-insect symbioses | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Crows on ancient trees
their twigs so discordantes!
May they rest in piece.
Gwee et al. (2025) Mol Ecol
their twigs so discordantes!
May they rest in piece.
Gwee et al. (2025) Mol Ecol
Despite their strikingly different plumage, carrion and hooded crows show strong asymmetrical gene flow hidden beneath the feathers #hybridzone #evolution #demography #bird
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 30, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Crows on ancient trees
their twigs so discordantes!
May they rest in piece.
Gwee et al. (2025) Mol Ecol
their twigs so discordantes!
May they rest in piece.
Gwee et al. (2025) Mol Ecol
New paper from the Wolf Lab.
A flower once wild,
cast into digital chains.
A meadow once free.
Jiang et al. (2025) Sci Data
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
cast into digital chains.
A meadow once free.
Jiang et al. (2025) Sci Data
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Full-length transcriptomes of 25 grassland plant species - Scientific Data
Scientific Data - Full-length transcriptomes of 25 grassland plant species
www.nature.com
June 30, 2025 at 5:22 PM
New paper from the Wolf Lab.
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
A flower once wild,
cast into digital chains.
A meadow once free.
Jiang et al. (2025) Sci Data
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
cast into digital chains.
A meadow once free.
Jiang et al. (2025) Sci Data
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Full-length transcriptomes of 25 grassland plant species - Scientific Data
Scientific Data - Full-length transcriptomes of 25 grassland plant species
www.nature.com
June 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
A flower once wild,
cast into digital chains.
A meadow once free.
Jiang et al. (2025) Sci Data
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
cast into digital chains.
A meadow once free.
Jiang et al. (2025) Sci Data
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
This was a very interesting collaboration on how tricky is it to implement ATAC-seq on different insect species 🪲 🐝 🐜
You want to apply #ATACseq in your emerging model organism, but you don't know where to start? Is #ATACseq the best method for my research questions? Search no more! We got you covered with our new review: doi.org/10.1002/jez.... Excellent collaboration with @gevol.bsky.social
ATAC‐seq in Emerging Model Organisms: Challenges and Strategies
Principle of ATAC-seq (left), overview of arthropod species with published ATAC-seq data (middle), summary of experimental design (right).
doi.org
June 25, 2025 at 10:50 AM
This was a very interesting collaboration on how tricky is it to implement ATAC-seq on different insect species 🪲 🐝 🐜
Reposted by EvoBioLMU
Female neoteny does have an impact on colonization patterns in the big European firefly, Lampyris noctiluca ✨
@anaevolcatalan.bsky.social @hoehna.bsky.social @stusso.bsky.social @ulrikacandolin.bsky.social et al. analyse genomes of the European firefly, revealing a complex demographic history shaped by glaciation and sex-biased dispersal.
🔗 academic.oup.com/mbe/article/42/6/msaf123/8170119
#evobio #molbio
🔗 academic.oup.com/mbe/article/42/6/msaf123/8170119
#evobio #molbio
Sex-biased Migration and Demographic History of the Big European Firefly Lampyris noctiluca
Abstract. Differential dispersion between the sexes can impact the colonization process and demographic history of a species. Here, we explored the demogra
academic.oup.com
June 24, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Female neoteny does have an impact on colonization patterns in the big European firefly, Lampyris noctiluca ✨