New paper! In female mammals, one X-chromosome is inactive in each cell. In some cats, this causes typical color patterns, depending on which X is active and the color it codes for. The @eddaschulz.bsky.social lab found a new regulatory principle behind X-inactivation. 1/2 Note: AI generated image

​My loyalties are split for this year's Ig-Nobel favorite. It's a dead heat between the physicist who analyzed how to stir pasta and the theorist who suggested to eat teflon to reduce calories.
​Both feel equally essential to the future of humanity. #IgNobel #Science

A common type of ant in Europe breaks a fundamental rule in biology: its queens can produce male offspring that are a whole different species

go.nature.com/4mOb5T9

Does population size shape protein coevolution?
I explored this in my talk today at the MPI for Evolutionary Biology.
Our work in mammals suggests the answer is yes - genetic drift is a major determinant of compensatory mutations.

#evolution #genomics #proteinevolution @mpi-evolbio.bsky.social

Please come and see Jinyang’s purr-fectly interesting talk at the #ESEB2025 the coming Thursday 3:45 PM (Meeting Room 116) on Polarizing SNPs without outgroup.

(I won’t be there, busy.)
-Sent from Naja’s pawphone

Very happy for the chance to share a snapshot of my Master’s project at the MPI for Evolutionary Biology, in Julien Dutheil’s group. I’ve been tracing how the effective population size drives intra-protein compensatory mutations - tiny edits that help life stay in balance. @mpi-evolbio.bsky.social