Evolutionary biology

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory identified key differences in gene regulation between tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana plants, which could explain challenges in crop engineering. This breakthrough, revealing how mutations affect plant growth and development, highlights the importance of understanding genetic regulation to enhance predictability and efficiency in agriculture. Credit: SciTechDaily.comPlant genomics has come a long way since Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) helped sequence the first plant…

Hylaeus navai female. Found on the Viti Levu and Taveuni islands of Fiji, this species is still only known from the females, but is named in honor of Navai Village and their long-term support of Fijian bee research. Credit: James Dorey PhotographyScientists have discovered a previously unknown species radiation of masked bees, which is restricted to the tree canopies of Pacific islands.In 1934, Elwood Zimmerman, an American entomologist who was an undergraduate at Berkeley at the time, took part in the ‘Mangarevan…

A study reveals the rapid evolution of snakes, outpacing lizards, enabled their diversification and ecological success across the globe. By analyzing genetic data and dietary habits, researchers underscore snakes’ unique evolutionary path and ability to specialize in various prey, marking them as a significant evolutionary success story despite the mystery surrounding their adaptive radiation. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.comMore than 100 million years ago, the ancestors of the first snakes were small lizards…

Your dog’s poop might be a dangerous source of bacterial superbugs. In a new study, researchers in China detail evidence that dogs experiencing diarrhea are commonly carrying multi-drug resistant strains of Escherichia coli—around 50%, in their study.Prepping the Sandworm Scenes in Dune: Part TwoThe research was led by scientists at Sichuan Agricultural University. According to lead author Zhijun Zhong, an increasing number of studies have found that dogs can be a reservoir of E. coli superbugs, including strains…

Research on marine snails has demonstrated that significant evolutionary innovations occur gradually through small steps, challenging the notion of dramatic ‘monster’ leaps. This discovery, by elucidating the genetic basis of the snails’ shift from egg-laying to live birth, offers a new perspective on how major evolutionary changes unfold and highlights the importance of incremental progress in the course of evolution.Biologists have found that significant evolutionary transformations occur incrementally rather than…

Recent research has discovered that sea lampreys and humans share a similar genetic blueprint for hindbrain development, highlighting the evolutionary connection between jawless and jawed vertebrates and underscoring the role of retinoic acid in this ancient developmental pathway.Scientists at Stowers Institute have revealed that the brain development in sea lampreys shows striking similarities to human brain development.The sea lamprey, an ancient creature dating back 500 million years with a mouth resembling a…

Digital reconstructions of endocasts of a woodpecker, Melanerpes aurifrons (top), and a troodontid dinosaur, Zanabazar junior (bottom). The blue area is the cerebellum. Credit: Amy BalanoffEvolutionary biologists at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have combined PET scans of modern pigeons along with studies of dinosaur fossils to help answer an enduring question in biology: How did the brains of birds evolve to enable them to fly?The answer, they say, appears to be an adaptive increase in the size of the cerebellum in…

Researchers have uncovered significant diversity in the TAS1R gene family, responsible for taste perception in vertebrates. This discovery, derived from a genome-wide survey, sheds light on the evolutionary history of taste receptors and has potential applications in developing specialized foods for various animal species.A genome-wide survey has uncovered substantial diversity in the evolution of taste receptors across vertebrates.Taste perception is a critical sense, playing a key role in distinguishing nourishing foods…

New research reveals that the vertebrate head mesoderm evolved from a distinct ancient mesoderm, challenging traditional views on the evolution of the vertebrate skull. Advanced microscopy techniques showed that the head mesoderm in lamprey embryos is fundamentally different from somites, indicating an early divergence in vertebrate evolution.Scientists are examining the development of lamprey embryos to shed light on the origin of the vertebrate head, which could enhance our understanding of ancestral vertebrates.The…

Research using genetic data from Turquet’s octopus suggests that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during the Last Interglacial period due to modest temperature increases. This discovery highlights the WAIS’s vulnerability to even slight warming, posing significant risks under current climate change trajectories.Genetic studies of an Antarctic octopus reveal that the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) occurred in the Last Interglacial period, approximately 129,000 to 116,000 years ago, during a time when…