This Week in Evolution

TWiEVO 32: Never not neutral

June 19, 2018

Matt joins Nels and Vincent to discuss the neutral theory of evolution and its rejection in light of genome-scale data.

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Hahn Lab
Molecular Population Genetics by Matt Hahn
Neutral theory in light of natural selection (Mol Biol Evol)
Neutral Sequence Fallacy (Assembly of Fragments)
Splendor and misery of adaptation (BMC Biol)
Image credit
Letters read on TWiEVO 32

Science Picks

Nels – Inaugural Transposon Day
Vincent – How many human genes?

Listener Pick

Anne – Plants repeatedly lose ability to obtain nitrogen

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Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

TWiEVO 31: Virus archaeology, or when the human genome is the junk

May 19, 2018

Bronze age dwelling (image credit)

Nels and Vincent present ancient hepatitis B virus genome sequences from Bronze Age to Medieval period human remains.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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Ancient hepatitis B virus genomes (Nature)
Even more ancient HBV genomes (bioRxiv)
Image credit
Letters read on TWiEVO 31

Science Picks

Nels – Sampling whale breath with drones (Preprint)
Vincent – Verge Science

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TWiEVO 30: Driving Miss Maize-y

April 21, 2018

Nels and Vincent reveal how a motor protein in corn causes preferential transmission of chromosomes to egg cells, leading to non-Mendelian inheritance.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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Molecular Evolution and the Cell meeting
Selfish corn chromosomes (Cell)
Dawe Lab – neocentromeres and meiotic drive
Image credit
Letters read on TWiEVO 30

Science Picks

Nels – Craypot stinkhorn mushroom (Colus pusilus)
Vincent – Doubts raised over plan to release herpesvirus to wipe out carp

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TWiEVO 29: Evolution on the wing

March 21, 2018

Nels and Vincent discuss the evolution of blood feeding to nonbiting in a mosquito, and evolution of bacterial virulence in the house finch caused by incomplete host immunity.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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Molecular Evolution and the Cell meeting
Mosquito evolution from blood feeding to nonbiting (PNAS)
Mosquito blood feeding is not a free lunch (virology blog)
Incomplete immunity and evolution of virulence (Science)
Image credit
Letters read on TWiEVO 29

Science Picks

Nels – IDEA and Impossible Foods
Vincent – it is NOT junk

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TWiEVO 28: Genetics of skin pigmentation in Africa

February 27, 2018

Sarah Tishkoff joins Nels and Vincent to explain work from her laboratory on the genetic basis of skin pigmentation in Africans.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

Guest: Sarah Tishkoff

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Molecular Evolution and the Cell meeting
Sarah AMA on Reddit
Genetics of African skin pigmentation (Science)
Image credit

Science Picks

Nels – In Defense of Plants (Shrew Loo)
Vincent – Contribution of NIH funding to new drug approvals

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Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

TWiEVO 27: Coldevo

January 13, 2018

Taking a cue from the recent frigid weather, Nels and Vincent explore how modifications of a neuronal cold-sensing channel regulate diminished cold sensitivity in hibernating mammals.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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Why ground squirrels and hamsters don’t mind the cold (Cell Rep)
Image credit
Letters read on TWiEVO 27

Science Picks

Nels – Undergrad podcasters from Stonehill College
Vincent – Viruses at Target

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Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

TWiEVO 26: My Scientist Vinny

December 7, 2017

Vinny Lynch joins Nels and Vincent to discuss how a zombie gene in elephants protects these large, long lived animals from cancer.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

Guest: Vinny Lynch

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Lynch Lab
Elephant zombie LIF gene induces apoptosis (bioRxiv)
Image credit

Science Picks

Nels – Animalism
Vincent – Voyager I fires up thrusters after 37 years
Vinny – Rollin’ Wild

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TWiEVO 25: Pigeons show the way

November 22, 2017

Nels and Vincent discuss a genomic analysis of the passenger pigeon, which shows that species with large and stable populations may be at risk of extinction after a sudden environmental change.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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Passenger pigeon genomic diversity (Science)
Image credit
Letters read on TWiEVO 25

Science Picks

Nels – Video of nematophagous fungi
Vincent – How should novelty be valued in science?
John – Evo-Devo (Despacito Biology Parody)
Melanie – What’s in John’s Freezer

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TWiEVO 24: Good viruses visiting bad neighborhoods

October 26, 2017

Marco Vignuzzi joins Nels and Vincent to discuss recent work from his laboratory on redirecting RNA virus evolution in sequence space.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

Guest: Marco Vignuzzi

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Vignuzzi Laboratory
Redirecting evolution of RNA viruses in sequence space (Nat Micro)
Is quasispecies concept relevant to RNA viruses? (J Virol)

This episode is brought to you by Blue Apron. Blue Apron is the #1 fresh ingredient and recipe delivery service in the country. Get $30 off your first delivery and free shipping by going to blueapron.com/twie.

Science Picks

Nels – Global Tagging of Pelagic Predators
Vincent – Why has the EPA shifted on toxic chemicals?
Marco – Labs of Siobain Duffy, Seema Lackdawala, Chris Brook

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Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

TWiEVO 23: The Alus are going to be alright

September 20, 2017

Nels and Vincent reveal how the protein DHX9 suppresses RNA processing defects caused by invasion of the Alu retroelement into the human genome.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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DHX9 suppresses Alu defects (Nature)
Asifa Akhtar on The Latest Thinking

This episode is brought to you by Blue Apron. Blue Apron is the #1 fresh ingredient and recipe delivery service in the country. See what’s on the menu this week and get your first 3 meals free with your first purchase – WITH FREE SHIPPING – by going to blueapron.com/twie.

Science Picks

Nels – Saving Hellbender Salamanders
Vincent – The Living River

Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

TWiEVO 32: Never not neutral

Science Picks

Listener Pick

TWiEVO 31: Virus archaeology, or when the human genome is the junk

Science Picks

TWiEVO 30: Driving Miss Maize-y

Science Picks

TWiEVO 29: Evolution on the wing

Science Picks

TWiEVO 28: Genetics of skin pigmentation in Africa

Science Picks

TWiEVO 27: Coldevo

Science Picks

TWiEVO 26: My Scientist Vinny

Science Picks

TWiEVO 25: Pigeons show the way

Science Picks

TWiEVO 24: Good viruses visiting bad neighborhoods

Science Picks

TWiEVO 23: The Alus are going to be alright

Science Picks

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