I'm excited to present this new model to detect positive selection on regulatory sequences, which has been 3 years in the making!
Thanks to Alexandre Laverré and @Phylogenetrips for their amazing work on this project. 😃
https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.11.26.690685
Thread! #bioinformatics #molecularEvolution
🧩 What if the diverse functions of a single protein all trace back to one structural superfamily?
🔗 Evolutionary and structural bioinformatics identifies GPR89 as a conserved member of the LIMR protein superfamily. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csbj.2025.11.003
📚 CSBJ: https://www.csbj.org/
#StructuralBiology #ComputationalBiology #MolecularEvolution #ProteinScience #Genomics #Proteomics #AlphaFold #MembraneProteins #Genetics #Bioinformatics
Abstract One of the most well-documented cases of successful plant invasion in Europe is the rapid spread of Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera Royle). Introduced from the Himalayas to Europe in the first half of the 19th century as an ornamental and nectar-producing plant, this species initially naturalized in the United Kingdom, from where it subsequently dispersed across the European continent. Despite the active invasion of I. glandulifera in Eastern Europe, the genetic diversity of its populations in this region has remained largely unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the variability of two chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) regions, trnS-G and rpl32-trnL(UAG), in I. glandulifera samples from Ukraine and compared the results with cpDNA variants from continental Europe, the United Kingdom, as well as from India and Pakistan. Our results reveal the widespread distribution of two distinct I. glandulifera haplotypes, T1-R1 and T2-R2, across continental Europe. These haplotypes differ in both cpDNA regions analyzed, and their divergence is inferred to have occurred within the species’ native range. Chloroplast DNA variation was found to be significantly higher in the native range than in the invasive range. The broad distribution of the two chloroplast haplotypes across Europe supports the hypothesis of multiple introductions of I. glandulifera into the continent. The uneven distribution of haplotypes T1-R1 and T2-R2 within Ukraine may indicate a founder effect.
Genetic Polymorphism of Invasive Species of Knotweed (Reynoutria) Assessed by the matK and rpl32-trnL (UAG) Regions of Chloroplast DNA
Genetic Polymorphism of Invasive Species of Knotweed... ##bioinformaticanalysis ##chloroplastdna ##geneticpolymorphism ##molecularevolution ##moleculargenomics ##bioinformatics ##chloroplasts ##plastome ##molecularphylogeny ##genomics ##knotweed ##reynoutria ##matk ##rpl32trnl
Abstract An important model system for studying the role of genetic diversity and hybridization in plant invasions is the species complex of the genus Reynoutria Houtt. Within the secondary distribution range, two species of this genus are widespread, R. japonica Houtt. and R. sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Nakai, as well as their derivatives, the hexaploid R. × bohemica Chrtek & Chrtková and the tetraploid R. × moravica (Hodálová and Mereďa) Olshanskyi and Antonenko, which are recognized as separate species. The genetic diversity of the species of the genus Reynoutria in Ukraine is still almost unexplored by molecular methods. In this work, we determined chloroplast haplotypes for samples of R. japonica, R. sachalinensis and R. × bohemica from Ukraine and other European countries and compared them with haplotypes of Reynoutria from the primary distribution range in China and Korea. The genetic diversity of R. japonica from the primary distribution range was significantly higher compared to European samples, which are mainly represented by the haplotype J1.1. At the same time, we identified haplotypes J1.2 and J1.3 specific to the Eastern European area, which probably arose as a consequence of the divergence of the chloroplast genome within the secondary distribution range. Of the five samples morphologically identified as R. × bohemica, three carry the haplotype J1.1, which is consistent with the idea that R. japonica var. japonica was involved as a maternal form in the formation of R. × bohemica. However, a chloroplast haplotype identical to R. sachalinensis was detected in two samples from the Alpine region of Europe. These samples likely represent another hybrid species of R. × moravica. Therefore, the use of chloroplast DNA markers is crucial for identifying the donor of maternal subgenomes in hybrid forms of the genus Reynoutria.
Marc Robinson-Rechavi
CSBJ
Cytology and Genetics
cytgen