Pangenomic study suggests major DNA flip made finches resistant to certain diseases
Could a novel approach to genetic studies give us a clearer picture of how evolutionary adaptations occur? That's what the findings of new research on a common backyard bird, the house finch, imply. A groundbreaking pangenomic study has revealed a major DNA flip that appears to have made the small bird resistant to certain diseases.
Across oceans and millennia: Decoding the origin and history of the bottle gourd
In a fascinating dive into the past, a team of researchers from the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and USDA has uncovered intriguing details about the origins and spread of the bottle gourd, one of the oldest domesticated crops.
Pangenomic study of water caltrop: Structural variations play a role in speciation and asymmetric subgenome evolution
Rice, maize, and wheat provide more than half of the calories consumed by humans. The decrease in crop diversity poses a significant risk to global food security. Therefore, the utilization of orphan crops has become an effective approach to address food security crises. Nevertheless, in the face of rapid urban and rural modernization and the intensification of agricultural practices, the availability of wild and cultivated orphan crops is dwindling, with a noticeable disparity in their collection, preservation, and application of modern breeding techniques.
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