This Week in Evolution

Exploring genetic changes during the Black Death, immune gene evolution, and smallpox eradication. Delving into ancient DNA and its impact on human evolution. Discussing genetic variations, immune defense mechanisms, and the influence of genetics on disease. Sharing anecdotes from Seattle visits and listener's inspiring journey to science. Wrapping up with gratitude and show notes information.

Florian Maderspacher from Current Biology joins Nels and Vincent to discuss a special issue of the journal on birds. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Guest: Florian Maderspacher Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Current Biology Birds Special Issue Scott Edwards bikes across the US (Audubon) Support Diversity Issues in Evolution (Go Fund Me) Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Florian – Favorite birds of authors/contributors in Birds issue Nels –Loss of avian intromittent organs as a sperm competition strategy: a race to be last Vincent – Malaria at the Bronx Zoo (TWiP 110) Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Nels and Vincent consider evidence that a single amino acid change in the TKTL1 gene might have led to greater neurogenesis in the frontal cortex of modern humans compared with Neanderthals. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Human TKTL1 implies greater neurogenesis (Science) Everyone's a little bit Neanderthal (TWiEVO 8) Tragic gene flow from Neanderthals (TWiV 676) Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Nels – Unusual display of elements Vincent – Sykdomspulsen and summary Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Nels and Vincent discuss how duplication of a gene encoding a transcription factor led to evolution of a novel cell type in the slime mold Dictyostelium. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Gene duplication leads to novel cell type (Current Biol) Evolution of multicellularity (TWiEVO 11) Letters read on TWiEVO 81 Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Nels – Dall-E artificial intelligence meets art Vincent – John Bonner's slime mold movies Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Louise Moncla joins Nels and Vincent to review her use of genomics to understand emergence, evolution, and transmission of respiratory viruses including influenza virus H5N1, mumps virus, and SARS-CoV-2. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Guest: Louise Moncla Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Within-host diversity of influenza virus H5N1 (PLoS Path) Mumps virus outbreak in Washington (eLive) SARS-CoV-2 tight transmission bottlenecks (PLoS Path) Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Nels – JWST Images Vincent – 3rd International Symposium on Infectious Diseases of Bats and Program Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Nels and Vincent discuss an analysis of the drivers of evolution of SARS-CoV-2 during chronic infections, indicating that a tradeoff exists between antibody evasion and fitness. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Click arrow to play Download TWiEVO 79 (103 MB .mp3, 86 min) Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode SARS-CoV-2 evolution during chronic infection (Nat Med) Letters read on TWiEVO 79 Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Nels – NASA scientists say images from the Webb telescope nearly brought them to tears Vincent – FDA: Don't rush a move to change the Covid-19 vaccine composition Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Nels and Vincent provide an update on cases of monkeypox, and summarize a biochemical view of three changes in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that may balance positive and negative selection. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode ECDC monkeypox risk assessment (pdf) Monkeypox virus genomes (Nextstrain) Discussion of monkeypox virus genome sequencing (virological.org) Balancing positive and negative selection in spike protein (Biochem) Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Nels – Science on the Side podcast by Morgan Nelson and Ty Chiaro Vincent – Richard Ernst Lecture 2022 Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Alex joins Nels and Vincent to discuss his work which demonstrates that somatic mutation rates scale with lifespan in mammals. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Guest: Alex Cagan Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Somatic mutation and age (Nature) Zombie gene in elephants (TWiEVO 26) Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Alex – Paper.app Nels – Fifty years since Lewontin's apportionment of human diversity Vincent – An Exceptional Village Listener Pick Martha – Plagues Upon the Earth by Kyle Harper Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Nels and Vincent describe how a single amino acid change can allow E. coli to replace the essential gut symbiont of the stinkbug Plautia stali. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Click arrow to play Download TWiEVO 75 (103 MB .mp3, 86 min) Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Making E. coli an insect mutualist (bioRxiv) Letters read on TWiEVo 76 Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Nels – Inequality in science and the case for a new agenda Vincent – Foundations of Virology by Fred Murphy Listener Pick Sam – Saturday Morning Breakfast – Evolutionist Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

Nels and Vincent review isolation of SARS-CoV-2-like viruses from bats in Laos that can replicate in human cells. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode SARS-CoV-2 like viruses in bats in Laos (Nature) Vampire vax (TWiV 809) Time stamps by Jolene. Thanks! Science Picks Nels – Erich Jarvis on scientists and public engagement Vincent – Polio type 1 in Africa Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv