D. J. Parker

Behavioural individuality determines infection risk in clonal ant colonies

The paper shows that individual behavioral differences in clonal ant colonies influence infection risk by altering division of labour and spatial distribution, leading to increased parasite transmission.

Evidence for cryptic gene flow in parthenogenetic stick insects of the genus Timema

The paper investigates cryptic sex in parthenogenetic Timema stick insects, finding evidence of rare male-mediated sex in two species despite their otherwise asexual reproduction.

Facultative parthenogenesis: a transient state in transitions between sex and obligate asexuality in stick insects?

The paper identifies and characterizes facultative parthenogenetic populations in stick insects, showing they lose heterozygosity and may transition to obligate parthenogenesis through increased frequency.

X chromosomes show relaxed selection and complete somatic dosage compensation across Timema stick insect species

The paper analyzes X chromosome evolution in five Timema stick insect species, finding relaxed selection, slower evolution, and partial dosage compensation across species.

Dynamics of sex-biased gene expression over development in the stick insect Timema californicum

This study examines sex-biased gene expression dynamics during development in the hemimetabolous stick insect Timema californicum and compares it to the holometabolous fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Haplotype divergence supports ancient asexuality in the oribatid mite Oppiella nova

The paper uses genomic and transcriptomic data to show haplotype divergence patterns in asexual and sexual mite species, supporting ancient asexuality in Oppiella nova.

First annotated draft genomes of non-marine ostracods (Ostracoda, Crustacea) with different reproductive modes

The paper presents the first annotated draft genomes of three non-marine ostracod species, providing genomic resources for evolutionary and ecological studies.

Spurious regulatory connections dictate the expression-fitness landscape of translation termination factors

The paper quantifies how varying expression of translation termination factors in Bacillus subtilis affects fitness, revealing spurious regulatory connections that reduce fitness when expression deviates from endogenous levels.

Convergent consequences of parthenogenesis on stick insect genomes

This study compares parthenogenetic and sexual stick insect species to show reduced heterozygosity, less effective selection, and no TE accumulation in parthenogens.

Sex-specific responses to cold in a very cold-tolerant, northern Drosophila species

The paper examines sex-specific responses to cold in Drosophila montana, finding reduced sexually dimorphic gene expression and metabolic shifts in males and females.

Sex-biased gene expression is repeatedly masculinized in asexual females

The paper examines gene expression in asexual stick insect females and finds masculinized expression patterns, suggesting shifts in optimal gene expression after the suppression of sex.

Genome-wide disruption of DNA methylation by 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine in a parasitoid wasp

This paper demonstrates that 5-aza-dC disrupts DNA methylation genome-wide in Nasonia vitripennis, leading to both hypo- and hyper-methylation with context- and sequence-specific effects.

Repeated evolution of asexuality involves convergent gene expression changes

The paper identifies convergent gene expression changes across multiple independent transitions to asexuality in stick insects, suggesting constrained molecular pathways for asexual reproduction.

Fundamental and realized feeding niche breadths of sexual and asexual stick-insects

This study compares the realized and fundamental niche breadths of asexual and sexual stick insects, finding asexuals have narrower realized niches due to stronger biotic constraints.