M.-K. Tilak

Metagenomics uncovers dietary adaptations for chitin digestion in the gut microbiota of convergent myrmecophagous mammals

The paper uses metagenomics to identify chitinolytic bacteria in the gut microbiota of myrmecophagous mammals, revealing convergent adaptations for chitin digestion across species.

Genomic data suggest parallel dental vestigialization within the xenarthran radiation

The paper uses genomic data to show that dental vestigialization in xenarthrans occurred through independent events rather than a single ancestral decay.

Transcriptomic data reveal divergent paths of chitinase evolution underlying dietary convergence in anteaters and pangolins

This study compares transcriptomic data from ant-eating mammals to show divergent chitinase evolution in pangolins and anteaters despite convergent diets.

Evolution of immune genes in island birds: reduction in population sizes can explain island syndrome

This study investigates immune gene evolution in island birds, finding demographic effects reduce genetic diversity and selection efficacy, but relaxed selection due to reduced parasite pressure is only evident in some immune gene categories.

High-quality carnivore genomes from roadkill samples enable species delimitation in aardwolf and bat-eared fox

This study uses roadkill samples to generate high-quality genomes for aardwolf and bat-eared fox, revealing potential species status for aardwolf subspecies and similar population histories between species.

Island songbirds as windows into evolution in small populations

This study examines island songbird genomes to test predictions about evolutionary forces in small populations, finding lower genetic diversity and reduced adaptive potential.

Is adaptation limited by mutation? A timescale dependent effect of genetic diversity on the adaptive substitution rate in animals.

The paper examines how genetic diversity affects adaptive substitution rates across species, finding a timescale-dependent relationship between mutation supply and adaptation.

A bird’s white-eye view on neosex chromosome evolution

The paper studies neo-sex chromosome evolution in Sylvioidea birds by analyzing genomic data from two species, finding reduced diversity and molecular evolution changes in translocated regions.

A phylogenomic framework and timescale for comparative studies of tunicates

The paper constructs a phylogenomic dataset for tunicates using transcriptomic data, revealing evolutionary relationships and divergence times among major tunicate clades.