Kelsie E. Hunnicutt

Reduced baseline male fertility and increased sensitivity to hypoxic stress in high-elevation deer mice

This study finds that high-elevation deer mice have reduced baseline fertility and greater sensitivity to hypoxia compared to low-elevation mice, with gene expression changes suggesting adaptive testicular regression.

Two melanic pigment patterns are associated with a sex chromosome-linked oncogene in the mountain swordtail Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl

This study identifies two melanic pigmentation patterns in Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl linked to the sex chromosome-linked oncogene xmrk through long-read sequencing and GWAS.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Black-Footed Cat: Insights into Felis's Deadliest Predator

This study sequenced whole genomes of black-footed cats to analyze their population structure and genetic diversity, finding low diversity but no long runs of homozygosity and evidence of recent population contraction.

Insertion of an invading retrovirus regulates a novel color trait in swordtail fish

This study identifies a retrovirus insertion near the alkal2a gene as the genetic basis for a novel iridescent color trait in swordtail fish, showing its role in chromatin changes and predator interaction signals.

The evolution of widespread recombination suppression on the Dwarf Hamster (Phodopus) X chromosome

This study identifies widespread recombination suppression on the X chromosome of the dwarf hamster, showing it is independent of structural changes and associated with heterochromatin formation.

Elaborate expansion of syntenic V1R hotspots correlates with high species diversity in nocturnal mouse and dwarf lemurs

The paper compares V1R gene diversity in nocturnal and diurnal lemurs, finding a correlation between nocturnality and expanded V1R repertoires.

Conservation genomic analysis reveals ancient introgression and declining levels of genetic diversity in Madagascar’s hibernating dwarf lemurs

This study uses comparative genomics to analyze genetic diversity and introgression in dwarf lemurs, finding low diversity and signs of ancient admixture linked to hibernation-related genes.

Warning SINEs: Alu elements, evolution of the human brain, and the spectrum of neurological disease

The paper discusses the dual role of Alu elements in shaping human brain evolution and contributing to neurological diseases through epigenetic dysregulation of mitochondrial genes.