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© Copyright 2022 Vincent Racaniello
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This Week in Evolution is a podcast on the biology of what makes us tick. Hosts Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello take you through the new evolution that has been revolutionized by the field of genomics and molecular biology.
117 Episodes
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Nels and Vincent discuss research on hidden evolutionary constraints that dictate the retention of coronavirus accessory gene, which was flagged by NIH as potentially dangerous gain-of-function research. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Hidden evolutionary constraints and retention of coronavirus accessory genes (Curr Biol) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – NIH suspends dozens of pathogen studies over ‘gain-of-function’ concerns and Mentorship and acts of kindness Vincent – Kennedy’s case against mRNA vaccines collapses under his own evidence Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent review research on how neuropeptides influence the behavior of leafcutter ants, and regulate the different caste behaviors such as defenders, leaf foragers, brood care, and fungus farming. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Neuropeptides and behavior of leaf cutter ants (Cell) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – My academic job offer was rescinded. I’ll keep going—but U.S. researchers are running out of road Vincent – There’s a new acid in our rain — should we be worried? Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent discuss an ultra reduced archaeal genome, the closest cellular entity to date that approaches a viral strategy of existence. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Ultra-reduced archaeal genome (bioRxiv) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – The Bethesda Declaration Vincent – US to Drop Guidance to Limit Alcohol to One or Two Drinks Per Day, Sources Say Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent review the properties of Mendel’s pea genes through the lens of modern genetic analysis. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Insights into Mendel’s pea genes (Nature) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Evolution related game Vincent – Should Unvaccinated Patients Get Organ Transplants? Ethicist Weighs In Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent explain the ancestry and evolution of the extinct dire wolf. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Evolution and ancestry of dire wolf (bioRxiv) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Navigating to the forefront of innovation: A celebration of immigrant scientists Vincent – Exclusive: a Nature analysis signals the beginnings of a US science brain drain Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
1Nels and Vincent explain the ancient evolutionary origin of sex in cephalopods. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Evolution of sex in cephalopods (Current Biol) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Speaking into a microphone? Your audio quality can impact the way people view you Vincent – Remedy Supported by Kennedy Leaves Some Measles Patients More Ill Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent explain how template switching during DNA replication is a widespread source of adaptive gene amplification. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Template switching and gene amplification (eLife) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Jeremy Berg on Bluesky – jeremymberg.bsky.social Vincent – Dickson Despommier, 84 Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent reveal that worker ants amputate their colleagues injured leg to prevent infections. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Wound-dependent leg amputation in ants (Curr Biol) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – The Science Bridge Vincent – US withdraws from WHO Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent discuss the molecular and genetic origins of sex-linked orange coat color in cats. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Orange coat color in cats (bioRxiv) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – AI takes up science podcasting Vincent – Humans evolved for distance running – but ancestor ‘Lucy’ didn’t go far or fast Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent review the identification of a novel virus associated with the pathogen Plasmodium knowlsei and which is part part of a diverse and unclassified viral taxon. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Virus associated with P. knowlsei (bioRxiv) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – The peace of wild things, poem by Wendell Berry Vincent – All Life on Earth Today Descended From a Single Cell. Meet LUCA Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent discuss the origins of eukaryotes, with contributions from at least 3 bacteria (alphaproteobacteria) and a large contribution from DNA viruses with large genomes. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Complex symbiotic interactions during eukaryogenesis (bioRxiv) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Pathoplexus.org Vincent – Can science cure its addiction to plastic? Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent explain how homology searches of anti-phage systems in eukaryotic genomes can be used to discover proteins of the human immune system. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Human antiviral effectors from antiphage systems (Cell Host Micro) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Pathoplexus.org Vincent – Can science cure its addiction to plastic? Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent look at how plant prickles, sharp epidermal projections that provide defense from predators and other advantages, arose by convergent evolution, the emergence of analogous traits in distantly related species. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Convergent evolution of plant prickles (Science) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Trees as a metaphor to understand relationships in biology Vincent – Project 2025 vs. The Public’s Health Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent discuss the genome sequence of an ancient wooly mammoth, which shows that the three-dimensional architecture of the DNA can persist after 50,000 years. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Three dimensional architecture of 50,000 year old wooly mammoth genome (Cell) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Mysterious SARS-CoV-2 variants showing up in sewer samples Vincent – ‘Cocaine sharks’ found in waters off Brazil Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent explore a direct experimental test of Ohno’s Hypothesis, which states that gene duplication can help genes tolerate new mutations and thus facilitates the evolution of new phenotypes. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Direct test of Ohno’s Hypothesis (eLive) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Experimental Evolution and the Nature of Biodiversity Vincent – Is science’s dominant funding model broken? Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent explain how deep genomics of macroalgae illuminate multiple paths to aquatic, photosynthetic multicellularity. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Paths to aquatic, photosynthetic multicellularity (Mol Plant) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – 12-sided Roman relic baffles archaeologists, spawns countless theories Vincent – TWiEVO 11: Microbial accomplices in multicellularity and the follow up Synergistic Cues from Diverse Bacteria Enhance Multicellular Development in a Choanoflagellate Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent review the genetic basis for tail-loss evolution in humans and apes. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Genetic basis of tail loss evolution in apes (Nature) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Will Brie and Camembert Cheeses Go Extinct? Vincent – A True Human Tail in a Neonate: Case report and literature review Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent reveal how electric organ discharge from the electric eel facilitates the introduction of DNA into teleost larvae. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Electric eel discharge moves DNA into cells (Peer J) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – “The Jump” quilt by Cristina Arcenegui Bono Vincent – T4 bacteriophage art object and Gwenbeads Etsy shop Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Rich Condit joins Nels and Vincent at the Science Mill in Johnson City, Texas, where Director of STEM Education Jeehyun Park talks about the goals of the childrens’ museum. Hosts: Nels Elde, Vincent Racaniello, and Rich Condit Guest: Jeehyun Park Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server The Science Mill Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Science Mill: More Than a Museum and Elde Lab Video Rich – The Moon May Get Its Own Time Zone (Claire Fahy, NYT 3/7/2023) Vincent – SXSW Session “From Adversary to Ally: Reimagining Viruses as Medicines“ Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
Nels and Vincent discuss how behavioural individuality determines infection risk in clonal ant colonies. Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the MicrobeTV Discord server Infection risk in clonal ant colonies (Nat Comm) Timestamps by Jolene Science Picks Nels – Fungi (lichens) in Space Vincent – Polar bear energetic and behavioral strategies on land with implications for surviving the ice-free period Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv
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Superior podcast! Thank you for your time & dedication producing this show!