Predicting phenotype from genotype in extant organisms is increasingly tractable through the accumulation of genome sequences and the development of machine-learning algorithms. Here we show that mach...

A new study reveals that horizontal gene transfer contributed to the repeated evolution of fungi-like, absorption-feeding life across eukaryotes.

Abstract. Significant advances have been made in resolving the tree of life, but many nodes remain debated. The last two decades saw the emergence of mixtu

Abstract. Ants, Formicidae, are a group of small social insects that inhabit nearly all terrestrial environments. Three competing hypotheses of ant relatio

New evolutionary mapping suggests deep sea origins and mass extinction triggered diversification of modern squid and cuttlefish.

Sequencing of marine sediments finds 136 newly identified Heimdallarchaeia and several novel lineages, and indicates that Heimdallarchaeia evolved distinct metabolic capabilities from other Asgardarchaeota, in conditions that may have given rise to early eukaryotes.

ALT: a man walking in a field with an umbrella

Termite study provides researchers with template to solve ancient evolutionary mysteries.

New study maps the strange genomes of Asia-Pacific Balanophora species, giving new insights into the evolution of parasitic plants and an unconventional role of plastids.

Abstract. Profile mixture models capture distinct biochemical constraints on the amino acid substitution process at different sites in proteins. These mode

Analysis of eukaryotic gene sequences using a relaxed molecular clock methodology indicate that eukaryotes emerged 3.0–2.25 billion years ago as a result of mitochondrial endosymbiosis with complex archaea that already possessed an elaborated cytoskeleton, membrane trafficking, endomembrane, phagocytotic machinery and a nucleus.

New evidence-based evolutionary model provides access to the beginning of complex life with unprecedented accuracy.

Analysis of eukaryotic gene sequences using a relaxed molecular clock methodology indicate that eukaryotes emerged 3.0–2.25 billion years ago as a result of mitochondrial endosymbiosis with complex ar...

Analysis of eukaryotic gene sequences using a relaxed molecular clock methodology indicate that eukaryotes emerged 3.0–2.25 billion years ago as a result of mitochondrial endosymbiosis with complex ar...

The phylogeny of the Archaea continues to be revisited and revised as new groups are discovered and phylogenetic methods improve, but key questions about their early evolution remain. It has been sugg...

Combining fossil-based and molecular calibrations with data on horizontal gene transfer events, the authors develop a time-calibrated phylogeny of Fungi. This timescale, which integrates analytic uncertainties, suggests an older age of crown Fungi (1,401–896 million years ago), as well as a minimum age for ancient interactions involving fungi and the algal ancestors of embryophytes in terrestrial ecosystems (1,253–797 Ma).