GBE Virtual Collection on Conservation Genomics Photo credit: Chuya Shinzato
Genome Biology and Evolution launches a new virtual collection on "Conservation Genomics"
Read our accompanying Highlight: "Genome Science at the Forefront of Biodiversity's Greatest Challenges"
🔗 buff.ly/qBGcsG7
Access the new virtual collection
🔗 buff.ly/VxXZUKv
#genome #evolution #congen
On the cover of our current issue: the 'cool' snow fly❄️❄️❄️
whose genome reveals several fascinating cold adaptations.
www.cell.com/current-biol...
#ERGAReads | 🦋 Constraints on chromosome evolution revealed by the 229 chromosome pairs of the Atlas blue butterfly 🦋
www.cell.com/current-biol...
@charlottewright.bsky.social @projectpsyche.bsky.social
@currentbiology.bsky.social #evolution #chromosomes #butterfly #lepidoptera #Atlas
We are the European Reference Genome Atlas #ERGA community! 🌍🧬
🔹 An open community of 1000+ members and the European node of @ebpgenome.bsky.social
🔹 ERGA connects people and institutions to advance #biodiversity #genomics across Europe
🔗 Learn more & join us: www.erga-biodiversity.eu
A major milestone for biodiversity genomics: EBP-affiliated projects have now contributed over 6,000 genome assemblies toward the goal of sequencing all known eukaryotic life. 🧬
Thank you to all EBP-affiliated projects behind this work, from sampling and DNA extraction to sequencing and assembly.
Vote for Mollusc of the Year 2026. The winner will have its complete genome sequenced. There are some cool species in the running this year! www.unitasmalacologica.org/mollusc-of-t...
Our DNA library is made possible thanks to the support of our funding partners.
Learn more about our funding partner, the New Frontiers in Research Fund:
🔗https://bit.ly/4l3RTPY
Good timing! The feature on @biogeneurope.bsky.social that #CORDIS has just published is a great way to see where our 2nd act - Biodiversity Genomics Europe Plus (starting in May) comes from: cordis.europa.eu/article/id/4... @iboleurope.bsky.social @ergabiodiv.bsky.social @eurotaxonomy.cetaf.org
A koala perched in a tree, looking slightly downward, with a soft green blurred background. A black banner in the upper left reads, “What this enabled.” A larger black text box across the lower part of the image reads: “Using whole-genome data from 418 koalas across 27 populations, researchers showed that resilience cannot be judged by diversity alone. Bottlenecked Victorian populations showed signs of recovery, including rising effective population size, the reappearance of rare variants, and lower mutational load than northern populations.”
A koala clinging to a tree trunk and looking toward the camera, with a softly blurred forest background. A black text box across the lower part of the image reads: “This study shows why genome-scale data matter for conservation: demographic history, rare alleles, recombination, mutation, and population growth can all shape resilience in ways simple diversity measures may miss.” The words “genome-scale” are highlighted in yellow.
🐨🧬What makes a population resilient?
This koala study shows the answer is more complex than diversity alone. Genome-scale data can reveal recovery, rare variants, and demographic change that simpler measures may miss.🐨🧬
#biodiversity #genomes #populationlevel
Science magazine cover featuring a close-up of an adult koala and joey nuzzling, with cover text about bottleneck recovery in koalas and an overlaid caption reading “Reference genomes enable discovery.”
Koala clinging to a tree trunk in a forest setting, with overlaid text explaining that a reference genome is the foundation, not the finish line, and noting that the original koala reference genome was published in 2018 and later improved to support deeper population-level analysis.
🐨🧬First came the reference genome. Then came the deeper story. Biodiversity genomics is helping reveal resilience and recovery across wild koala populations. 🐨
This study is a reminder that reference genomes are not the finish line, but the foundation for discovery.
@bioplatformsaus.bsky.social
There are only 2 seats left for the #AI for #Genomics course with @oskolkov.bsky.social starting next week.
If interested, check it out: www.physalia-courses.org/courses-work...
#Bioinformatics #CNNs #LSTMs #Transformers
OGL Director @teredo.bsky.social was featured on Innovation Showcase!.
Here, Dan shares the story of OGL, how it has evolved, and why preserving marine genomes is important for the future of biodiversity research.
Watch here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVO6zIEBE5g
#COSconnects #NUexperience
Now out!
We show that TEs can be horizontally transferred between fungal species via Starships. Once transferred, these TEs can become active, changing the genome organization and affecting the lifestyle of the recipient fungus.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@oggenfussursula.bsky.social #TEsky
The group who originally generated the draft Gila monster genome is now working a complete genome sequence for this wonderful creature, sequencing every base from telomere to telomere. #2026MMM #RIP
We sequenced the genome of 'desert ginseng' (Cistanche deserticola) - a leafless parasitic plant that gave up photosynthesis - and found it lost huge chunks of its own genome…but started stealing genes from its host!
Thanks to my collaborators Prof Huang + her talented team👏🏻
lnkd.in/evF5iU9G
The BGE project aimed to understand, monitor and protect European biodiversity. But how did we get the data that will help do this? It starts with a sample! 🪱 🦠 🪲 🍄
Want to know more? 👉 biodiversitygenomics.eu/2026/03/25/f...
(4/5) Butterflies and moths are also key environmental indicators. Studying their DNA 🧬 helps detect biodiversity loss earlier and predict which species are most vulnerable to climate change 🌎.
More here⬇️
www.ecoticias.com/naturaleza/g...
💡 #KnowledgeHighlight | Tutorial: Reference-based RNA-Seq data analysis in @galaxyproject.bsky.social 💫
training.galaxyproject.org/training-mat...
Explore open-access training materials in the ERGA #KnowledgeHub ➡️ knowledge.erga-biodiversity.eu
#RNAseq #DataAnalysis #Galaxy #bioinformatics
Gilberto is a biologist who got his PhD at the California Botanic Garden in Claremont, California, and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. He joined the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico, in 2015.
Three people sit together at a meeting table, looking at a red laptop and discussing something on screen. All three are wearing headscarves and conference lanyards. One person points toward the laptop while the others watch closely. A dark text box overlays the lower part of the image. The text reads: “An Africa-led roadmap for action: The publication presents an AfricaBP theory of change focused on five key opportunity areas to help turn biodiversity genomics into measurable conservation outcomes across the continent.” The phrases “Africa-led roadmap,” “AfricaBP,” and “conservation outcomes” are highlighted in yellow.
A researcher wearing a lab coat, face mask, and blue gloves works inside a laboratory hood or enclosed workstation with racks of tubes. The image is partly viewed from behind, and another person is faintly visible in the background. Dark text boxes overlay the top and bottom of the image. The text reads: “Building an Africa-led genomics future. This is about more than data. It is about data sovereignty, scientific capacity, ethical governance, and ensuring benefits flow back fairly to African countries and communities.” A second text box reads: “AfricaBP is also calling on partners to help deliver this roadmap.” The phrases “Africa-led genomics,” “AfricaBP,” and “to help deliver this roadmap” are highlighted in yellow.
This is a roadmap for building scientific capacity, strengthening data sovereignty, and helping ensure the benefits of genomic research flow back fairly to African countries and communities.
Press Release 👉 lnkd.in/gNpWA536
2026 Publication 👉 doi.org/10.1038/s443...
#DataSovereignty #BenefitSharing
African savannah landscape with acacia trees, distant hills, and a cloudy sky. Text overlay reads: “Why this matters: Africa holds extraordinary biodiversity, but scaling genomics requires more than sequencing alone,” with “requires more” highlighted in yellow.
View of Earth centered on Africa from space. Text overlay lists key needs identified in the paper: stronger legal and ethical frameworks, Digital Sequence Information infrastructure, inclusion and gender equity, and fair and equitable benefit-sharing. “Highlights” is highlighted in yellow.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this publication, and to all supporting the Africa BioGenome Project 👏🌍🧬 From all those attending hands-on workshops across Africa to African experts delivering lectures, the momentum behind this effort is truly inspiring.
#AfricaBP #CapacityBuilding #genomes
Two people in white lab coats and blue gloves work together at a laboratory bench, operating a small benchtop centrifuge and reviewing notes. One person wears a patterned headscarf. Pipettes, tubes, and lab supplies are visible in the background. In the lower left corner is a colorful Africa-shaped graphic filled with animal silhouettes. A dark text box overlays the lower right portion of the image with the words: “SCALING AFRICAN BIODIVERSITY GENOMICS,” with “AFRICAN” highlighted in yellow, and a white arrow points to the right.
Four antelope stand in a green grassy landscape beside a large red termite mound, with rolling hills and open dry grassland in the background. A dark text box overlays the lower portion of the image. The text reads: “A new AfricaBP publication outlines how Africa can advance biodiversity genomics and bioinformatics to help achieve the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.” The words “AfricaBP” and “Global Biodiversity Framework” are highlighted in yellow.
What does it take to scale African biodiversity genomics in an African-led, Africa-based way? 🌍🧬
The Africa BioGenome Project releases a roadmap for building capacity, strengthening data sovereignty, and supporting fair benefit sharing 🤝📚🌱
Press release 👉 lnkd.in/gNpWA536
#DataSovereignty #Capacity
The Centre for Biodiversity Genomics @uofguelph.bsky.social added its 15 millionth specimen to its archive, moving closer to its goal of sequencing 25 million specimens by 2029 — and then all life on Earth by 2045.
news.uoguelph.ca/2025/04/worl...
#DNAbarcoding #Milestone
Be part of the global biodiversity genomics community 🌍🧬🚀
Join the conversation by referencing biodiversity genomics or 🌍🧬
Close-up photo of a fuzzy bee resting on vivid blue flowers, with pollen dusting its body and wings. A dark translucent text box overlays the lower half of the image, and a white hand-drawn arrow points to the right. The overlaid text reads: “Bees thrive in diverse environments. Bee species inhabit ecosystems ranging from tropical forests to Arctic regions. Genomes reveal how pollinators adapt to different climates and ecological pressures.”
Extreme close-up of a bee facing the camera, showing large dark eyes and fine facial hairs against a softly blurred background. A dark translucent text box overlays the lower portion of the image. The overlaid text reads: “Bee biology contains unique chemistry. Bee venoms and secretions contain complex molecules with potential applications in medicine, biotechnology, and antimicrobial research.”
Protecting intact habitats is fundamental for resilient bee populations.🐝Genomic tools are not a substitute for ecological protection, but they can reveal genetic diversity, adaptation, and disease risk to inform conservation. Ideally, habitat protection and genomic research move forward together🧬🌿
Close-up photo of a native bee with a black body and orange-banded abdomen perched on a bright yellow flower against a soft green background. A dark translucent text box overlays the lower half of the image, with a white hand-drawn arrow pointing right. The overlaid text reads: “Native bee diversity underpins ecosystems. Most pollination in natural ecosystems is carried out by native bees rather than managed honey bees. Sequencing native bee genomes helps reveal the diversity and traits that sustain resilient pollination networks.” Pictured: The leafcutter bee Megachile bee 🍃 pictured there are 1,500 species of Megachile bees globally. Eastern carpenter bee 🐝 native to North America.
Close-up photo of a large black bee with iridescent blue wings clinging to vivid purple flowers against a pale green background. A dark translucent text box overlays the lower center of the image, with a white hand-drawn arrow pointing right. The overlaid text reads: “Pollinators are declining. Habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and disease are putting many bee species at risk. Genome data can reveal the genetic basis of resilience and vulnerability.” Pictured: Eastern carpenter bee 🐝 native to North America.
Extreme close-up of a bee’s face and antennae against a dark background, showing large black eyes and fine hairs in sharp detail. A dark translucent text box overlays the lower half of the image, with a white hand-drawn arrow pointing right. The overlaid text reads: “Bees evolved remarkable social systems. From solitary bees to complex eusocial colonies, genomes help scientists study the evolution of cooperation, communication, and caste systems.” Pictured: Sweat bee (Halictus spp.) can be solitary or social depending on climate.
🧬🐝 Most bee genomics research has focused on a small number of species, especially honey bees and bumblebees. But there are 20,000+ bee species worldwide, most of them native. Expanding bee genomics can strengthen conservation and deepen our understanding of pollination 🌍
#BeeGenomes #biodiversity
#ERGAReads | FANTASIA leverages language models to decode the functional dark proteome across the animal tree of life
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
@rosafernandez.bsky.social @commsbio.nature.com @csic.es @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social
#LLM #proteome #functional #annotation #genomes
A bright collage of many different bee species arranged around colorful flowers against a black background. White daisies, pink blossoms, yellow flowers, and purple blooms frame bees of many shapes, sizes, and colors, including metallic blue-green, striped, fuzzy, and long-bodied species. In the center, large overlaid text reads: “WHY Sequence ALL Bee Genomes?” Pictured: Various native bee species some on flowers some hovering around the background.
Two striped bees hover beside a pink flower against a soft green blurred background. A dark translucent text box overlays the lower right portion of the image. The overlaid text reads: “Bees power pollination. Bees pollinate more than 75% of flowering plants and many crops humans rely on. Genomes help scientists understand the biology behind this essential ecosystem service.” Pictured: Blue-banded Bees 🍯🐝 a native bee in Australia capable of buzz pollination, a technique used to release pollen from flowers like tomatoes and eggplants 🐝🍅.
Close-up macro image of a metallic green bee perched on a small blue-purple flower against a softly blurred purple background. A dark translucent text box overlays the lower left portion of the image, and a white hand-drawn arrow points to the right. The overlaid text reads: “Most bee genomes remain unknown. There are over 20,000 bee species worldwide, yet only a small fraction have reference genomes. Sequencing bees helps fill major gaps in our understanding of insect evolution and biodiversity.” Pictured: The metallic green sweat bee in the genus Agapostemon 🐝⚡.
Bees pollinate more than 75% of flowering plants and many of the crops people rely on every day 🍎🥑🌻 By studying genomes, scientists can better understand the biology behind this essential ecosystem service.
Biodiversity genomes power science 🧬
🐝🧬 #BiodiversityGenomics #Bees #Pollinators #Genomics
Last chance for early bird registration.
Join @invertebrates.bsky.social at the Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance VI in Boracay July 6–10, 2026.
A global gathering for the invertebrate genomics community.
Register now and don’t miss it. 🧬🐜🐙🌍
🧬🐚🐛🌊Register here 👇
gigavi.org/product/giga...
