Andrew Roger

Asgard archaea - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asgard_...

#phylo #phylogenetics

Test it yourself by looking at AIC or BIC! The same goes for Archaeal/Eukaryote datasets -- use the EAL model published in that paper. IQ-TREE has both: iqtree.github.io/doc/Substitu...

GTRpmix: A Linked General Time-Reversible Model for Profile Mixture Models Abstract. Profile mixture models capture distinct biochemical constraints on the amino acid substitution process at different sites in proteins. These mode

Why? Because ELM was optimized by ML for use with C60 on a large pan-eukaryotic data set and fits much better than LG. See this paper: academic.oup.com/mbe/article/... /2

Those interested in performing maximum likelihood phylogenomic analysis on data sets made up of eukaryotic nuclear genes using site heterogeneous mixture models like C60, I suggest you use the ELM model in IQ-TREE instead of the LG model /1

Silhouettes of people at a long table, with windows behind them.

Report: How to Prevent University Trustee Overreach https://bit.ly/4pc1mqF

#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd

That's been my hunch all along too.

Integrative phylogenomics positions sponges at the root of the animal tree Determining whether sponges or ctenophores root the animal tree has important implications for understanding early animal evolution. Here, we examined support for these competing hypotheses by constru...

Here we go! Another new paper on the sponges vs. ctenophores dispute!!!! Buy your storm chips or popcorn now! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

which one?

Reposting the finding of a Heimdallarchaeon with internal membrane vesicles. Those of us who thought this was a likely possibility -- and there were many of us -- can now safely ignore the dogmatic claims that "Asgards don't have endomembrane systems" that were made based on very limited data.

Whaaatttt?

Disclaimer: I'm someone who avoids taxonomic arguments...and I'm not that well versed in the rules partly because I don't think, in the grand scheme of things, it matters that much when compared with phylogenetic relationships, reconstructions of characters over the tree, and biological features

Is it a flagellate? A tiny ball with tentacles? Contamination in my ciliate culture? NEW SUPERGROUP OF EUKARYOTES? Yes to all 4! Meet Solarion - just out in #Nature doi.org/10.1038/s415... Huge congrats to Marek Valt, Cepicka Lab & the star team! Very happy to be part of this project. #ProtistsOnSky

In the case of the Asgards, Asgardarchaeota is a SeqCode name and Promethearchaeati is under the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes.

I think the Valt et al. paper was already submitted and under review prior to the publication of the Zlatogursky et al. paper which would explain the naming conflict. There is something similar happening with the Asgard archaea having two published names: Asgardarchaeota and Promethearchaeati

Such beautiful and exciting work!

Apply: Workshop on Phylogenomics 2026 - Evolution and Genomics Application for the 2026 Workshop on Phylogenomics Use this form to apply for the 2026 Workshop on Phylogenomics being held in Cesky Krumlov, Czechia from 25th January through 7th February, ...

Come join the Workshop on Phylogenomics in Cesky Krumlov, Czechia, from January 25 through February 7, 2026!

Applications close November 15!

#phylogenetics #evolution #genomics #ai

evomics.org/apply-worksh...

Interested in the @evojlinnsoc.bsky.social
special issue on phylogenomic discordance? tinyurl.com/v2eces3s 🧪

Three more summaries added below!

We'll return when more articles come live.

Again, all and any oversimplications are entirely my fault!

We have wondered what a complex archaeal cell might look like ever since 2014. It’s been a long road (and the journey is far from over), but it’s a good time to pause for breath and look. These Asgard archaeal cells are a surprise! And that is the joy of being a cell biologist.

An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments

Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Yes, I just saw the presentation by Buzz Baum on this two days ago!!! It's really incredible/impressive! Now everyone has to accept that they do have some kind of endomembrane system!

#APSPM2026 is open to anyone curious about combining protein structure and evolution. Learn where to start in our workshops and discover how structure meets phylogenetics.

Feb 15 - 18, 2026
Brisbane, Australia
Register here: biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/reg...
(in-person only)

We just received an email from the Provost about a potential CUPE strike that mentioned: "our academic community is still navigating the impacts of the recent DFA labour disruption." I'm confused, wasn't it the Dalhousie Board that locked us out?
@dalfaculty.bsky.social @dalhousieu.bsky.social

Protein Domain Designer tool for the generation of publication-ready protein domain diagrams

New week, new tool: Find our Protein Domain Designer tool to generate publication-ready protein domain diagrams here: domaindesigner.farnunglab.com

I am extremely happy to see that our review on fossil tip-dating is out in early view in Systematic Biology! A huge thanks to all the authors of this massive project (@heckeberg.bsky.social, @basantakhakurel.bsky.social, Gustavo Darlim, and @hoehna.bsky.social)! academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...

Maybe we need to write a letter to the Globe & Mail signed by academics and researchers Canada-wide pointing out that long-term investment in Canada's future depends on investing in research and intellectual infrastructure....the alternative is further slide into Trumpland

Massive investment in science in the upcoming Canadian budget would send a strong message that rationality and reason should lead the world, not charlatanism. People will return to science-based policies and health measures, and countries that have not given up will have a strong economic lead!

This is really interesting work!!

Sounds familiar. Is this the same playbook used by the Dal BoG in the current labour dispute with @dalfaculty.bsky.social Dalhousie faculty members? What's the role of the NS govt? @keepdalstrong.bsky.social

I've written a short follow up to this post, addressing the possibility that Dalhousie is, in fact, hiding money from operations in the capital budget. I hope someone shows me I'm wrong.