Mateusz Konczal

Sex-specific recombination landscape in a species with holocentric chromosomes Abstract. The rate and chromosomal positioning of meiotic recombination significantly affects the distribution of the genetic diversity in eukaryotic genom

Our latest paper with @evobiolab.bsky.social shows
sex-specific recombination landscape in a species with holocentric chromosomes. Genetic map of the bulb mite, results consistent with meiotic drive hypothesis and much more. Congrats to Sebastian for tremendous work academic.oup.com/genetics/art...

Including a position in my group to work on Evolutionary Genomics of Fungal pathogens

Distinct haplotypes and reversed dominance at a single-gene balanced polymorphism controlling heterodichogamy in two genera of wingnuts In the angiosperm mating system of heterodichogamy, two hermaphroditic morphs temporally alternate between male and female flowering phases, promoting…

Congratulations to @jeffgroh.bsky.social on the publication of his paper on an ancient balanced polymorphisms controlling heterodichogamy in two genera of wingnuts. The paper shows the putative turnover & reversal of dominance of a mating type polymorphism
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

A mosaic of modular variation at a single gene underpins convergent plumage coloration The reshuffling of genomic variation from multiple origins is an important contributor to phenotypic diversification, yet insights into the evolutionary trajectories of this combinatorial process and ...

1/9 New in @science.org www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado8005
How does genetic architecture constrain evolutionary trajectories? To address this question, we inferred the genetic architecture of convergent plumage coloration and its evolutionary history in wheatears.

Anthropocene Canceled? 🚯 @ecosocialism1.bsky.social
monthlyreview.org/articles/has...
>>> Of course NOT <<<
The evidence speaks for itself.
No geologists, epochs or hype required.
theconversation.com/the-anthropo... 🌍⚒️🌐🧪

Sperm sequencing reveals extensive positive selection in the male germline - Nature A combination of whole-genome NanoSeq with deep whole-exome and targeted NanoSeq is used to accurately characterize mutation rates and genes under positive selection in sperm cells.

Now published! Our paper on:
(1) Accurate sequencing of sperm at scale
(2) Positive selection of spermatogenesis driver mutations across the exome
(3) Offspring disease risks from male reproductive aging
[1/n]
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The potato evolved from the tomato 9 million years ago Recent Cell research covered by The Guardian, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and more.

"Potato, potato; tomato, tomahto" but the potato evolved from the tomato 9 millions years ago 🤓
www.cell.com/news-do/pr-p...

🚀 We’re hiring a Postdoc!

Join our group in Poznan, Poland to study meiotic crossover recombination in plants 🌱 Highly motivated & enthusiastic candidates are welcome!
📅 Deadline: Nov 1, 2025

🔗 ibmib.web.amu.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Postdoc_position-2025-Ziolkowskis-Lab.pdf

One of my favourite examples for #conservation #genetics classes. It reminds me that with October #TeachingIsComming

Experimental evolution of a mammalian holobiont: bank voles selected for herbivorous capability evolved distinct and robust gut bacterial communities Abstract. According to the “hologenome” theory of evolution natural selection and evolution can act through a conglomerate biological unit, the “holobiont”

Pleased to share new work tinkering with and testing the concept of the holobiont
@isme-microbes.bsky.social

"Experimental evolution of a mammalian holobiont: bank voles selected for herbivorous capability evolved distinct and robust gut bacterial communities"
🌾🐭🦠

academic.oup.com/ismecommun/a...

Interplay between purging and admixture shapes genetic load in an invasive guppy population https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.12.675788v1

Interplay between purging and admixture shapes genetic load in an invasive guppy population Demographic history can shape the genetic load of populations by influencing the efficacy of selection, levels of heterozygosity, and by incorporation of new variants via gene flow. Understanding thes...

Our latest preprint shows that in translocated invasive guppy population, genetic load is reshaped by purging and admixture. A bottleneck purged strongly deleterious mutations, but admixture reversed this effect while reducing the load of weakly deleterious mutations. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Beneficial reversal of dominance maintains a large-effect resistance polymorphism under fluctuating insecticide selection - Nature Ecology & Evolution Measuring selection and dominance in fitness of the insecticide-resistant Ace alleles in Drosophila melanogaster, the authors show evidence for beneficial reversal of dominance, a mechanism that can s...

How do populations maintain an evolutionary memory? I am happy to share that our work with Dmitri Petrov @petrovadmitri.bsky.social, Paul Schmidt, and colleagues on dominance reversal and stabilization of insecticide resistance in changing environments over time is now published at Nature EE.

Fighting to persist: Genetic rescue increases long-term fitness despite elevated genetic load https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.06.673525v1

Check out our latest work! We experimentally showed that #genetic #rescue works: in the bulb mites, boosting genome-wide variation improved survival for 20 generations in high temp. Elevated genetic load or sexually selected traits? Barely mattered. #Conservation

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

@neelamporwal.bsky.social ‘s talk about estimating extinction risks under sexual selection using simulations, at PEC2025 won the first prize for the best student talk. So, should animals swipe right for survival?🐧

Enhancing local meiotic crossovers in Arabidopsis and maize through juxtaposition of heterozygous and homozygous regions - Nature Plants This study discovered that locally confined DNA differences boost crossover rates in both Arabidopsis and maize, revealing a conserved mechanism that can accelerate plant breeding and trait introgress...

Enhancing local meiotic crossovers in Arabidopsis and maize through juxtaposition of heterozygous and homozygous regions | Nature Plants share.google/ZsqLLUu9l2Zv...

🌎👩‍🔬 For 15+ years biology has accumulated petabytes (million gigabytes) of🧬DNA sequencing data🧬 from the far reaches of our planet.🦠🍄🌵

Logan now democratizes efficient access to the world’s most comprehensive genetics dataset. Free and open.

doi.org/10.1101/2024...

This is now published at #MolecularEcology onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Check it out!

Examples of dental calculus in different mammalian species ranked by amount from 0 (no calculus) to 3 (full incrustation)

Fantastic dental calculus and where to find it

Johnny Richards and team (@markella-morait.bsky.social + curators from 5 museums) survey >140 mammalian species with >1,600 specimens to understand what factors determine dental calculus formation. #aDNA #museomics
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

If you are frustrated with the quality of reviews and excessive article processing charges, take a minute read:
trulyopenscience.blogspot.com/2025/07/a-si...
We researchers really have a power to change this!
#ScientificPublishing

With #eseb2025 coming to a close, it is time to start making plans for 2026. Interested in the interface of evolution 🧬 and ecology 🌳? Come to our #ExE conference hosted by @uniexecec.bsky.social in beautiful #Cornwall. Leave your email address at tinyurl.com/EvolxEcol to join our mailing list!

Small update:
Plenaries and Nosil talks: "Nature/Science" in the bottom right of a slide #eseb2025

We are having fantastic time presenting and discussing our work at #ESEB2025

- Neelam Porwal answered a question "How sexual selection shapes small populations demography under recurrent heatwaves"

#eseb2025 talks were great so far. Subjective ranking of the most common quotes:
- theory and modeling: "with this very simple approach"
- genomics: "using methodology you all know"
- plenaries: "Nature/Science" in the bottom right of a slide
- posters: "una cerveza por favor"

Purging of Highly Deleterious Mutations Through an Extreme Bottleneck Abstract. Transitions to captivity often produce population bottlenecks. On the one hand, bottlenecks increase inbreeding and decrease effective population

Stuart et al. show footprints of selection after near-extinction: genetics of wild and captive Lord Howe stick insect show that after a severe bottleneck, inbreeding appears to remove harmful mutations via increased homozygosity.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molb...

#selection #evobio #molbio

"Dissertationibus conscriptis et publice defensis." What a day it was! Congratulations @k-burda.bsky.social So proud of you

Here we come! A shiny profile of our group is on. Exciting news are coming soon

Excited about these new results on a butterfly-plant arms race where one butterfly has overcome a physical plant defence - hooked trichomes- with a combination of external and internal adaptations. Well done @ritabrata1907.bsky.social

ringed seal photo 1

ringed seal photo 2

I am looking for a Postdoc (3 years, start Mid-2025) to work on conservation genomics of ringed seal in the Baltic.
The project will use genomic data for 100s of individuals, SDM and genomic simulations.
#conservationgenetics
#consgen

Apply here:
recruit.visma.com/spa/public/a...