Lukas Schrader
@shaggyschrader.bsky.social
I like ants. I like TEs. Evolutionary Biologist at the Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity (University of Münster) schraderl.github.io
Big day for transposon biology! (two paper thread) #mustread www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Transposable elements as evolutionary catalysts of ant macrodiversity
Transposable elements (TEs) are key contributors to genome evolution, yet their macroevolutionary roles in adaptive radiations remain poorly understood, as high-quality genomic resources at sufficient...
science.org
1/ New paper: doi.org/10.1126/scia... 🐜🧬 Ants exploded into >15,000 species just after the dinosaur-killing asteroid hit Earth. We think we've found one catalyst behind that radiation: transposable elements. With @jannelrinke.bsky.social, @esthervandenbos.bsky.social & others not on here. 🧵1/11
Jumping genes surged in ant ancestors about 66 million years ago, shortly before major groups diversified into thousands of species. doi.org/hckktk
'Jumping genes' helped ants in their evolutionary triumph after the extinction of the dinosaurs
About 66 million years ago, the asteroid that ended the age of the dinosaurs paved the way for a spectacular expansion of new animal species.
phys.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #Ants #Genomics 🐜
Transposable elements as evolutionary catalysts of ant macrodiversity
Transposable elements (TEs) are key contributors to genome evolution, yet their macroevolutionary roles in adaptive radiations remain poorly understood, as high-quality genomic resources at sufficient...
science.org
Somatic differentiation evolves rapidly and repeatedly through the modification of developmental plasticity https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.22.753194v1
#TEsky Transposable elements as evolutionary catalysts of ant macrodiversity doi.org/10.1126/scia...
Transposable elements as evolutionary catalysts of ant macrodiversity
Transposable elements (TEs) are key contributors to genome evolution, yet their macroevolutionary roles in adaptive radiations remain poorly understood, as high-quality genomic resources at sufficient...
doi.org
Ants form the largest family of social insects with more than 15,000 species worldwide. New research from @shaggyschrader.bsky.social now published in “Science Advances” (@science.org) shows that ants benefited from transposable elements in their DNA. More info: www.uni-muenster.de/news/view.ph...
“Jumping genes” helped ants in their evolutionary triumph after the extinction of the dinosaurs
A research team led by Dr Lukas Schrader from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity (IEB) shows that the evolution of ants received a boost thanks to the activity of “jumping genes” in their ge...
uni-muenster.de
Without Westeberhardia, the ants instead increase their capacity to make tyrosine from dietary phenylalanine. So rather than being metabolically locked into an ancient symbiosis, Cardiocondyla can switch between symbiont- and environmentally-derived nutrients depending on its symbiotic state.
If you are interested in the evolution of superorganismality, come join my talk on how the developmental robustness of queens and workers is analogous to the development of metazoan germline and soma, today at 17:00 in K8 #IUSSI2026
Sailing in @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social ready for summer, our study on the iconic Portuguese man o' war 🪼 is out: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6.... We use (epi)genomics to understand a critter that fascinates me since childhood. Massive team effort with @obog.bsky.social, Cummins and Neely groups. 🧵
We have a PostDoc/Asst. Prof. position open in our group! DM or email me for more info. stellen.uni-muenster.de/jobposting/6...
The #Arthropod #Genomics i5K Community -🦋🧬🕷️🧬🪲🧬🦀- opportunities to harmonise reporting standards & promote their dissemination, ensuring that future arthropod #genomes are both comparable & maximally reusable for large-scale comparative & applied research academic.oup.com/genetics/adv...
Toward standardization in arthropod and biodiversity genome projects
Abstract. In recent years, many high-quality reference genome sequences for arthropod species have been generated. Although most genome papers describe the
academic.oup.com
How do transposons jump when they’re released from host control? I babysat two chromosomes for 2 years, making sure they are ok without most piRNAs. Here’s what we found & excited to share my 1st postdoc paper: “piRNA loss unleashes episodic transposition bursts” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
piRNA loss unleashes episodic transposition bursts
In Metazoa, transposon expression is suppressed by the piRNA pathway, and disruption of this pathway leads to rampant transposon expression. However, it remains unclear whether increased transposon ex...
biorxiv.org
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in ants - several likely underpinning functional innovations, primarily by mediating immune-system adaptations or facilitating nutritional niche expansions academic.oup.com/gigascience/... #biodiversity #genomics
Comparative analysis of 163 ant genomes reveals recurrent horizontal gene transfer from bacteria to ants
AbstractBackground. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria can drive phenotypic innovation and adaptation in eukaryotes. Ants are likely carriers of
academic.oup.com
RepeatMasker 4.2.4 released! This version adds support for the new FamDB format used in Dfam 4.0. FamDB's component-based framework allows users to download only the portions of the TE database they need. See the www.repeatmasker.org page for more release details.
RepeatMasker Home Page
repeatmasker.org
Pellen, @shaggyschrader.bsky.social @eyalprivman.bsky.social et al. analyse the most comprehensive ant odorant receptor dataset to date, showing that worker polymorphism involves extensive adaptation of chemical communication. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msag103 #evobio #molbio #ant
Adaptive evolution of odorant receptors is associated with elaborations of social organization in ants
Abstract. Cooperation in social insect colonies depends on complex chemical communication, requiring a large array of chemosensory receptors. Ant odorant r
doi.org
Found these yellow sneaking ants, Cardiocondyla wroughtonii, in one of UT Austin's greenhouses. A worldwide tramp ant, but not one we normally see in central Texas.
Thanks to micro-CT and www.antscan.info, you can now explore high resolution, 3D ant images from anywhere in the world. Fantastic work from Julian Katzke, Francisco Hita Garcia, @economo.bsky.social, Thomas van de Kamp and colleagues just dropped: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Antscan
antscan.info
PhD position available in evolutionary genomics/bioinformatics (hoehnalab.github.io/job_adverts/...). Topic: analyzing gene expression evolution across several firefly species and linking expression changes to genomic architecture. The position is jointly supervised with @anaevolcatalan.bsky.social
hoehnalab.github.io
We wrote the Strain on scientific publishing to highlight the problems of time & trust. With a fantastic group of co-authors, we present The Drain of Scientific Publishing: a 🧵 1/n Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820 Strain: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/... Oligopoly: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/...
Germline-limited transposon remnants foster somatic genome diversification https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.02.686105v1
Zhao, Quinteros & Machado describe unusually large and continuous pericentromeric transposable element-rich regions in all chromosomes of the genome of a Neotropical fig wasp, 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf158 #genome #evolution #TEsky
Evolutionary Consequences of Unusually Large Pericentric TE-rich Regions in the Genome of a Neotropical Fig Wasp
Abstract. Transposable elements (TEs), despite generally being considered deleterious, represent a substantial portion of most eukaryotic genomes. Specific
doi.org
You may have missed this #ant poster at #ESEB2025, but be sure not to miss the article just published in #openacess in @nature.com: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
nature.com
Now online! Adaptive radiation and social evolution of the ants
Adaptive radiation and social evolution of the ants
Comparative analyses of 163 ant genomes reveal extensive genome rearrangements, context-specific gene family expansion patterns, and selection on conserved pathways that together underpin the evolution and diversification of social traits and caste differentiation in ants.
dlvr.it
Worker ants increase their reproductive success by caring for their siblings instead of producing their own offspring. An international research team has now uncovered the genetic basis of ant evolution. (Orig. publ. doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...) #ants #phylogenomics #evolution
New study provides deep insights into the genomes of superorganisms
Worker ants increase their reproductive success by caring for their siblings instead of producing their own offspring. An international research team, including Dr. Lukas Schrader from the University ...
uni-muenster.de
Adaptive radiation and social evolution of the ants 🐜🐜🐜 www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Adaptive radiation and social evolution of the ants
Comparative analyses of 163 ant genomes reveal extensive genome rearrangements, context-specific gene family expansion patterns, and selection on conserved pathways that together underpin the evolutio...
cell.com
Glad to see this paper finally out! An episodic burst of massive genomic rearrangements and the origin of non-marine annelids @natecoevo.nature.com @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social @csic.es @erc.europa.eu www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An episodic burst of massive genomic rearrangements and the origin of non-marine annelids - Nature Ecology & Evolution
An analysis of annelid genomes reveals massive reshuffling of chromosomes in the ancestral lineage leading to clitellates, a clade composed of non-marine annelids, with potential implications for the ...
nature.com
