What we're reading: Estimating linkage in resequencing data, genomics of host-parasite coevolution, and scientific work-life balance

Hammock Lounging
In the journals
Maruki, T., and M. Lynch. 2014. Genome-wide estimation of linkage disequilibrium from population-level high-throughput sequencing data. Genetics 197:1303–1313. doi: 10.1534/genetics.114.165514.

… we developed a maximum-likelihood estimator of linkage disequilibrium for use with error-prone sampling data. Computer simulations indicate that the estimator is nearly unbiased with a sampling variance at high coverage asymptotically approaching the value expected when all relevant information is accurately estimated.

Tellier, A., S. Moreno-Gámez, and W. Stephan. 2014. Speed of adaptation and genomic footprints of host-parasite coevolution under arms race and trench warfare dynamics. Evolution 68:2211–24. doi: 10.1111/evo.12427.

Our results suggest that deterministic models of coevolution with infinite population sizes do not predict reliably the observed genomic signatures, and it may be best to study parasite rather than host populations to find genomic signatures of coevolution, such as selective sweeps or balancing selection.

In the news
“I’m saying ‘no’ to ‘Would you like to chair this blah blah blah…’ and ‘yes’ to ‘Would you like to sit in this chair and drink a cocktail?’ And I’m enjoying my family and my life in a way that I haven’t been able to since…well, since I started graduate school back in 1999.”
“Normal working hours and time off aren’t just okay – they are important for productivity.”
“The idea is that when you do require(nothing) you express that you don’t need anything, and therefore nothing assumes you are fine just using the base package, so it detaches all other packages.”
“My advice to junior people is to get more than one idea in the system. Yes, you’ll have you favorite proposal, but you need to be floating more than that at all times. Two is better. Three is even better.”

About Jeremy Yoder

Jeremy B. Yoder is an Associate Professor of Biology at California State University Northridge, studying the evolution and coevolution of interacting species, especially mutualists. He is a collaborator with the Joshua Tree Genome Project and the Queer in STEM study of LGBTQ experiences in scientific careers. He has written for the website of Scientific American, the LA Review of Books, the Chronicle of Higher Education, The Awl, and Slate.
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