Featured Publications
Optimal Rates for Phylogenetic Inference and Experimental Design in the Era of Genome-Scale Data Sets
Dornburg A, Su Z, Townsend JP. Optimal Rates for Phylogenetic Inference and Experimental Design in the Era of Genome-Scale Data Sets. Systematic Biology 2018, 68: 145-156. PMID: 29939341, DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syy047.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPhylogenetic experimental designOptimal rateExperimental design decisionsGenome-scale data setsTheoretical conditionsSite rate heterogeneityData setsComprehensive theoryAccurate predictionTheoryInferenceExperimental designPhylogenetic problemsOptimalityExistence of charactersPredictionRate heterogeneitySetPhylogenetic inferenceData scrutiny
2021
The somatic molecular evolution of cancer: Mutation, selection, and epistasis
Dasari K, Somarelli JA, Kumar S, Townsend JP. The somatic molecular evolution of cancer: Mutation, selection, and epistasis. Progress In Biophysics And Molecular Biology 2021, 165: 56-65. PMID: 34364910, PMCID: PMC8819680, DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2021.08.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsEpistasis, GeneticEvolution, MolecularHumansModels, GeneticMutationNeoplasmsPhylogenyTumor MicroenvironmentConceptsCancer evolutionEpistatic interactionsNeutral mutation rateCancer progressionEvolution of neoplasmsSingle nucleotide variantsMolecular evolutionRate of fixationGenetic interactionsEvolutionary biologyPhylogenetic analysisCopy number aberrationsPhylogenetic relationsNeutral mutationsGenomic dataSelective pressureSynonymous mutationsMutation rateChromosomal instabilityPhenotypic changesLoss of heterozygosityFitness landscapeClonal deconvolutionTumor microenvironmentEnvironment interaction
2017
Chapter One Maximizing Power in Phylogenetics and Phylogenomics: A Perspective Illuminated by Fungal Big Data
Dornburg A, Townsend JP, Wang Z. Chapter One Maximizing Power in Phylogenetics and Phylogenomics: A Perspective Illuminated by Fungal Big Data. Advances In Genetics 2017, 100: 1-47. PMID: 29153398, DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2017.09.007.ChaptersMeSH KeywordsEvolution, MolecularFungiGenome, FungalGenomicsInformation SystemsModels, GeneticPhylogenyPhylogeographyConceptsTree of lifeFungal evolutionary biologyGenomic-scale dataHundreds of lociGenome-scale analysisFungal phylogenomicsFungal treeSpecies delimitationPhenotypic diversificationFirst genomeEvolutionary biologyPhylogenetic treePhylogenetic inferencePhylogenetic analysisEntire genomeTree inferenceReview of considerationsEvolutionary problemsPhylogenomicsGenomeTreesLociCentral roleExperimental designBiodiversityDistributions of Mutational Effects and the Estimation of Directional Selection in Divergent Lineages of Arabidopsis thaliana
Park B, Rutter MT, Fenster CB, Symonds VV, Ungerer MC, Townsend JP. Distributions of Mutational Effects and the Estimation of Directional Selection in Divergent Lineages of Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetics 2017, 206: 2105-2117. PMID: 28550014, PMCID: PMC5560809, DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.199190.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsArabidopsisEvolution, MolecularModels, GeneticMutation AccumulationQuantitative Trait LociSelection, GeneticConceptsMutation accumulation dataDirectional selectionNatural selectionMutational effectsPhenotypic traitsDirectional natural selectionQuantitative trait lociDivergent lineagesRosette diameterTrait lociHistorical selectionQuantitative traitsLineagesArabidopsisTraitsDensity traitsAccumulation dataDivergenceKey roleUltimate sourceLociSelectionOrganismsKey componentMutationsDetection of Regional Variation in Selection Intensity within Protein-Coding Genes Using DNA Sequence Polymorphism and Divergence
Zhao ZM, Campbell MC, Li N, Lee DSW, Zhang Z, Townsend JP. Detection of Regional Variation in Selection Intensity within Protein-Coding Genes Using DNA Sequence Polymorphism and Divergence. Molecular Biology And Evolution 2017, 34: 3006-3022. PMID: 28962009, PMCID: PMC5850860, DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx213.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPoisson random fieldRandom fieldsEnsemble of modelsRandom field frameworkField frameworkClustering modelHistorical demographic trendsAmino acid-altering substitutionsSelection intensityEnsembleHigh powerUniform selectionProtein-coding genesProtein coding genesHeterogeneity of selectionDNA sequence polymorphismsComparison of polymorphisms
2016
PhyloOncology: Understanding cancer through phylogenetic analysis
Somarelli JA, Ware KE, Kostadinov R, Robinson JM, Amri H, Abu-Asab M, Fourie N, Diogo R, Swofford D, Townsend JP. PhyloOncology: Understanding cancer through phylogenetic analysis. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews On Cancer 2016, 1867: 101-108. PMID: 27810337, PMCID: PMC9583457, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2016.10.006.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsMeSH KeywordsAdaptation, PhysiologicalAlgorithmsAnimalsBiomarkers, TumorCell Transformation, NeoplasticEvolution, MolecularGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticGenetic FitnessGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenomicsHeredityHumansModels, GeneticMutationNeoplasmsPedigreePhenotypePhylogenySignal TransductionSystems BiologyTime FactorsConceptsDr. Robert A. GatenbyGenome-scale dataSystems biology approachPowerful systems biology approachUse of phylogeneticsPhylogenetic analysisBiology approachPhylogenetic applicationsSubclonal evolutionCancer biologyCancer progressionSuite of algorithmsPhylogeneticsCancer data setsCancer samplesImproved therapeutic interventionRobust approachDecades of researchFundamental insightsNew toolBiologyDiverse fieldsGatenbyData setsTherapeutic interventionsEarly and multiple origins of metastatic lineages within primary tumors
Zhao ZM, Zhao B, Bai Y, Iamarino A, Gaffney SG, Schlessinger J, Lifton RP, Rimm DL, Townsend JP. Early and multiple origins of metastatic lineages within primary tumors. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2016, 113: 2140-2145. PMID: 26858460, PMCID: PMC4776530, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1525677113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMetastatic lineagesGenetic changesEarly genetic divergenceMolecular evolutionary modelsSingle genetic changeDivergent lineagesTumor phylogeneticsDivergence timesAncestral stateGenetic divergenceCancer lineagesPhylogenetic analysisEvolutionary processesLineagesCancer evolutionMultiple originsDriver genesCancer biologyCancer progressionSomatic mutationsTumor developmentEvolutionary modelsDriver mutationsChronogramMutations
2015
Utility of characters evolving at diverse rates of evolution to resolve quartet trees with unequal branch lengths: analytical predictions of long-branch effects
Su Z, Townsend JP. Utility of characters evolving at diverse rates of evolution to resolve quartet trees with unequal branch lengths: analytical predictions of long-branch effects. BMC Ecology And Evolution 2015, 15: 86. PMID: 25968460, PMCID: PMC4429678, DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0364-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsBayes TheoremBiological EvolutionComputer SimulationLikelihood FunctionsModels, GeneticPhylogenyConceptsGeneralized signalCorrect treeAnalytical predictionsNoise analysisDifferent inference methodsBayesian approachLength spaceInference methodsQuartet treesMaximum likelihoodSimulation studyBranch lengthsInferenceModel treePhylogenetic inferenceUtility of charactersAsymmetrical topologyLong-branch effectsConvergenceTopologyPredictionSpaceSignalsEvolutionGene Expression Evolves under a House-of-Cards Model of Stabilizing Selection
Hodgins-Davis A, Rice DP, Townsend JP. Gene Expression Evolves under a House-of-Cards Model of Stabilizing Selection. Molecular Biology And Evolution 2015, 32: 2130-2140. PMID: 25901014, PMCID: PMC4592357, DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv094.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGene expression evolvesGene expressionPhenotypic evolutionGenetic architectureExpression evolvesEvolutionary quantitative genetic modelsMutation accumulation linesNatural genetic variationStrength of selectionGenomic mutation rateQuantitative genetic modelGenomic data setsGene expression levelsEffects of selectionEvolutionary timeRegulatory evolutionStabilizing selectionAccumulation linesGene regulationMost genesNatural selectionGenetic variationMutational effectsFruit flyPhenotype space
2014
The peopling of the African continent and the diaspora into the new world
Campbell MC, Hirbo JB, Townsend JP, Tishkoff SA. The peopling of the African continent and the diaspora into the new world. Current Opinion In Genetics & Development 2014, 29: 120-132. PMID: 25461616, PMCID: PMC4308437, DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2014.09.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAfrican diasporaModern humansHuman historyHuman migrationNew WorldDemographic historyAfrican descentAfrican continentDemographic eventsHistoryDiasporaEvolutionary questionsAfrican populationsPhenotypic variationContinentGenomic dataAfricaGeographic originDisease susceptibilityPeoplingBirthplaceRecent findingsCorresponding developmentWorldComputational methods
2013
Epidemiological mechanisms of genetic resistance to kuru
Atkins KE, Townsend JP, Medlock J, Galvani AP. Epidemiological mechanisms of genetic resistance to kuru. Journal Of The Royal Society Interface 2013, 10: 20130331. PMID: 23740487, PMCID: PMC4043168, DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2013.0331.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsCodonDisease ResistanceFemaleHeterozygoteHomozygoteHumansKuruMaleModels, GeneticPapua New GuineaPrionsConceptsTransmissible spongiform encephalopathiesGenotype frequency dataPopulation geneticsProtein geneGenetic resistanceEpidemiological mechanismsPrion protein geneMechanistic basisPrion proteinHost resistanceFatal neurodegenerative conditionHuman populationHuman resistancePapua New GuineaNew GuineaSpongiform encephalopathiesIncubation periodCodon 129Neurodegenerative conditionsIncidence dataReduced susceptibilityLong incubation periodKuruGenesMechanismEvaluating Phylogenetic Informativeness as a Predictor of Phylogenetic Signal for Metazoan, Fungal, and Mammalian Phylogenomic Data Sets
López-Giráldez F, Moeller AH, Townsend JP. Evaluating Phylogenetic Informativeness as a Predictor of Phylogenetic Signal for Metazoan, Fungal, and Mammalian Phylogenomic Data Sets. BioMed Research International 2013, 2013: 621604. PMID: 23878813, PMCID: PMC3708382, DOI: 10.1155/2013/621604.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPhylogenomic data setsPhylogenetic informativenessPhylogenetic signalEffects of homoplasyPoor phylogenetic resolutionPhylogenetic resolutionSister cladeOutgroup taxaPhylogenetic researchTaxonomic groupsPhylogenetic inferenceAdvantageous genesGenesMetazoansCladeTaxaDiverse groupDiverse time scalesHomoplasyHaphazard samplingMammalsFungiOrganismsFungalMarkers
2012
Resampling QTL Effects in the QTL Sign Test Leads to Incongruous Sensitivity to Variance in Effect Size
Rice DP, Townsend JP. Resampling QTL Effects in the QTL Sign Test Leads to Incongruous Sensitivity to Variance in Effect Size. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 2012, 2: 905-911. PMID: 22908039, PMCID: PMC3411246, DOI: 10.1534/g3.112.003228.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAllelesModels, GeneticPhenotypeQuantitative Trait LociQuantitative Trait, HeritableSelection, GeneticA Test for Selection Employing Quantitative Trait Locus and Mutation Accumulation Data
Rice DP, Townsend JP. A Test for Selection Employing Quantitative Trait Locus and Mutation Accumulation Data. Genetics 2012, 190: 1533-1545. PMID: 22298701, PMCID: PMC3316662, DOI: 10.1534/genetics.111.137075.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMutation accumulation dataPhenotypic traitsMutational effectsMutation accumulation experimentsPopulation genetics theoryQuantitative trait lociQuantitative phenotypic traitsAccumulation dataHistory of selectionLocus effect sizesEvolutionary biologistsNeutral evolutionGenetic architectureQTL dataStrong selectionTrait lociSelection strengthDistribution of mutationsNatural selectionPhenotypic diversityHistorical selectionMolecular dataQuantitative traitsGenetic theoryQTL
2010
Optimal Selection of Gene and Ingroup Taxon Sampling for Resolving Phylogenetic Relationships
Townsend JP, Lopez-Giraldez F. Optimal Selection of Gene and Ingroup Taxon Sampling for Resolving Phylogenetic Relationships. Systematic Biology 2010, 59: 446-457. PMID: 20547780, DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syq025.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPhylogenetic experimental designOptimal rateAsymptotic impactAnalytical predictionsAddition of charactersOptimal selectionObvious applicationApproximate ideaEstimation of ratesCurrent phylogenetic studiesOptimal efficiencyTheoryDeep internodesTaxon additionRate of evolutionExperimental designNew taxonPhylogenetic informativenessPhylogenetic relationships
2009
The filamentous fungal gene expression database (FFGED)
Zhang Z, Townsend JP. The filamentous fungal gene expression database (FFGED). Fungal Genetics And Biology 2009, 47: 199-204. PMID: 20025988, PMCID: PMC2822089, DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2009.12.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAlgorithmsChromosome MappingComputational BiologyComputer GraphicsDatabase Management SystemsDatabases, GeneticGene ExpressionGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, FungalGenes, FungalGenome, FungalInternetModels, GeneticModels, StatisticalOligonucleotide Array Sequence AnalysisSaccharomyces cerevisiaeSequence AlignmentSoftwareSystems IntegrationUser-Computer InterfaceConceptsEfficient web interfaceExpression databaseUser-friendly managementCollection of toolsGene expression databaseDifferent usersData sharingWeb interfaceCollaborative platformExperimental metadataFree databaseRaw dataData submissionUsersMultiple experimentsGene expression dataSharingDatabaseEssential informationAjaxMetadataExpression dataDifferent experimentsRetrievalRelated experimentsMaximum-Likelihood Model Averaging To Profile Clustering of Site Types across Discrete Linear Sequences
Zhang Z, Townsend JP. Maximum-Likelihood Model Averaging To Profile Clustering of Site Types across Discrete Linear Sequences. PLOS Computational Biology 2009, 5: e1000421. PMID: 19557160, PMCID: PMC2695770, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000421.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInformation criterionModel averagingBayesian information criterionMaximum likelihood methodModel likelihoodModel uncertaintyModel selectionDescription of clustersLevel of clusteringPrecision of estimationAkaike information criterionParameter rangeCluster countsLikelihood methodComputational biologyCluster sizeGood accuracyConquer strategyAveragingClusteringModelHierarchical clusteringClustersStatisticsEstimation
2005
Horizontal gene transfer, genome innovation and evolution
Gogarten JP, Townsend JP. Horizontal gene transfer, genome innovation and evolution. Nature Reviews Microbiology 2005, 3: 679-687. PMID: 16138096, DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro1204.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsMeSH KeywordsEvolution, MolecularGene Transfer TechniquesGenetic VariationGenomeModels, GeneticPhylogenyConceptsHorizontal gene transferHGT eventsImportance of HGTLife historyConcatenation of genesGene transferTypes of genesGroups of organismsGene historiesReticulation eventsPhylogenetic signalTaxonomic samplingMicrobial evolutionSelective sweepsGenome innovationPhylogenetic reconstructionEvolutionary biologyProkaryotic genomesSuch genesMicrobial communitiesPhylogenetic analysisGene swappingHorizontal transferTaxonomic classificationGenesA Bayesian method for analysing spotted microarray data
Meiklejohn CD, Townsend JP. A Bayesian method for analysing spotted microarray data. Briefings In Bioinformatics 2005, 6: 318-330. PMID: 16420731, DOI: 10.1093/bib/6.4.318.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
2003
Horizontal Acquisition of Divergent Chromosomal DNA in Bacteria: Effects of Mutator Phenotypes
Townsend JP, Nielsen KM, Fisher DS, Hartl DL. Horizontal Acquisition of Divergent Chromosomal DNA in Bacteria: Effects of Mutator Phenotypes. Genetics 2003, 164: 13-21. PMID: 12750317, PMCID: PMC1462543, DOI: 10.1093/genetics/164.1.13.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsData Interpretation, StatisticalEscherichia coliEvolution, MolecularGene Transfer, HorizontalGenetic VariationModels, GeneticConceptsGenetic variabilityDNA fragmentsBacterial populationsMore amino acid changesSpecific amino acid substitutionsAmino acid changesAmino acid substitutionsStudy of recombinationPresence of mutatorsRate of adaptationEnvironmental DNALong DNA fragmentsBacterial adaptationAdaptive potentialMutator phenotypeHorizontal acquisitionChromosomal DNAPopulation adaptationAcid substitutionsAcid changesMutatorDonor bacteriaE. coliPhenotypeDivergence