Ellegren lab

Speciation and evolution of genomes

We use a combination of in silico approaches and DNA sequencing and SNP analysis to study evolutionary processes at the sequence, genomic, expression and proteomic levels.

Examples of areas in focus for our research include the genomic landscape of species differentiation, the role of evolutionary processes (like recombination) and genomic features (like methylation) on molecular evolution and the evolution of base composition, sex chromosome evolution and conservation genetics.

For more information, please see our research page

Group members

Research leader: Hans Ellegren

Publications

Divergence in expression of a singing-related neuroplasticity gene in the brains of 2 Ficedula flycatchers and their hybrids

Wheatcroft, David; Backström, Niclas; Dutoit, Ludovic; McFarlane, S. Eryn et al.

Part of G3, 2025
- DOI for Divergence in expression of a singing-related neuroplasticity gene in the brains of 2 Ficedula flycatchers and their hybrids
- Download full text (pdf) of Divergence in expression of a singing-related neuroplasticity gene in the brains of 2 Ficedula flycatchers and their hybrids
Structural genomic variation in the inbred Scandinavian wolf population contributes to the realized genetic load but is positively affected by immigration

Smeds, Linnea; Huson, Lars S. A.; Ellegren, Hans

Part of Evolutionary Applications, 2024
- DOI for Structural genomic variation in the inbred Scandinavian wolf population contributes to the realized genetic load but is positively affected by immigration
- Download full text (pdf) of Structural genomic variation in the inbred Scandinavian wolf population contributes to the realized genetic load but is positively affected by immigration
Highly differentiated loci resolve phylogenetic relationships in the Bean Goose complex

Ottenburghs, Jente; Honka, Johanna; Heikkinen, Marja E.; Madsen, Jesper et al.

Part of BMC Ecology and Evolution, 2023
- DOI for Highly differentiated loci resolve phylogenetic relationships in the Bean Goose complex
- Download full text (pdf) of Highly differentiated loci resolve phylogenetic relationships in the Bean Goose complex
From high masked to high realized genetic load in inbred Scandinavian wolves

Smeds, Linnéa; Ellegren, Hans

Part of Molecular Ecology, p. 1567-1580, 2023
- DOI for From high masked to high realized genetic load in inbred Scandinavian wolves
- Download full text (pdf) of From high masked to high realized genetic load in inbred Scandinavian wolves
Potential for increased connectivity between differentiated wolverine populations

Lansink, G. M. J.; Kleven, O.; Ekblom, R.; Spong, G. et al.

Part of Biological Conservation, 2022
- DOI for Potential for increased connectivity between differentiated wolverine populations
- Download full text (pdf) of Potential for increased connectivity between differentiated wolverine populations
Whole-genome resequencing of temporally stratified samples reveals substantial loss of haplotype diversity in the highly inbred Scandinavian wolf population

Viluma, Agnese; Flagstad, Oystein; Akesson, Mikael; Wikenros, Camilla et al.

Part of Genome Research, p. 449-458, 2022
- DOI for Whole-genome resequencing of temporally stratified samples reveals substantial loss of haplotype diversity in the highly inbred Scandinavian wolf population
- Download full text (pdf) of Whole-genome resequencing of temporally stratified samples reveals substantial loss of haplotype diversity in the highly inbred Scandinavian wolf population
Major population splits coincide with episodes of rapid climate change in a forest-dependent bird

Warmuth, Vera; Burgess, Malcolm D.; Laaksonen, Toni; Manica, Andrea et al.

Part of Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences, 2021
- DOI for Major population splits coincide with episodes of rapid climate change in a forest-dependent bird
- Download full text (pdf) of Major population splits coincide with episodes of rapid climate change in a forest-dependent bird
Whole-genome analyses provide no evidence for dog introgression in Fennoscandian wolf populations

Smeds, Linnea; Aspi, Jouni; Berglund, Jonas; Kojola, Ilpo et al.

Part of Evolutionary Applications, p. 721-734, 2021
- DOI for Whole-genome analyses provide no evidence for dog introgression in Fennoscandian wolf populations
- Download full text (pdf) of Whole-genome analyses provide no evidence for dog introgression in Fennoscandian wolf populations
Genomic inference of contemporary effective population size in a large island population of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis)

Nadachowska-Brzyska, Krystyna; Dutoit, Ludovic; Smeds, Linnea; Kardos, Martin et al.

Part of Molecular Ecology, p. 3965-3973, 2021
- DOI for Genomic inference of contemporary effective population size in a large island population of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis)
- Download full text (pdf) of Genomic inference of contemporary effective population size in a large island population of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis)
Positive selection plays a major role in shaping signatures of differentiation across the genomic landscape of two independent Ficedula flycatcher species pairs

Chase, Madeline A.; Ellegren, Hans; Mugal, Carina F.

Part of Evolution, p. 2179-2196, 2021
- DOI for Positive selection plays a major role in shaping signatures of differentiation across the genomic landscape of two independent Ficedula flycatcher species pairs
- Download full text (pdf) of Positive selection plays a major role in shaping signatures of differentiation across the genomic landscape of two independent Ficedula flycatcher species pairs

Research areas

Evolutionary Biology