A pangenome framework uncovers the role of deletions in repeated evolution of cave-derived traits
Emma Y. Roback, Maggs X, Edward S. Ricemeyer, Adam Warlen, Rachel A. Carroll, Christine G. Elsik, Alex C. Keene, Nicolas Rohner, Suzanne E. McGaugh, Wesley C. Warren · 2026
Read A pangenome framework uncovers the role of deletions in repeated evolution of cave-derived traits by Emma Y. Roback, Maggs X, Edward S. Ricemeyer, Adam Warlen, Rachel A. Carroll, Christine G. Elsik, Alex C. Keene, Nicolas Rohner, Suzanne E. McGaugh, Wesley C. Warren (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13534238.txt.
Description
Emma Roback and co-authors use a pangenome frame to uncover deletions behind repeated cave traits in Mexican tetra fish in a 2026 study. Cave populations of this fish evolved similar traits again and again in dark waters.
The team built one of the first pangenome graphs for a wild vertebrate, covering over one hundred fish from eleven populations. Thousands of cave-specific deletions turned up, clustered in regions tied to cave traits. Those deletions enrich paths for vision, metabolism, and behavior. Dozens of genes carry distinct deletions in separate cave lines. Nearly all reused genes show signs of positive selection. The work casts deletions as a major, overlooked engine of adaptation.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Emma Y. Roback, Maggs X, Edward S. Ricemeyer, Adam Warlen, Rachel A. Carroll, Christine G. Elsik, Alex C. Keene, Nicolas Rohner, Suzanne E. McGaugh, Wesley C. Warren |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 79 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |