Research outputs
2026
The efficacy and accuracy of ribosomal RNA depletion methods in the parasitic nematode Strongyloides ratti
Ahmed, M., Bishop, C., Betancourt, A., Hunt, V., & Viney, M. (2026). The efficacy and accuracy of ribosomal RNA depletion methods in the parasitic nematode Strongyloides ratti. MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL PARASITOLOGY, 265. doi:10.1016/j.molbiopara.2025.111719
Leaving academia: insights from evolutionary biologists on their career transitions and job satisfaction
Betancourt, A. J., Barribeau, S., Uecker, H., Hammer, S., & Asher, C. (2026). Leaving academia: insights from evolutionary biologists on their career transitions and job satisfaction. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, 39(1), 18-25. doi:10.1093/jeb/voaf122
2025
Suppression of sex-ratio drive in Drosophila subobscura
Lyth, S., Gill, T., Manser, A., Tanianis, J., Hurst, G. D. D., Betancourt, A. J., . . . Verspoor, R. L. (2025). Suppression of sex-ratio drive in Drosophila subobscura. EVOLUTION, 79(11), 2394-2405. doi:10.1093/evolut/qpaf153
Leaving Academia: Insights from Evolutionary Biologists on Their Career Transitions and Job Satisfaction
Continent-wide differentiation of fitness traits and patterns of climate adaptation among European populations of Drosophila melanogaster
Durmaz Mitchell, E., Kerdaffrec, E., Harney, E., Paulo, T. F., Veselinovic, M. S., Tanaskovic, M., . . . Flatt, T. (2025). Continent-wide differentiation of fitness traits and patterns of climate adaptation among European populations of Drosophila melanogaster. EVOLUTION LETTERS, 9(4), 473-490. doi:10.1093/evlett/qraf014
The efficacy and accuracy of ribosomal RNA depletion methods
Recombination and Molecular Evolution
Betancourt, A. J., & Hartfield, M. (2025). Recombination and Molecular Evolution. In Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology (pp. V2-371). doi:10.1016/B978-0-443-15750-9.20049-9
2024
Causes and Consequences of Varying Transposable Element Activity: An Evolutionary Perspective.
Betancourt, A. J., Wei, K. H. -C., Huang, Y., & Lee, Y. C. G. (2024). Causes and Consequences of Varying Transposable Element Activity: An Evolutionary Perspective.. Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics, 25(1), 1-25. doi:10.1146/annurev-genom-120822-105708
Activation loop phosphorylation of Cdk11 is restrained by PNUTS-PP1 and regulates Cdk11 activity and function
2023
The suppression of a selfish genetic element increases a male's mating success in a fly
Lyth, S., Betancourt, A. J., Price, T. A. R., & Verspoor, R. L. (2023). The suppression of a selfish genetic element increases a male's mating success in a fly. Ecology and Evolution, 13(11). doi:10.1002/ece3.10719
Wolbachia in natural Drosophila simulans (Diptera: Drosophilidae) populations in Ukraine
Serga, S., Maistrenko, O. M. M., Kovalenko, P. A. A., Tsila, O., Hrubiian, N., Bilokon, S., . . . Kozeretska, I. (2023). Wolbachia in natural Drosophila simulans (Diptera: Drosophilidae) populations in Ukraine. Symbiosis, 89(2), 187-196. doi:10.1007/s13199-023-00899-8
Levels of <i>P</i>-element-induced hybrid dysgenesis in <i>Drosophila simulans</i> are uncorrelated with levels of <i>P</i>-element piRNAs
Paulouskaya, O., Romero-Soriano, V., Ramirez-Lanzas, C., Price, T. A. R., & Betancourt, A. J. (2023). Levels of <i>P</i>-element-induced hybrid dysgenesis in <i>Drosophila simulans</i> are uncorrelated with levels of <i>P</i>-element piRNAs. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS, 13(2). doi:10.1093/g3journal/jkac324
2021
The discovery, distribution, and diversity of DNA viruses associated with Drosophila melanogaster in Europe
Wallace, M. A., Coffman, K. A., Gilbert, C., Ravindran, S., Albery, G. F., Abbott, J., . . . Obbard, D. J. (2021). The discovery, distribution, and diversity of DNA viruses associated with Drosophila melanogaster in Europe. VIRUS EVOLUTION, 7(1). doi:10.1093/ve/veab031
2020
The discovery, distribution and diversity of DNA viruses associated with<i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>in Europe
Wallace, M., Coffman, K., Gilbert, C., Ravindran, S., Albery, G., Abbott, J., . . . Obbard, D. (2020). The discovery, distribution and diversity of DNA viruses associated with<i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>in Europe. Virus Evolution. doi:10.1101/2020.10.16.342956
Genomic Analysis of European <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> Populations Reveals Longitudinal Structure, Continent-Wide Selection, and Previously Unknown DNA Viruses
Kapun, M., Barron, M. G., Staubach, F., Obbard, D. J., Wiberg, R. A. W., Vieira, J., . . . Gonzalez, J. (2020). Genomic Analysis of European <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> Populations Reveals Longitudinal Structure, Continent-Wide Selection, and Previously Unknown DNA Viruses. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 37(9), 2661-2678. doi:10.1093/molbev/msaa120
2019
The impact of poly-A microsatellite heterologies in meiotic recombination
Heissl, A., Betancourt, A. J., Hermann, P., Povysil, G., Arbeithuber, B., Futschik, A., . . . Tiemann-Boege, I. (2019). The impact of poly-A microsatellite heterologies in meiotic recombination. Life Science Alliance, 2(2). doi:10.26508/lsa.201900364
Meiotic recombination, gene conversion and mutation
Tiemann-Boege, I., Heissl, A., Betancourt, A. J., & Arbeithuber, B. (2019). Meiotic recombination, gene conversion and mutation. In EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS Vol. 27 (pp. 1073-1074). Retrieved from https://www.webofscience.com/
XRCC1 and ERCC1 DNA repair gene deficiency leads to an increase in complex conversion frequency during meiosis
Heissl, A., Betancourt, A. J., & Tiemann-Boege, I. (2019). XRCC1 and ERCC1 DNA repair gene deficiency leads to an increase in complex conversion frequency during meiosis. In EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS Vol. 27 (pp. 1751). Retrieved from https://www.webofscience.com/
2018
Length asymmetry and heterozygosity strongly influences the evolution of poly-A microsatellites at meiotic recombination hotspots
Heissl, A., Betancourt, A., Hermann, P., Povysil, G., Arbeithuber, B., Futschik, A., . . . Tiemann-Boege, I. (2018). Length asymmetry and heterozygosity strongly influences the evolution of poly-A microsatellites at meiotic recombination hotspots. doi:10.1101/431841
Extensive exchange of transposable elements in the <i>Drosophila pseudoobscura</i> group
Hill, T., & Betancourt, A. J. (2018). Extensive exchange of transposable elements in the <i>Drosophila pseudoobscura</i> group. MOBILE DNA, 9. doi:10.1186/s13100-018-0123-6
Genomic analysis of European <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> populations reveals longitudinal structure, continent-wide selection, and previously unknown DNA viruses
Extensive horizontal exchange of transposable elements in the<i>Drosophila pseudoobscura</i>group
Hill, T., & Betancourt, A. (2018). Extensive horizontal exchange of transposable elements in the<i>Drosophila pseudoobscura</i>group. doi:10.1101/284117
Progress and Prospects in Gender Visibility at SMBE Annual Meetings
Käfer, J., Betancourt, A. J., Villain, A. S., Fernandez, M., Vignal, C., Marais, G. A. B., & Tenaillon, M. I. (2018). Progress and Prospects in Gender Visibility at SMBE Annual Meetings. Genome Biology and Evolution. doi:10.1093/gbe/evy056
Transcription-Associated Compositional Skews in Drosophila Genes.
Bergman, J., Betancourt, A. J., & Vogl, C. (2018). Transcription-Associated Compositional Skews in <i>Drosophila</i> Genes. GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 10(1), 269-275. doi:10.1093/gbe/evx200
2016
The genomic basis of circadian and circalunar timing adaptations in a midge
Kaiser, T. S., Peon, B., Szkiba, D., Preussner, M., Sedlazeck, F. J., Zrim, A., . . . Tessmar-Raible, K. (2016). The genomic basis of circadian and circalunar timing adaptations in a midge. Nature, 540(7631), 69-73. doi:10.1038/nature20151
A novel method for quantifying the rate of embryogenesis uncovers considerable genetic variation for the duration of embryonic development in Drosophila melanogaster.
Horváth, B., Betancourt, A. J., & Kalinka, A. T. (2016). A novel method for quantifying the rate of embryogenesis uncovers considerable genetic variation for the duration of embryonic development in Drosophila melanogaster.. BMC evolutionary biology, 16(1), 200. doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0776-z
Recombination and Molecular Evolution
Betancourt, A. J., & Hartfield, M. (2016). Recombination and Molecular Evolution. In Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology (pp. 411-416). Elsevier. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800049-6.00177-3
Hybrid Dysgenesis in Drosophila simulans Associated with a Rapid Invasion of the P-Element
Hill, T., Schlötterer, C., & Betancourt, A. J. (2016). Hybrid Dysgenesis in Drosophila simulans Associated with a Rapid Invasion of the P-Element. PLOS Genetics, 12(03). doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1005920
Reconciling Differences in Pool-GWAS Between Populations: A Case Study of Female Abdominal Pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster
Endler, L., Betancourt, A. J., Nolte, V., & Schlötterer, C. (2016). Reconciling Differences in Pool-GWAS Between Populations: A Case Study of Female Abdominal Pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics, 202(2), 843-855. doi:10.1534/genetics.115.183376
2015
Hybrid dysgenesis in <i>Drosophila simulans</i> associated with a rapid invasion of the <i>P</i> -element
The recent invasion of natural Drosophila simulans populations by the P-element
Kofler, R., Hill, T., Nolte, V., Betancourt, A. J., & Schlötterer, C. (2015). The recent invasion of natural Drosophila simulans populations by the P-element. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(21), 6659-6663. doi:10.1073/pnas.1500758112
Crossovers are associated with mutation and biased gene conversion at recombination hotspots
Arbeithuber, B., Betancourt, A. J., Ebner, T., & Tiemann-Boege, I. (2015). Crossovers are associated with mutation and biased gene conversion at recombination hotspots. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(7), 2109-2114. doi:10.1073/pnas.1416622112
The P-element strikes again: the recent invasion of natural <i>Drosophila simulans</i> populations
2014
Faster-X Effects in Two <i>Drosophila</i> Lineages
Avila, V., de Proce, S. M., Campos, J. L., Borthwick, H., Charlesworth, B., & Betancourt, A. J. (2014). Faster-X Effects in Two <i>Drosophila</i> Lineages. GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 6(10), 2968-2982. doi:10.1093/gbe/evu229
2013
A Genome-Wide, Fine-Scale Map of Natural Pigmentation Variation in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>
Bastide, H., Betancourt, A., Nolte, V., Tobler, R., Stoebe, P., Futschik, A., & Schloetterer, C. (2013). A Genome-Wide, Fine-Scale Map of Natural Pigmentation Variation in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>. PLOS GENETICS, 9(6). doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1003534
2012
THE RELATION BETWEEN THE NEUTRALITY INDEX FOR MITOCHONDRIAL GENES AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF MUTATIONAL EFFECTS ON FITNESS
Betancourt, A. J., Blanco-Martin, B., & Charlesworth, B. (2012). THE RELATION BETWEEN THE NEUTRALITY INDEX FOR MITOCHONDRIAL GENES AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF MUTATIONAL EFFECTS ON FITNESS. EVOLUTION, 66(8), 2427-2438. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01628.x
Selection on codon usage and base composition in <i>Drosophila americana</i>
de Proce, S. M., Zeng, K., Betancourt, A. J., & Charlesworth, B. (2012). Selection on codon usage and base composition in <i>Drosophila americana</i>. BIOLOGY LETTERS, 8(1), 82-85. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2011.0601
Sequencing of Pooled DNA Samples (Pool-Seq) Uncovers Complex Dynamics of Transposable Element Insertions in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>
Kofler, R., Betancourt, A. J., & Schloetterer, C. (2012). Sequencing of Pooled DNA Samples (Pool-Seq) Uncovers Complex Dynamics of Transposable Element Insertions in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>. PLOS GENETICS, 8(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1002487
2011
Molecular Evolution of a Y Chromosome to Autosome Gene Duplication in <i>Drosophila</i>
Dyer, K. A., White, B. E., Bray, M. J., Pique, D. G., & Betancourt, A. J. (2011). Molecular Evolution of a Y Chromosome to Autosome Gene Duplication in <i>Drosophila</i>. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 28(3), 1293-1306. doi:10.1093/molbev/msq334
2010
Lack of evidence for sign epistasis between beneficial mutations in an RNA bacteriophage.
Betancourt, A. J. (2010). Lack of evidence for sign epistasis between beneficial mutations in an RNA bacteriophage.. Journal of molecular evolution, 71(5-6), 437-443. doi:10.1007/s00239-010-9397-0
2009
Genetic Recombination and Molecular Evolution
Charlesworth, B., Betancourt, A. J., Kaiser, V. B., & Gordo, I. (2009). Genetic Recombination and Molecular Evolution. EVOLUTION: THE MOLECULAR LANDSCAPE, 74, 177-186. doi:10.1101/sqb.2009.74.015
Reduced Effectiveness of Selection Caused by a Lack of Recombination
Betancourt, A. J., Welch, J. J., & Charlesworth, B. (2009). Reduced Effectiveness of Selection Caused by a Lack of Recombination. CURRENT BIOLOGY, 19(8), 655-660. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2009.02.039
Genomewide Patterns of Substitution in Adaptively Evolving Populations of the RNA Bacteriophage MS2
Betancourt, A. J. (2009). Genomewide Patterns of Substitution in Adaptively Evolving Populations of the RNA Bacteriophage MS2. GENETICS, 181(4), 1535-1544. doi:10.1534/genetics.107.085837
2007
When the going gets tough, beneficial mutations get going.
Betancourt, A. (2007). When the going gets tough, beneficial mutations get going.. Heredity, 99(4), 359-360. doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6801042
2006
Fitness effects of beneficial mutations: the mutational landscape model in experimental evolution
Betancourt, A. J., & Bollback, J. P. (2006). Fitness effects of beneficial mutations: the mutational landscape model in experimental evolution. CURRENT OPINION IN GENETICS & DEVELOPMENT, 16(6), 618-623. doi:10.1016/j.gde.2006.10.006
2004
A pseudohitchhiking model of x <i>vs</i>. autosomal diversity
Betancourt, A. J., Kim, Y., & Orr, H. A. (2004). A pseudohitchhiking model of x <i>vs</i>. autosomal diversity. GENETICS, 168(4), 2261-2269. doi:10.1534/genetics.104.030999
2002
Linkage limits the power of natural selection in <i>Drosophila</i>
Betancourt, A. J., & Presgraves, D. C. (2002). Linkage limits the power of natural selection in <i>Drosophila</i>. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 99(21), 13616-13620. doi:10.1073/pnas.212277199
A test for faster X evolution in <i>Drosophila</i>
Betancourt, A. J., Presgraves, D. C., & Swanson, W. J. (2002). A test for faster X evolution in <i>Drosophila</i>. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 19(10), 1816-1819. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a004006
2001
Haldane's sieve and adaptation from the standing genetic variation
Orr, H. A., & Betancourt, A. J. (2001). Haldane's sieve and adaptation from the standing genetic variation. GENETICS, 157(2), 875-884. Retrieved from https://www.webofscience.com/
1999
Is the fast/slow allozyme variation at the <i>Adh</i> locus of <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> an ancient balanced polymorphism?
Begun, D. J., Betancourt, A. J., Langley, C. H., & Stephan, W. (1999). Is the fast/slow allozyme variation at the <i>Adh</i> locus of <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> an ancient balanced polymorphism?. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 16(12), 1816-1819. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a026095