This extensive paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the ancestry and evolution of the extinct dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus), utilizing paleogenome analyses of two well-preserved specimens. The findings reveal that the dire wolf lineage arose from an admixture of two distinct ancestral lineages, one close to South American canids and another sister to the clade that includes the gray wolf, coyote, and dole. The study also identified genes that experienced diversifying selection in the dire wolf, possibly related to its large size and unique reproductive biology. Furthermore, an iterative methodology is described for reconstructing ancient paleogenomes, mitigating the reference bias inherent when working with degraded DNA and diverged species. Overall, the research clarifies the phylogenetic position of the dire wolf within the family Canidae and underscores the importance of post-speciation gene flow in canid evolution.

The study investigated the molecular basis of the convergent evolution of the chamber eye between octopuses and humans through comparative gene expression analysis. The researchers identified a significant number of genes commonly expressed in the eyes of both species, despite their independent evolution. Furthermore, they determined that a large proportion of these common genes existed in the common ancestor of bilaterians, suggesting that similarity in ancestral gene expression may be critical for the convergence of the chamber eye.

Ogura, A., Ikeo, K., & Gojobori, T. (2004). Comparative Analysis of Gene Expression for Convergent Evolution of Camera Eye Between Octopus and Human. Genome Research, 14(8), 1555-1561. https://doi.org/10.1101/gr.2268104

In this groundbreaking paper, Stanley B. Prusiner presents evidence that the causative agent of scrapie, a neurodegenerative disease in sheep and goats, is an infectious protein particle, which he calls a "prion." The resistance of the prion to procedures that modify nucleic acids, its heterogeneity in size and charge, and its partial purification are described. The hypothetical mechanisms of prion replication are discussed, considering the possibility that it lacks nucleic acid, and its possible involvement in other human neurodegenerative diseases is explored. The research proposes a new model for infectious agents, challenging the central dogma of molecular biology. Finally, the implications of understanding the structure and replication of prions for medicine are highlighted.

Prusiner, S. B. (1982). Novel proteinaceous infectious particles cause scrapie. Science, 216(4542), 136-144.