Birds, the most species‐rich monophyletic group of land vertebrates, have been subject to
some of the most intense sequencing efforts to date, making them an ideal case study for …

Adaptation to a wide range of pathogenic environments is a major aspect of the ecological
adaptations of vertebrates during evolution. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are ancient …

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key sensor molecules in vertebrates triggering initial phases of
immune responses to pathogens. The avian TLR family typically consists of ten receptors …

Major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) genes are believed to play a key role in the genetic
basis of disease control. Although numerous studies have sought links between Mhc and …

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of conserved pattern-recognition molecules
responsible for initiating innate and acquired immune responses. Because they play a key …

During population establishment, genetic drift can be the key driver of changes in genetic
diversity, particularly while the population is small. However, natural selection can also play …

Introduced vector-borne diseases, particularly avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) and
avian pox virus (Avipoxvirus spp.), continue to play significant roles in the decline and …

Conservation biology has had a long-standing debate about the relative importance of
genetic processes in increasing the risk of extinction in threatened species. We assume that …

The anthropogenic impact on wildlife is ever increasing. With shrinking habitats, wild
populations are being pushed to co-exist in proximity to humans leading to an increased …

The vertebrate toll-like receptor (TLRs) supergene family is a first-line immune defense
against viral and non-viral pathogens. Here, comparative evolutionary-genomics of 79 …