Publications
59. Mc Cartney, A. M., Formenti, G., Mouton, A., ... Backström, N., ..., Waterhouse, R., Ciofi, C., and Mazzoni, C. (167 co-authors). 2023. The European Reference Genome Atlas: piloting a decentralised approach to equitable biodiversity genomics. [PCI Genomics Submitted]
58. Näsvall, K., Boman, J., Höök, L., Vila, R., Wiklund, C., and Backström, N. 2023. Nascent evolution of recombination rate differences as a consequence of chromosomal rearrangements. PLOS Genetics 19: e1010717.
Link to open access article: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1010717
Link to preprint on BioRxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.27.534312v1
57. Näsvall, K., Shipilina, D., Vila, R., Talavera, G., and Backström, N. 2023. Resource availability affects activity profiles of regulatory elements in a long-distance butterfly migrant. Molecular Ecology [In Revision]
Link to preprint in Authorea: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.167827909.99815237/v1
56. Näsvall, K., Boman, J., Talla, V., and Backström, N. 2023. Base composition, codon usage and patterns of gene sequence evolution in butterflies. Genome Biology and Evolution 15: evad150.
Link to open access article: https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evad150
55. Wheatcroft, D., Backström, N., Dutoit, L., McFarlane, S. E., Mugal, C. F., Wang, M., Ålund, M., Ellegren, H., and Qvarnström, A. 2023. Divergence in gene expression in the brains of two closely related songbird species and their hybrids is limited to a few genes involved in neuro-plasticity. [G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, Submitted]
54. Boman, J., Zhu, Y., Höök, L., Vila, R., Talavera, G., and Backström, N. 2023. Environmental stress during larval development induces head methylome profile shifts in the migratory painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly. Molecular Ecology 32: 3513-3523.
Open access version: https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16957
BioRxiv link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.10.515964v1
53. Palahí i Torres, A., Höök, L., Näsvall, K., Shipilina, D., Wiklund, C., Vila, R., Pruisscher, P., and Backström, N. 2023. The fine-scale recombination rate variation and associations with genomic features in a butterfly. Genome Research 33: 810-823.
Open access pdf: https://genome.cshlp.org/content/early/2023/06/12/gr.277414.122.full.pdf+html
BioRxiv link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.02.514807v1.full.pdf
52. Höök, L.*, Näsvall, K.*, Wiklund, C., Vila, R., and Backström, N. 2023. High-density linkage maps and chromosome level genome assemblies unveil direction and frequency of extensive structural rearrangements in wood white butterflies (Leptidea sp.). Chromosome Research 31: 2.
* = Equal author contributions.
Open access version: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10577-023-09713-z
BioRxiv link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.10.510802v1.full
51. Talla, V., Mrazek, V., Höglund, J., and Backström, N. 2023. Whole genome re-sequencing uncovers significant population structure and low genetic diversity in the endangered clouded apollo (Parnasssius mnemosyne) in Sweden. Conservation Genetics 24: 305–314.
Link to paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10592-023-01502-9
50. Shipilina, D.*, Näsvall, K.*, Höök, L., Vila, R., Talavera, G., and Backström, N. 2022. Linkage mapping and genome annotation give novel insights into gene family expansions and regional recombination rate variation in the painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly. Genomics 114: 110481.
* = Equal author contributions.
Biorxiv link: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.14.488360
49. Garcia-Berro, A., Talla, V., Vila, R., Kar, W. H., Chan, K.-G., Pierce, N. E., Backström, N., and Talavera, G. 2023. Migratory behavior is positively associated with genetic diversity in butterflies. Molecular Ecology 32: 560-574.
BioRxiv link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.21.496610v1.full
48. Lohse, K., Höök, L., Näsvall, N., Backström, N., Darwin Tree of Life. 2022. The genome sequence of the wood white butterfly, Leptidea sinapis [Linnaeus 1758]. Welcome Open Research 7: 254 (https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18118.1).
47. Höglund, J., och Backström, N. 2022. DNA-analys visar låg genetisk diversitet och betydande populationsstruktur hos mnemosynefjäril (Parnassius mnemosyne) i Sverige. Svensk Dagfjärilsövervakning. Annual Report 2021.
Link to report: https://www.dagfjarilar.lu.se/sites/default/files/public/pdf/sebms_2021_korrektur.pdf
46. Mrazek, V., Talla, V., Höglund, J., och Backström, N. 2022. En populationsgenomisk undersökning av mnemosynefjäril (Parnassius mnemosyne) i Sverige. Länsstyrelsen Blekinge. Rapport # 2022.
45. Boman, J., Mugal, C., and Backström, N. 2021. The effects of GC-biased gene conversion on patterns of genetic diversity among and across butterfly genomes. Genome Biology and Evolution 13: evab064.
BioRxiv link to preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.10.376566v1
44. Näsvall, K., Wiklund, C., Mrazek, V., Künstner, A., Talla, V., Busch, H., Vila, R., and Backström, N. 2021. Host plant diet affects growth and induces altered gene expression and microbiome composition in the wood white (Leptidea sinapis) butterfly. Molecular Ecology 30: 499-516.
43. Mugal, C. F., Wang, M., Backström, N., Wheatcroft, D., Ålund, M., Sémon, M., McFarlane, E. S., Dutoit, L., Qvarnström, A. and Ellegren, H. 2020. Tissue-specific patterns of regulatory changes underlying gene expression differences among Ficedula flycatchers and their naturally-occurring F1 hybrids. Genome Research 30: 1727-1739.
42. Talla, V., Soler, L., Kawakami, T., Dincă, V., Vila, R., Friberg, M., Wiklund, C., and Backström, N. 2019. Dissecting the effects of selection and mutation on genetic diversity in three wood white (Leptidea sp.) species. Genome Biology and Evolution 11: 2875–2886.
41. Höök, L., Leal, L., Talla, V., and Backström, N. 2019. Multilayered tuning of dosage compensation and Z-chromosome masculinization in the wood white (Leptidea sinapis) butterfly. Genome Biology and Evolution 11: 2633-2652.
40. Talla, V., Johansson, A., Dincă, V., Vila, R., Friberg, M., Wiklund, C., and Backström, N. 2019. Lack of gene flow: narrow and dispersed differentiation islands in a triplet of Leptidea species. Molecular Ecology 28: 3756-3770.
See an interview with authors in the molecular ecology blog: https://molecularecologyblog.com/
39. Leal, L., Talla, V., Källman, T., Friberg, M., Wiklund, C., Dincă, V., Vila, R., and Backström, N. 2018. Gene expression profiling across ontogenetic stages in wood white (Leptidea sinapis) reveals pathways linked to butterfly diapause regulation. Molecular Ecology 27: 935-948.
38. Talla, V., Kalsoom, F., Shipilina, D., Marova, I., and Backström, N. 2017. Heterogeneous patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in European and Siberian chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita abietinus / P. tristis). G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 7: 3983-3998. Cover of Journal Issue December 2017:
37. Talla, V., Suh, A., Kalsoom, F., Dincă, V., Vila, R., Friberg, M., Wiklund, C., and Backström, N. 2017. Rapid increase in genome size as a consequence of transposable element hyperactivity in wood-white (Leptidea) butterflies. Genome Biology and Evolution 9: 2491-2505.
36. Shipilina, D., Serbyn, M., Ivanitskii, V., Marova, I. M., and Backström, N. 2017. Patterns of genetic, phenotypic and acoustic variation across a chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita abietinus/tristis) hybrid zone. Ecology & Evolution 7: 2169–2180.
35. Knief, U., Schielzeth, H., Backström, N., Hemmrich-Stanisak, G., Wittig, M., Franke, A., Griffith, S., Ellegren, H., Kempenaers, B., and Forstmeier, W. 2017. Association mapping of morphological traits in wild and captive zebra finches: reliable within but not between populations. Molecular Ecology 26: 1285–1305.
34. Uebbing, S., Künstner, A., Mäkinen, H., Backström, N., Bolivar, P., Burri, R., Dutoit, L., Mugal, C. F., Nater, A., Aken, B., Flicek, P., Martin, F. J., Searle, S. M. J., and Ellegren, H. 2016. Divergence in gene expression within and between two closely related flycatcher species. Molecular Ecology 25: 2015-2028.
33. Dincă, V., Backström, N., Dapporto, L., Friberg, M., Garcia-Barros, E., Hebert, P. D. N., Hernandez-Roldan, J. Hornett, E., Lukhtanov, V., Marec, F., Montagud, S., Munguira, M. L., Olofsson, M., Sichova, J., Talavera, G., Vicente-Arranz, J. C., Vila, R., and Wiklund, C. 2015. DNA barcodes highlight unique research models in European butterflies. Genome: 58: e163.32.
32. Uebbing, S., Konzer, A., Xu, L., Backström, N., Brunström, B., Bergqvist, J., and Ellegren, H. 2015. Quantitative mass spectrometry reveals partial translational regulation for dosage compensation in chicken. Molecular Biology and Evolution 32: 2716-2725.
31. Romanov, M. N., Farre, M., Lithgow, P. E., Fowler, K. E., Skinner, B. M., O'Connor, R., Fonseka, G., Backström, N., Matsuda, Y., Nishida, C., Houde, P., Jarvis, E. D., Ellegren, H., Burt, D. W., Larkin, D. M., and Griffin, D. K. 2014. Reconstruction of gross avian genome structure, organization and evolution suggests that the chicken lineage most closely resembles the dinosaur avian ancestor. BMC Genomics 15: e1060
30. Zhang, Q., Hill, G. E., Edwards, S. V., and Backström, N. 2014. A house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) spleen transcriptome reveals intra- and interspecific patterns of gene expression, alternative splicing and genetic diversity in passerines. BMC Genomics 15: 305.
29. Backström, N. 2014. Adaptive evolution in passerine birds. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences July-2014.
28. Kawakami, T., Smeds, L., Backström, N., Husby, A., Qvarnström, A., Mugal, C., Olason, P. I., and Ellegren, H. 2014. A high-density linkage map enables a second-generation collared flycatcher genome assembly and reveals the patterns of avian recombination rate variation and chromosomal evolution. Molecular Ecology 23: 4035-4058.
27. Kawakami, T., Backström, N., Burri, R., Husby, A., Olason, P., Rice, A., Ålund, M., Qvarnström, A., and Ellegren, H. 2014. Estimation of linkage disequilibrium and interspecific gene flow in Ficedula flycatchers by a newly developed 50k SNP array. Molecular Ecology Resources 14: 1248-1260.
26. Zhang, Q., and Backström, N. 2014. Assembly errors cause false tandem duplicate regions in the chicken (Gallus gallus) genome sequence. Chromosoma 123: 165-168.
25. Zhang, L.,An, B., Backström, N., Ruan, L., Liu, N. 2014. Phylogeography based delimitation of subspecies boundaries in the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). Biochemical Genetics 52: 38-51.
24. Brandariz-Fontes, C., Leonard, J. A., Vega-Pla, J. L., Backström, N., Lindgren, G., Lippold, S., and Rico, C. 2013. Y-chromosome analysis in Retuertas horses. PloSONE 8: e64985.
23. Backström, N., Zhang, Q., and Edwards, S. V. 2013. Evidence from a house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) spleen transcriptome for adaptive evolution and biased gene conversion in passerine birds. Molecular Biology and Evolution 30: 1046-1050.
22. Backström, N., Shipilina, D., Blom, M., and Edwards, S. V. 2013. Cis-regulatory sequence variation and association with Mycoplasma load in natural populations of the house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus). Ecology & Evolution 3: 655-666.
21. Backström, N., Sætre, G.-P., and Ellegren, H. 2013. Inferring the demographic history of European Ficedula flycatcher populations. BMC Evolutionary Biology 13: 2.
20. Ellegren, H., Smeds, L., Burri, R., Olason, P. I., Backström, N., Kawakami, T., Künstner, A., Mäkinen, H., Nadachowska-Brzyska, K., Qvarnström, A., Uebbing, S., and Wolf, J. B. W. 2012. The genomic architecture of species divergence in Ficedula flycatchers. Nature 491: 756–760
19. Campbell-Staton, S., Goodman, R., Backström, N., Edwards, S. V., Losos, J., and Kolbe, J. 2012. Out of Florida: mtDNA reveals Pleistocene migration and post-glacial range expansion of the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis). Ecology & Evolution ece3.324.
18. Backström, N., and Väli, U. 2011. Sex- and species biased gene flow in a spotted eagle hybrid zone. BMC Evolutionary Biology 11: 100.
17. Ruan, L., An, B., Backström, N., Luo, H., Wen, L., Zhang, L., and Liu, N. 2010. Phylogeographic structure and gene flow of the Himalayan snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis). Animal Biology 60: 449-465.
16. Backström, N., Lindell, J., Palkopoulou, E., Zhang, Y., Qvarnström, A., Sætre, G.-P., and Ellegren, H. 2010. A high-density scan of the Z-chromosome in Ficedula flycatchers reveals candidate loci for diversifying selection and speciation. Evolution 64: 3461-3475.
15. Backström, N., Palkopoulou, E., Qvarnström, A., and Ellegren, H. 2010. No evidence for Z-chromosome rearrangements between the pied flycatcher and the collared flycatcher as judged by gene-based comparative genetic maps. Molecular Ecology 19: 3394-3405.
14. Völker, M., Backström, N., Skinner, B. M., Langley, E. J., Bunzey, S. K., Ellegren, H., and Griffin, D. K. 2010. Copy number variation, chromosome rearrangement and recombination during avian evolution. Genome Research 20: 503-511.
13. Nam, K., Mugal, C., Nabholz, B., Schielzeth, H., Wolf, J. B. W., Backström, N., Künstner, A., Balakrishan, C. N., Heger, A., Ponting, C., Clayton, D. F., and Ellegren, H. 2010. Molecular evolution of genes in avian genomes. Genome Biology 11: R68.
12. Wolf, J. B. W., Lindell, J., and Backström, N., 2010. Speciation genetics: current status and evolving approaches (Review). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 365: 1717-1733.
11. Backström, N., Forstmeier, W., Schielzeth, H., Mellenius, H., Nam, K., Bolund, E., Webster, M. T., Öst, T., Schneider, M., Kempenaers, B., and Ellegren, H. 2010. The recombination landscape of the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata genome. Genome Research 20: 485-495.
10. International Zebra Finch Genome Sequencing Consortium. 2010. The genome of a songbird. Nature 464: 757-762.
09. Künstner, A., Wolf, J. B. W., Backström, N., Whitney, O.,Balakrishnan, C. N., Day, L., Edwards, S. V., Janes, D. E., Schlinger, B. A., Wilson, R. K., Jarvis, E., Warren, W. E., and Ellegren, H. 2009. Comparative genomics based on massive parallel transcriptome sequencing reveals patterns of substitution and selection across 10 bird species. Molecular Ecology 19: 266-276.
08. Backström, N., Karaiskou, N., Leder, E. H., Gustafsson, L., Primmer, C., Qvarnström, A., and Ellegren, H. 2008. A gene-based genetic linkage map of the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) reveals extensive synteny and gene order conservation during 100 million years of avian evolution. Genetics 179: 1479-1495.
07. Backström, N., Fagerberg, S., and Ellegren, H. 2007. Genomics of natural bird populations: a gene-based set of reference markers evenly spread across the avian genome. Molecular Ecology 17: 964-980.
06. Backström, N., Brandström, M., Gustafsson, L., Qvarnström, A., Cheng, H., and Ellegren, H. 2006. Genetic mapping in a natural population of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis): conserved synteny but gene order rearrangements on the avian Z chromosome. Genetics 174: 377-386.
05. Backström, N., Gustafsson, L., Qvarnström, A., and Ellegren, H. 2006. Levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in a wild bird population. Biology Letters 2: 435-438.
04. Berlin, S., Brandström, M., Backström, N., Axelsson, E., Smith, N.G.C., and Ellegren, H. 2006. Substitution rate heterogeneity and the male mutation bias. Journal of Molecular Evolution 62: 226-233.
03. Backström, N., Ceplitis, H., Berlin, S., & Ellegren, H. 2005. Gene conversion drives the evolution of HINTW, an ampliconic gene on the female-specific avian W chromosome. Molecular Biology and Evolution 22: 1992-1999.
02. International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium. 2004. Sequencing and comparative analysis of the chicken genome. Nature 432: 695-716.
01. Lindgren, G., Backström, N., Swinburne, J., Hellborg, L., Einarsson, A., Sandberg, K., Vilà, C., Binns, M. & Ellegren, H. 2004. Limited number of patrilines in horse domestication. Nature Genetics 36: 335-336.
