Michael Nelson

Feb 28, 2025 | nature.com | Michael Nelson |David Talavera

Coevolution within proteins occurs when changes in one position affect the selective pressure in another position to preserve the protein structure or function. The identification of coevolving positions within proteins remains contentious, with most methods disregarding the phylogenetic information. Here, we present a time-efficient approach for detecting coevolving pairs, which is almost perfect in terms of precision and specificity. It is based on maximum parsimony-based ancestral reconstruction followed by the identification of pairs with a depletion on separate changes when compared to their number of concurrent changes. Our analysis of a previously characterised biological dataset shows that the coevolving pairs that we identified tend to be close in the protein sequence and structure, slightly less solvent exposed and have a higher mutation rate. We also show how the ancestral reconstruction can be used to detect favourable and unfavourable amino acid combinations. Altogether, we demonstrate how this approach is essential for identifying pairs of positions with weak covariation patterns. A phylogenetic approach for detecting coevolving pairs via maximum parsimony-based ancestral reconstruction followed by regression analysis of separate and concurrent changes.

Apr 6, 2024 | galesburgreporter.com | Michael Nelson

As we approach the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, a review of the 2020 voting patterns in Central City of Monmouth: Precinct Monmouth 3 can provide valuable insights. In the contest between Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden, 360 of the 477 residents cast their ballots, resulting in a 75.5% turnout, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Jan 26, 2024 | duluthnewstribune.com | Michael Nelson

In 1974, I joined L. David Mech’s U.S. Interior Department wolf study in Ely, which he had started in 1968. I was a graduate student conducting deer research to complement wolf research, which began my 36-year career capturing and radio tracking wolves and deer in the Superior National Forest. That first winter, I attended a deer hunters’ meeting in International Falls. Disappointed hunters voiced that the “infestation of wolves killing deer” was a problem that needed a solution.

Sep 14, 2023 | nature.com | Christopher Schmied |Michael Nelson |Sergiy Avilov |Gert-Jan Bakker |Cristina Bertocchi |Johanna Bischof | +39 more

AbstractImages document scientific discoveries and are prevalent in modern biomedical research. Microscopy imaging in particular is currently undergoing rapid technological advancements. However, for scientists wishing to publish obtained images and image-analysis results, there are currently no unified guidelines for best practices. Consequently, microscopy images and image data in publications may be unclear or difficult to interpret.