Comparative Genomics (Vertebrates) Bonn

Our task

The comparative analysis of genomes and transcriptomes is establishing itself as an elementary component of biodiversity research. New sequencing technologies as well as developments in analysis methods and algorithms enable us to analyze samples from collections and the environment, especially from non-model organisms, as well as entire populations.

The Comparative Genomics Section at the zmb analyzes biodiversity in an evolutionary context in an attempt to better understand phenotypic and genomic changes within vertebrates.

Linking genotype and phenotype

Dr. Astrid Böhne represents this section with outstanding expertise in the areas of de novo sequencing and assembly as well as comparative genome-wide analyses.
The focus of this section is on the genomic architecture of phenotypic novelties and adaptive traits as well as speciation processes.

Projects in the Comparative Genomics Section deal in detail with population dynamics, speciation, gene flow, hybridization, adaptation and conflicts between the sexes, especially in fish.

Biodiversity

We are interested in the origin, interaction and distribution of new species and focus in particular on extremely successful animal groups that are part of speciation hotspots and (adaptive) radiations but also invasive and hybridizing species to understand drivers and threats of biodiversity genomically.

Genome research at the zmb collaborates intensively with scientists from the sections Bioinformatic Genomics and Phylogenomics.

Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne

Head of Section

Phone: +49 228 9122 365
E-Mail: a.boehne@leibniz-lib.de

Projects

All projects

SynSex - Sexual selection and conflict in Syngnathidae
Management: Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne
BIGFOOT - BIodiversity decline's Genomic FOOTprint
Management: Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne
ColLomic
Management: Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne
ERGA - The European Reference Genome Atlas
Management: Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne
BGE - Biodiversity Genomics Europe
Management: Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne
Sex chromosomes in cichlids
Management: Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne

Publications

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2026

2026/06
Tünde Nyíri, V., Sramkó, G., Cserkész, T., Szatmári, L., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Marcussen, T., Oomen, R.A., Struck, T.H., Melo-Ferreira, J., Pimenta, J., Gut, M., Aguilera, L., Câmara Ferreira, F., Cruz, F., Gómez-Garrido, J., Alioto, T.S., Martin, F., Sinha, S., Haggerty, L., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of the European hamster (Cricetuscricetus), an IUCN critically endangered species of the Eurasian steppe
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/06
Manousaki, T., Dendrinos, P., Vasileiadou, K., Sarropoulou, X., Tsigenopoulos, C.S., Dailianis, T., Tounta, E., Vogiatzis, N., Komnenou, A., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Fernández, R., Escudero, N., Bunikis, I., Tellgren-Roth, C., Mosbech, M., Dias, G.B., Vinnere Pettersson, O., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachusmonachus), an IUCN Vulnerable species
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/05
Bolanakis, G., Karakasi, D., Bitzilekis, E., Stratakis, M., Trichas, A., Lymberakis, P., Poulakakis, N., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Fernández, R., Escudero, N., Genoscope Sequencing Team, ., Moussy, A., Cruaud, C., Labadie, K., Demirdjian, L., Téodori, E., Wincker, P., H. Oliveira, P., Aury, J., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE genome of Dailognathaquadricollis, an East Mediterranean darkling beetle
Open Research Europe, 5
2026/05
Struck, T.H., Marcussen, T., Böhne, A., Fernández, R., Melo-Ferreira, J., Florent, I., Gissi, C., de Guttry, C., Leonard, J.A., McTaggart, S., Mazzoni, C.J., Monteiro, R., Vinnere Pettersson, O., Pimenta, J., Pohjoismäki, J., Reichel, K., Tarieiev, A., Oomen, R.A.
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An automated decision-making procedure for ranking and selecting species in biodiversity projects
npj Biodiversity
2026/05
De Keyzer, E.L.R., Herder, F., Böhne, A., Campuzano Jiménez, F., Burskaia, V., Kukowka, S., Tracey, A., Denton, A., Oatley, G., Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life, p., Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations, D.P.c., Tree of Life, C.I.c., Mokodongan, D.F., Wowor, D., Svardal, H.
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Ancient and recent riverine gene flow contributed to the adaptive radiation of sailfin silversides in Wallace's Dreampond
Molecular Ecology
2026/05
Taboada, S., Gracia-Sancha, C., Galià-Camps, C., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Marcussen, T., Oomen, R.A., Struck, T.H., Gut, M., Aguilera, L., Câmara Ferreira, F., Cruz, F., Gómez-Garrido, J., Alioto, T.S., Martin, F., Lazar, A., Haggerty, L., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of Xylophaga dorsalis - a common deep-sea wood-boring bivalve with Atlantic-Mediterranean distribution
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/04
Maurstad, M.F., Kusy, D., Undheim, E.A.B., Jakobsen, K.S., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Marcussen, T., Struck, T.H., Oomen, R.A., Bunikis, I., Tellgren-Roth, C., Heintz, J., Häggqvist, S., Jonsäll, L., Lager, N., Larva, T., Mosbech, M., Pippel, M., Vinnere Pettersson, O., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of Osmylusfulvicephalus, the giant stream lacewing, Europe's representative of the family Osmylidae
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/04
Georgakakis, P., Karakasi, D., Lymberakis, P., Papadimitrakis, M., Stratakis, M., Bitzilekis, E., Poulakakis, N., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Fernández, R., Escudero, N., Genoscope Sequencing Team, ., Moussy, A., Cruaud, C., Labadie, K., Demirdjian, L., Mangenot, S., Belser, C., Wincker, P., Oliveira, P.H., Aury, J., Haggerty, L., Sinha, S., Martin, F., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of the forest-restricted Cretan subspecies of Hanak's bat (Pipistrellus hanaki creticus), an IUCN Vulnerable species
Open Research Europe, 5
2026/03
Schlebusch, S.A., Trifonov, V., Halenková, Z., Klianitskaya, M., Dedukh, D., Ruiz-Herrera, A., Álvarez-González, L., Pujol, G., Hřibová, E., Andjel, L., Bartoš, O., Pajer, P., Tichopád, T., Kulik, D., Kotusz, J., Kaštánková Doležálková, M., Böhne, A., Marta, A., Horna, P., Reifová, R., Guiguen, Y., Kuhl, H., Pačes, J., Janko, K.
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Sex chromosome turnover and structural genome divergence shapes meiotic outcomes in hybridising Cobitis
Gigascience
2026/03
Kozel, P., Bončina, A., Bužan, E., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Fernández, R., Escudero, N., Gut, M., Aguilera, L., Câmara Ferreira, F., Cruz, F., Gómez-Garrido, J., Alioto, T.S., Martin, F., Paola Barrera Enriquez, V., Haggerty, L., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE genome of Leiobunumsubalpinum - a montane-subalpine harvestman species endemic to the eastern Alps
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/03
Salces-Ortiz, J., Eleftheriadi, K., Fernandez-Álvarez, F.Á., Fernández, R., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Marcussen, T., H. Struck, T., A. Oomen, R., Gut, M., Aguilera, L., Câmara Ferreira, F., Cruz, F., Gómez-Garrido, J., S. Alioto, T., Martin, F., Lazar, A., Haggerty, L., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of Phorcus turbinatus - a water quality biomarker and species distributed along the Mediterranean coast
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/03
Heil, K., Alioto, T., Böhne, A., Brown, T., Chadwick, E., Chua, P., de Guttry, C., De Panis, D., Goble, C., Gut, I., Gut, M., Juty, N., McTaggart, S., Najera-Cortazar, L., Paupério, J., Rewicz, T., Shaw, F., Soiland-Reyes, S., Waterhouse, R., Woollard, P., Vos, R.
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Integrating the biodiversity genomics continuum: harmonising data from barcodes to reference genomes
Research Ideas and Outcomes, 12
2026/03
Lopes, R.J., Böhne, A., Marcussen, T., Oomen, R.A., Struck, T.H., Aguilera, L., Gut, M., Câmara Ferreira, F., Cruz, F., Gómez-Garrido, J., Alioto, T.S., Monteiro, R.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of the Azores Bullfinch - Pyrrhula murina Godman, 1866: an IUCN vulnerable species endemic to a single island in the Azores Archipelago (Portugal)
Open Research Europe, 5
2026/03
Vasileiadou, K., Manousaki, T., Böhne, A., Fernández, R., Escudero, N., Genoscope Sequencing Team, ., Moussy, A., Cruaud, C., Labadie, K., Demirdjian, L., Istace, B., Couloux, A., Wincker, P., H. Oliveira, P., Aury, J., Monteiro, R.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of Diadema setosum: the Black Longspine Urchin invading the Mediterranean sea
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/02
Koureas, D., Beja, P., Blaxter, M., Böhne, A., Bourlat, S., Ekrem, T., Emerson, B., Heil, K., Melo-Ferreira, J., Price, B., Vos, R., Addink, W., Alioto, T., Aravanopoulos, F., Astrin, J., Aury, J., Barnes, I., Bruschini, C., Buzan, E., Cochrane, G., Cserkész, T., Dailianis, T., Duijm, E., Dunshea, G., Fernández, R., Ferreira, S., Formenti, G., Fratini, S., Gkagkavouzis, K., Goble, C., Grabowski, M., Grüning, B., Gut, I., Gut, M., Harrison, P., Hausmann, A., Höglund, J., Iacolina, L., Iannucci, A., Jakobsen, K., Kõljalg, U., Lantz, H., Lewin, H., Macher, J., Manousaki, T., Martin, F., Mengual, X., Oliveira, P., Oomen, R., Raupach, M., Riesgo, A., Roest Crollius, H., Somogyi, A., Struck, T., Svardal, H., Tooming-Klunderud, A., Triantafyllidis, A., Vinnere Pettersson, O., Wagner, M., Wincker, P., Yan, N., Alonso, J., Casino, A., Ciofi, C., Daňková, G., Hollingsworth, P., Lawniczak, M., Mazzoni, C., Waterhouse, R.
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Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) Project – Abridged Grant Proposal
Research Ideas and Outcomes, 12
2026/02
Oriowo, T.O., Smith, S., Thormann, J., Sternberg, N., Böhne, A., Stange, M.
Show more...
Different sex determination systems in two closely related Eurasian minnow (Phoxinus) species
Heredity
2026/02
Fraser, B., Gasparini, C., Santi, F., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Marcussen, T., Oomen, R.A., Struck, T.H., Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory Team, ., Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations, ., Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics Team, ., Denton, A., Howard, C., Howe, K., Blaxter, M., McCarthy, S., Wood, J.M.D., Martin, F., Sinha, S., Haggerty, L., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of Gambusiaholbrooki, a globally invasive freshwater fish
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/02
Antaloudaki, E., Karakasi, D., Stratakis, M., Bitzilekis, E., Lymberakis, P., Poulakakis, N., Manousaki, T., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Fernández, R., Escudero, N., Genoscope Sequencing Team, ., Moussy, A., Cruaud, C., Labadie, K., Demirdjian, L., Wincker, P., Oliveira, P.H., Aury, J., Martin, F., Barrera Enriquez, V.P., Haggerty, L., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of Carlina diae, an endemic spineless thistle of Crete, Greece
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/01
Schwarzer, J., Schüller, A., Möhring, J., Spanke, T., Nolte, A., Herder, F.
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Recommendation of scientific fish husbandry: Sulawesi ricefishes (Beloniformes, Adrianichthyidae)
Bulletin of Fish Biology, 1, 21
2026/01
Novo, M., Marchán, D.F., Gérard, S., Navarro, A.M., Monteiro, R., Böhne, A., Marcussen, T., Struck, T.H., Oomen, R.A., Aguilera, L., Gut, M., Ferreira, F.C., Gómez-Garrido, J., Cruz, F., Alioto, T., Lazar, A., Haggerty, L., Martin, F., Brown, T.
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ERGA-BGE Genome of Ailoscolex lacteospumosus Bouché, 1969 – the enigmatic milky worm endemic to the Pyrenees
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/01
Karakasi, D., Vardinoyannis, K., Bolanakis, G., Bitzilekis, E., Stratakis, M., Lymberakis, P., Poulakakis, N., Monteiro, R., Böhne, A., Fernández, R., Escudero, N., Genoscope Sequencing Team, ., Moussy, A., Cruaud, C., Labadie, K., Demirdjian, L., N’dar, A., Tricomi, F.F., Haggerty, L., Martin, F., Wincker, P., Oliveira, P.H., Aury, J., Brown, T.
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ERGA-BGE genome of Albinariateres (Olivier, 1801): a rock-dwelling land snail endemic to the island of Crete, Greece
Open Research Europe, 6
2026/01
Reichel, K., Pohjoismäki, J., Astrin, J., Böhne, A., Bortoluzzi, C., Bužan, E., del Campo, J., Ciofi, C., Di Nizo, C., Divakar, P.K., Greve, C., Hampl, V., Hilgers, L., Laine, V.N., Leonard, J.A., Lozano-Fernandez, J., Lukić Bilela, L., Mazzoni, C.J., McCartney, A.M., Melo-Ferreira, J., Monteiro, R., Oomen, R.A., Pavlek, M., Pimenta, J., Rindos, M., Seehausen, O., Tarieiev, A., Tomasello, S., Vinnere Pettersson, O., Waterhouse, R.M., Weber, A.A.-T., Zinenko, O., de Guttry, C.
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From permits to samples: Addressing key challenges for high-quality reference genome generation in Europe
Molecular Ecology resources, 2, 26
2026/01
Brito, J., Vargas, R., Tinoco, N., García, R., Carrión-Olmedo, J.C., Koch, C., Wistuba, R., Nivelo-Villavicencio, C., Pardiñas, U.F.J.
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Mountains of diversity: a systematic revision of the Andean rodent genus Oreoryzomys (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae)
PeerJ, 14
2026/01
Vila Taboada, M., Torrado-Blanco, L., Ryrholm, N., Romero-Pedreira, D., Conejero, M., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Marcussen, T., A. Oomen, R., H. Struck, T., Aguilera, L., Gut, M., Câmara Ferreira, F., Cruz, F., Gómez-Garrido, J., S. Alioto, T., Haggerty, L., Martin, F., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE genome of Erebia palarica Chapman, 1905: a montane butterfly endemic to North-West Spain
Open Research Europe, 6

2025

2025/12
Manzano-Marín, A., Böhne, A., Monteiro, R., Marcussen, T., Struck, T.H., Oomen, R.A., Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory Team, ., Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations, ., Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics Team, ., Howard, C., Howe, K., Blaxter, M., McCarthy, S., Wood, J.M.D., Martin, F., Lazar, A., Haggerty, L., Bortoluzzi, C.
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ERGA-BGE reference genome of Hirudoverbana, a once neglected freshwater haematophagous European medicinal leech
Open Research Europe, 5

Employees

All employees

MSc Aryadevi Anitha Shaji
zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates Doctoral candidate
Phone: +49 228 9122 407
E-mail: a.shaji@leibniz-lib.de
Dr. habil. Astrid Böhne
zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates Scientist
Phone: +49 228 9122 365
E-mail: a.boehne@leibniz-lib.de
MSc Ioannis Chrysostomakis
zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates Doctoral candidate
E-mail: i.chrysostomakis@leibniz-lib.de
MSc Kevin Hsiung
zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates Doctoral candidate
Phone: +49 228 9122 369
E-mail: k.hsiung@leibniz-lib.de
Sandra Kukowka
zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates
Phone: +49 228 9122 343
E-mail: s.kukowka@leibniz-lib.de
Jan Möhring
ztm zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates Ichthyology Bonn Doctoral candidate
Phone: +49 228 9122 431
E-mail: j.moehring@leibniz-lib.de
MSc Sophie Smith
zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates Doctoral candidate
Phone: +49 228 9122 369
E-mail: s.smith@leibniz-lib.de
Dr. Rita Mafalda Soares Monteiro
zmb Comparative Genomics - Vertebrates Scientist
Phone: +49 228 9122 369
E-mail: r.monteiro@leibniz-lib.de

Our task

Linking genotype and phenotype

Biodiversity

Contact person

Projects

Publications

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2026

2026/06

2026/06

2026/05

2026/05

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2026/03

2026/03

2026/03

2026/02

2026/02

2026/02

2026/02

2026/01

2026/01

2026/01

2026/01

2026/01

2026/01

2025

2025/12

Employees