Ancient DNA, modern tools.
In a groundbreaking study spanning 43,000 years of domesticated animal history, researchers used our myBaits RNA baits to recover mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal haplotypes from horses, goats, dogs, and more. From sediments to coprolites, these ancient samples reveal powerful insights into domestication and evolution.

This study revealed how human-HPV hybrid ecDNA enhancers drive tumor growth in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer—and how they can be disrupted. Using Daicel Arbor’s HPV16 FISH probes, researchers visualized these structures and identified new therapeutic targets to suppress ecDNA-driven tumors.

Fiji’s iguanas took the ultimate ocean voyage — and genomics proves it.

This study in PNAS, revealed that Fijian iguanas rafted over 8,000 km across the Pacific from North America — the longest transoceanic dispersal ever recorded for a terrestrial vertebrate.

To uncover this wild journey, researchers used genome-wide exon and ultraconserved element (UCE) data, enriched with help from Daicel Arbor Biosciences.

Their findings not only trace the iguanas’ ancestry to the North American desert iguana, but also highlight how rare founder-event speciation has shaped biodiversity in one of the world’s most remote island chains.

Genomics clarified a conservation mystery.

A recent study used genome-wide markers to resolve the species status of the declining western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) — finding strong support for splitting it into two distinct species: B. occidentalis and B. mckayi.

To get there, researchers enriched samples with a bee-ant-specific myBaits kits from Daicel Arbor Biosciences, enabling high-resolution phylogenomic analysis.

This work underscores the power of molecular tools in biodiversity research and pollinator conservation.

In this study, researchers sequenced 31 mitochondrial genomes of the extinct Arctodus simus, the giant short-faced bear of Ice Age North America. The findings revealed low genetic diversity, no distinct regional lineages, and that size differences were likely due to sexual dimorphism—not separate subspecies.

We’re proud our tools contributed to this deeper understanding of one of Pleistocene America’s most iconic megafauna.

A January 2025 study unveils a multiple-reference-based (MRB) approach to improve mapping of Treponema pallidum genomes, enhancing accuracy for ancient and low-coverage samples. Highlights include reconstruction of 77 genomes, a high-coverage 17th-century syphilis genome, and improved evolutionary insights. We’re proud to support tools advancing pathogen genomics.

Ancient malaria, modern insights.

A study published earlier this year reveals intra-individual variability in recovering ancient Plasmodium falciparum DNA — changing how researchers approach pathogen sampling from skeletal remains.

Using a custom myBaits kit from Daicel Arbor Biosciences, the team captured a 43x complete mitochondrial genome from a Roman-era individual — the first ever from Classical antiquity. 

The results support an Indian origin of malaria in Europe and emphasize the need for enhanced sampling strategies in ancient DNA research.

Free-roaming dogs have been present in the Galápagos Islands since the 1830s, but their population significantly increased in the 1900s, posing a threat to wildlife and spreading diseases. Efforts to manage the dog population began in 1981; however, large populations still exist on Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands, with their genetic backgrounds not thoroughly investigated until now. A comprehensive genomic analysis was conducted on 187 modern Galápagos dogs, six historical samples between 1969 and 2003, and data from over 2,000 purebred and village dogs. Findings reveal that contemporary Galápagos dogs are a recent mix of purebred breeds without evidence of a population bottleneck from past culling efforts. Furthermore, historical dogs showed signs of shared ancestry with shepherd dogs. Overall, the study suggests that 1980s culling did not effectively control dog populations and indicates a need for improved population management strategies on the islands to protect endangered species.

The chromosomal theory of inheritance explains that genes on the same chromosome segregate together, while those on different chromosomes assort independently. In cancer, extrachromosomal DNAs (ecDNAs) contribute to oncogene amplification and gene expression dysregulation. Distinct ecDNA sequences can coexist, promoting cooperation among cancer cells. This study reveals that these cooperative ecDNA species are inherited through mitotic co-segregation. Multiple ecDNAs encoding different oncogenes are often found together and correlate in copy number within human cancer cells. During mitosis, these ecDNA species segregate asymmetrically, leading to simultaneous copy-number gains in daughter cells. Active transcription and proximity at mitosis’ onset enhance this co-segregation while inhibiting transcription disrupts it. Computational models elucidate the principles of ecDNA co-segregation, predicting their patterns in cancer cells. This coordinated inheritance supports the co-amplification of ecDNAs, informs therapeutic strategies to target oncogenes, and maintains stability in oncogene interactions and gene regulation across generations.

A new hybridization capture kit has been developed to enhance genomic sequencing for the Annonaceae plant family, targeting 799 low-copy genes. This kit combines 469 genes from the original Annonaceae probe with 334 genes from the universal Angiosperms353 kit. The study compares results from the original Angiosperms353 kit with the custom approach using various specimens. Findings show that the Annonaceae799 kit achieves high recovery rates, and while off-target reads were noted, the genes from the Angiosperms353 panel significantly outperformed those from the original Annonaceae kit in terms of size, on- and off-target regions, and the number of parsimony-informative sites. This integration not only improves the utility of the probe kit for species-level phylogenomics and within-species analysis but also broadens access to new genes for future phylogenetic and population studies.