Lipoxygenases (LOXs) play vital roles in plant growth and defense. In this study, through genomic and molecular analyses, we discover a major LOX gene (LOX-A4) differentially expressed in Triticum urartu (Tu), the diploid progenitor of A subgenome in polyploid wheat. Compared to Tu accessions carrying wild type gene (LOX-A4W), those bearing mutant allele (LOX-A4m) show better growth but lower stress tolerance. These differences concur with a wider geographical distribution of LOX-A4m accessions than LOX-A4W materials in the Fertile Crescent. Interestingly, only mutant LOX-A4 alleles are detected in 3,516 worldwide tetraploid and hexaploid wheat lines; restoring LOX-A4W expression in common wheat inhibits growth but enhances stress tolerance. Furthermore, genome-wide identity-by-state analysis reveals that polyploid wheat A subgenome is more related to the A genome in 13 LOX-A4m Tu accessions. Thus, our work provides evidence that LOX gene variation shapes plant gene pools and their contributions to polyploid genome formation via regulating growth-defense trade-offs.

Cymbidium eburneum Lindl. is a valuable ornamental orchid and breeding parent, but its genetic background remains unclear due to habitat destruction and germplasm mixing. This study developed specific SSR markers to evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of 96 C. eburneum Lindl. accessions from China and Vietnam. Transcriptome analysis identified 47,248 SSR loci. Sixteen polymorphic core primer pairs detected 150 alleles (mean Na = 9.375) with an average Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) of 0.444. Observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.290) was noticeably lower than expected (He = 0.478), indicating heterozygote deficiency. UPGMA clustering identified eight groups strongly correlated with geography. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) revealed a clear geographical differentiation pattern, featuring the most genetically cohesive group from Guangxi and more differentiated geographically marginal populations from Hainan and Vietnam. STRUCTURE analysis (K = 2) indicated two main gene pools with signals of genetic admixture. Geographical isolation was suggested as a potential driver of genetic differentiation. The Guangxi population represents a genetically consistent major reservoir, while marginal populations harbor unique variations. These findings provide a scientific basis for germplasm identification, conservation, and parental selection in C. eburneum Lindl. breeding.

Soil nutrient depletion is a major constraint limiting agricultural productivity in Burkina Faso. This study aims to evaluate the response of two cowpea varieties (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) to various organo-mineral fertilization levels. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used to compare two varieties (Komcallé and Niizwè) under four fertilization treatments: a control with no input (F0), NPK at 100 kg/ha (F1), jatropha compost at 2,500 kg/ha (F2), and a combination of NPK (50 kg/ha) + jatropha compost (2,500 kg/ha) (F3). Ten agromorphological traits were evaluated. The results indicate that fertilization, when considered alone, did not significantly influence the measured variables. In contrast, a significant varietal effect (P < 0.05) was observed across all parameters. Furthermore, the variety × fertilization interaction revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) for all studied traits. The Komcallé variety achieved its best grain yield (1,833.07 ± 45.31 kg/ha) under the combined F3 treatment (NPK + jatropha compost). For the Niizwè variety, the highest yields were recorded in the F0 control (1,125.97 ± 17.50 kg/ha), followed by the F2 treatment with jatropha compost alone (1,073.81 ± 20.09 kg/ha). Combining NPK fertilizer and jatropha compost with high-potential genetic varieties appears to be a promising pathway for improving cowpea performance over the medium to long term. Adopting such organo-mineral amendments could contribute to the sustainable intensification of cowpea production within smallholder farming systems.

Abstract North American plains bison ( Bison bison bison ) in Yellowstone National Park are descendant from a population low of 23 indigenous individuals from the late 1800s, and 21 individuals introduced from outside herds in the early 1900s to strengthen the possibility of recovery. Within the park, the herd has rebounded and now averages around 5,000 animals. The herd is managed as a closed population within the park and adjacent areas in Montana, USA, which involves annual removals of animals to control numbers. We used genetic simulation to first isolate the effects of population size on retention of genetic diversity, and second to predict the genetic consequences of different population control strategies that vary in the number of bison removed annually, and their relatedness, while considering varying degrees of male dominance and environmental catastrophes. We found through simulation of a stable population that a herd size >2,500 had a high probability (>0.9) of retaining genetic diversity at levels compatible with long‐term conservation (>90% of the initial genetic variation over 200 years), but a herd of 3,500 or more had a high likelihood (>0.9) of retaining levels of genetic variation (95%) suggested for maintaining evolutionary potential. When simulating the removals based on plausible management strategies available to the National Park Service, we found that maintaining a herd size of 3,500 or more, limiting removals to less than 40% of the population at a time, keeping a balanced sex ratio, and preferentially removing related individuals would likely retain more than 95% of existing genetic variation. With a herd size of 3,500 animals or more, population catastrophes and male dominance only influenced genetic retention in the most extreme cases, such as a catastrophic population decline of over 95%, a prolonged decline from 90% to 10% over 5 years, or extreme male dominance where 1% of males produced all offspring each year.

The present study was conducted during the kharif season of 2025 at Jaipur, Rajasthan, to assess the extent of genetic variability, heritability and interrelationships among 51 genotypes of Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. (pearl millet)) for yield and associated traits. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with 2 replications. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among genotypes for most of the traits, indicating substantial genetic variability and potential for selection and improvement. The estimates of genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were highest for downy mildew intensity and severity, suggesting wide genetic diversity for disease resistance. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for plant height, panicle girth and disease-related traits, implying the predominance of additive gene action. Correlation analysis indicated that yield per plot was positively and significantly associated with panicle length and girth, identifying these as key yield-contributing traits along with panicle density and productive tillers. Path coefficient analysis further revealed that panicle length exerted the highest positive direct effect on grain yield, while disease-related traits showed negative associations. Overall, the study highlights considerable genetic variability and identifies panicle traits and downy mildew resistance as crucial determinants of yield performance in pearl millet, providing valuable insights for the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant cultivars suited to semi-arid environments.

The present investigation was conducted to assess genetic variability, correlations among characters, direct and indirect effects and genetic divergence among 20 finger millet genotypes, with the aim of identifying promising lines for yield improvement. The genotypes were evaluated for 12 quantitative traits and their mean performance was recorded. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences among genotypes for all studied traits, indicating sufficient genetic variability in the experimental material. High estimates of Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV) and Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV) were observed for traits like grain yield per plant (GYPP), number of fingers per ear (NFPE) and ear weight (EW), suggesting potential for genetic improvement. Moderate GCV and PCV were found for traits such as finger length (FL), number of productive tillers and plant height (PH). High heritability (Hbs), coupled with high GA, was observed for GYPP, FL, NFPE, EW and the number of productive tillers per plant (NPTPP), indicating the predominance of additive gene action for these characters. Grain yield per plant showed a significant positive association with EW, NFPE and NPTPP at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis revealed that EW exhibited the highest direct positive effect on GYPP, trailed by NPTPP, FL and NFPE. Mahalanobis D2 analysis divided the genotypes under study into three clusters, with clusters II and III exhibiting the maximum inter-cluster distance. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified the first five components %, which together explained 76.52 % of the total variation, with GYPP, EW, NFPE and FL as major contributors, further validating their importance in selection strategies.

This research focuses on the effect of salinity gradient on genetic diversity, population structure, adaptive evolution, and community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates. It will fill the gap between ecology patterns and the genetic mechanisms underlying them to learn how augmented salinity serves as a selection agent affecting the community resilience and biodiversity. The secondary data synthesis method was used, which combined the datasets of peer-reviewed literature, environmental surveillance programs, and biodiversity databases of freshwater, estuarine, and coastal systems. Measures of genetic diversity, allelic richness (), observed heterozygosity (), expected heterozygosity (), and nucleotide diversity (), were tabulated and standardised. FST was used to determine the degree of population differentiation, and environmental association analysis was used to determine adaptive signatures. Relationships among salinity and genetic variation and community structure were assessed using multivariate techniques, including Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and Redundancy Analysis (RDA), as well as regression and meta-analytic models. Salinity increased genetic diversity tremendously as decreased from 8.4 ± 1.2 to 4.3 ± 0.9 and from 0.75 ± 0.04 to 0.54 ± 0.06. The nucleotide diversity (0.0065 to 0.0031) decreased by more than 50%. The degree of population differentiation became much higher (up to 0.28), which suggests that there was limited gene flow. Salinity and genetic diversity were found to be strongly negatively correlated ( up to 0.72, p < 0.001). Salinity had strong positive relationships with adaptive loci, such as Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase ( = 0.71) and aquaporins ( = 0.64). The richness of the species changed to 15 ± 3 instead of 42 ± 5, and the Shannon diversity was reduced to 1.89 compared to 3.21, which shows significant changes in the composition of the community. Salinity acts as a dominant environmental filter driving genetic erosion, population divergence, and adaptive specialization in benthic macroinvertebrates. While adaptive mechanisms support short-term persistence, reduced genetic diversity may limit long-term resilience to environmental change. These findings highlight the need for integrative ecological-genomic approaches to better predict biodiversity responses under increasing salinization.

Introduction. Thanatephorus sp. is a basidiomycete, with a broad host range, capable of forming survival structures and exhibiting high genetic variability. Objective. To characterize the symptomatology caused by the phytopathogen Thanatephorus sp. in potato (Solanum tuberosum) crops. Materials and methods. The study was conducted from June to December 2023 at the Plant Pathology Laboratory of the Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede del Atlántico, Turrialba, Costa Rica. Vegetative and reproductive plant tissues were collected from potato plants showing symptoms associated with Thanatephorus sp. The isolates were purified, and the pathogen was cultured on artificial media. The fungus was further purified and inoculated into soil and applied via foliar spraying to potato plants in order to observe disease symptom development. Leaves, stems, and other plant parts exhibiting abnormal lesions were evaluated. Results. Thanatephorus sp. was primarily isolated from the foliage of potato plants and successfully grew in vitro on PDA (potato dextrose agar). The fungus exhibited branched morphology consistent with basidiomycetes and formed sexual reproductive structures, including basidiospores. Hyphal fusion (anastomosis) was observed, contributing to increased genetic variability of the pathogen. Symptom development began with small necrotic lesions on the leaf blade, surrounded by chlorotic halos; these lesions coalesced, leading to complete foliar tissue necrosis. Lesions were also observed on stems, roots, and flowers. Survival structures (sclerotia) produced by Thanatephorus sp. were identified. Conclusions. The phytopathogen Thanatephorus sp. causes damage to leaves, stems, and tubers, and produces survival structures that facilitate its dissemination. Its symptomatology may be confused with that of other phytopathogens.

Genomic diversity and structure in arabian horses revealed by whole-genome sequencing: establishment of an allele frequency database of common genetic variation

This study aimed to assess the genetic variability in Aegle marmelos Correa to develop trait-specific genotypes based on morphological and qualitative traits. The evaluation focused on both morphological and qualitative characteristics within the gene pool of this species. High phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were observed for traits such as shell weight, fruit weight, and pulp weight, indicating substantial genetic diversity and strong potential for selective breeding within the germplasm. Heritability estimates ranged widely, with fruit weight showing a low 0.07% and shell weight a high 92.23%, reflecting the significant impact of environmental factors on trait expression. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the first principal component (PC1) explained 40.19% of the total variation, with an eigenvalue of 8.12. The first six principal components collectively accounted for 80.77% of total variability. Genotypes CHESB-25 and CHESB-29 exhibited the highest positive PC scores for PC1 and PC2, identifying them as superior selections. Cluster analysis identified six distinct clusters of genotypes, with Cluster V being the largest and Cluster VI the smallest. This clustering highlights the genetic diversity among the bael genotypes and provides a basis for breeding and selection strategies. Cluster IV emerged as the most promising, consistently showing the highest values for key attributes such as shell weight, fruit weight, and fruit yield per plant. Therefore, prioritizing Cluster IV is recommended for selecting superior varieties and developing new cultivars. The study also noted that fruit yield per plant positively correlated with traits like shell weight and fruit weight, emphasizing the importance of these traits for yield improvement. Conversely, negative correlations with seed percent, shell percent, and phenolic content suggest these traits may be less beneficial for enhancing yield. The hierarchical clustering heat map of the 101 bael germplasms offers a detailed perspective on the relationships between various traits and germplasms. The results offer vital information for creating A. marmelos cultivars with higher yields and better quality. For breeding programs, targeted selection is made possible by the discovery of important clusters and superior genotypes (CHESB-25 and CHESB-29). Given the high level of genetic variation found, hybridization may be able to improve desired characteristics like fruit output and weight. Overall, the findings offer important insights for selecting elite genotypes and advancing breeding programs.

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Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects over 330 million people globally, yet up to 30% of patients fail initial pharmacotherapy due to genetic variability in drug metabolism. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on pharmacogenomic (PGx) guided approaches for MDD, emphasizing their integration with POC diagnostics and engineering solutions. Approximately 40–50% of patients carry actionable variants in CYP2C19 or CYP2D6, which govern the metabolism of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Landmark trials (GUIDED, PRIME Care, GAPP-MDD) and meta-analyses demonstrate that PGx-informed prescribing modestly but significantly improves remission and response rates, particularly in treatment-resistant depression. Established guidelines from CPIC and the Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group provide actionable recommendations for CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 phenotypes. Emerging POC platforms, including Genomadix Cube and Genedrive, now deliver CYP2C19 results within one hour, supporting rapid clinical decisions. However, psychiatric-specific implementation data remain limited compared to cardiology; current POC devices lack multi-gene capabilities, and most studies underrepresent diverse populations. Persistent barriers include variable reimbursement, limited clinician education, and fragmented electronic health record integration. Future directions include pre-emptive genotyping, expanded multi-gene panels, and embedded clinical decision support. With continued engineering innovation and rigorous validation, PGx-guided care holds promise for reducing the trial-and-error burden and advancing precision psychiatry.

As part of wildlife conservation efforts, the reintroduced Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) populations in Switzerland are the subject of ongoing health surveillance. Cardiac pathologies, such as heart murmurs and histopathologic changes in the cardiac tissue, including intramural cardiac vessels, are frequently observed. Here we describe four cases of subaortic stenosis (SAS), a congenital heart disease rarely reported in felids, in free-ranging adult male lynx from Switzerland. The affected lynx presented macroscopically with grades 1 to 3 of SAS. Histopathology confirmed characteristic subvalvular fibrous tissue as well as myocardial fibrosis and arteriosclerosis. Clinical data for one lynx, including the documentation of a systolic heart murmur, provide further case-specific insights. Our findings suggest that SAS might be linked to the recurrently noted cardiac pathologies and could be associated with the low genetic variability of lynx in Switzerland. This highlights the importance of integrating health and genetic data into conservation strategies to preserve healthy, viable wildlife populations.

The study was conducted collaboratively by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-CHES) and the Department of Vegetable Science at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, with the objective of enhancing yield in lablab bean (Lablab purpureus L.), an important legume vegetable. A total of 32 biparental progenies were evaluated in randomized block design with 3 replications for a comprehensive set of traits directly influencing pod and seed production. The results revealed significant variation among the progeny lines across all measured characteristics. Key growth phases, such as days to first germination (2–5 days) and days to first harvest (64–112 days), varied widely, identifying lines suitable for shorter cropping cycles. Important structural components like stem diameter, branch number and inflorescence count also showed considerable variation, indicating differences in plant architecture. Crucially, yield-related traits exhibited a broad range: pod number per plant (36–185), individual pod weight and seed characteristics like size and 100-seed weight (19.36–43.31 g). This directly translated to a wide spectrum of pod yield per plant, with the top-performing line, BP-12, yielding 1120.00 g. The extensive genetic variability observed confirms that the breeding process successfully generated a valuable pool of diverse genetic material. Promising lines, including BP-1, BP-12, BP-21 and BP-18, which excelled in multiple yield attributes, have been identified for further evaluation. The selection of these superior biparental progenies is expected to produce individuals with yields in the subsequent generations.

Genomic footprints of ancient multi-species introgression events among allopatric cave-adapted Triplophysa species.

Sex-specific size plasticity (SSP) is the phenomenon whereby the size of one sex is more environmentally sensitive than the other, and is thought to underlie the developmental regulation and evolution of sexual size dimorphism (SSD). Sex-specific plasticity is a higher order phenotype that emerges due to the effect of the environment and sex on core growth regulatory mechanisms. Genetic variation in SSP necessarily requires sex- and environment-specific variation in growth, yet the developmental-genetic mechanisms enabling such context-dependent size variation remain poorly understood. Using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and functional validation in Drosophila melanogaster, we dissected the genetic architecture of body size, size plasticity, SSD, and SSP across 196 isogenic lineages. We find that variation in each phenotype is governed by largely non-overlapping sets of loci, with most candidate variants lying outside canonical growth pathways. Instead, size trait are shaped by private QTLs, whose effects are limited to specific sex, trait, or environmental contexts. Functional knockdown of selected candidate genes for SSP revealed that while most did not affect SSP directly, many influenced body size, SSD, and size plasticity, in a manner consistent with their nested phenotypic relationships. Together, our results suggest that context-dependent alleles in genes peripheral to core growth regulatory pathways drive variation in SSD and SSP, offering a mechanistic explanation for their evolutionary lability and highlighting the role of private QTLs in structuring the genetic architecture of complex traits.

Several studies have examined host and pathogen genetic influences on tuberculosis (TB) susceptibility separately, but relatively few studied their combined effects. However, host-pathogen interactions or co-evolution may explain the inability to replicate many reported human genetic effects across global populations and provide additional insight into TB risk. In this study, we address such possible interactions by focusing on the outcome of infection with the L4-Uganda M. tuberculosis sub-lineage and human genetic variants as independent variables. This is possible because the L4-Uganda sub-lineage is both restricted to Uganda and nearby locations and is recent there, compared to other more ancestral L4 lineages. Our study consisted of 276 culture-confirmed adult TB cases from a long-standing household contact study. We conducted a genome-wide association study, with infection with L4-Uganda versus L4-NonUganda as the outcome. Multiple loci with results suggestive of association (p<10-5) also demonstrated convergent relevant evidence for strain specific infection via: evidence of gene expression in relevant cells and lung tissue, signatures of natural selection, eQTL expression, and CRISPR screens for immunity-related genes. We also replicated previously published host-pathogen interaction effects, demonstrating that effects seen for other sub-lineages were also present for L4-Uganda. These results provide evidence for host-pathogen co-evolution in TB, consistent with our previous work, and indicate these interactions involve genes highly relevant to the host immune response to Mycobacterium infection.

Identifying genes under local adaptation is an essential step to understand the mechanisms of adaptive evolution. Pathogen-mediated selection is expected to enhance host fitness by favouring resistance to locally prevalent pathogens. However, such pathogen-driven adaptation has been documented in only a few natural systems. Here, we sequenced the Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I region (MHC-I) of 739 Mastomys natalensis captured in Guinea and Nigeria, where the rodent is reservoir to two distinct Lassa virus (LASV) lineages. As predicted, the MHC-I profiles of the two countries, while showing overlap, did not cluster together. Moreover, different MHC-I alleles were associated with active or past infection measured as PCR-positive or IgG-positive, respectively, in each population. MHC-I allele ManaMHC-I*017 showed a diametric response, with individuals carrying this allele less likely to be found with an ongoing LASV infection in Guinea while more likely in Nigeria. Similarly, individuals with ManaMHC-I*069 were less likely to have a positive antibody test in Guinea but the same allele had little effect on IgG detection in Nigeria, suggesting that an individual's fitness depends on its immunogenetic repertoire. Together, these findings encapsulate a genetically characterised case of local adaptation in a wild virus-rodent system. Moreover, we hypothesise that aside from differences in virus diversity, genetic variation within regional LASV lineages contributes to the marked differences in host immunogenetic diversity.

Global climate change poses a substantial challenge for many species, particularly when habitat loss and fragmentation prevent a species from shifting its range to track suitable climate conditions. Instead, these species must adapt in situ to a different climate environment, making their capacity for adaptation critical to persistence. Yet endangered species often face the added challenge of low standing genetic variation needed for an evolutionary response. Here, we assess adaptive potential in the endangered Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus). Using whole-genome sequences spanning nearly a century, we identify 14 candidate genes associated with temperature and moisture, including many with vascular and circulatory functions. Using a reintroduced population, we find more alleles than expected by chance shifted toward the frequencies predicted for the climate of the reintroduction locality. Despite extreme population declines over the past century, these findings indicate that conservation breeding and reintroduction have retained genetic variation relevant to adaptive potential in the Pacific pocket mouse.

Both prostatitis and erectile dysfunction (ED) are common diseases in andrology. The epidemiologic evidence indicates that prostatitis is associated with ED, but controversy still remains. This study aims to utilized publicly available genetic data and Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal effect between prostatitis and ED. We obtained statistical data for prostatitis and ED from the FinnGen consortium. By utilizing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as genetic instrument variables, we conducted a 2-sample bidirectional MR analysis. The primary MR analysis utilized the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, complemented by secondary analyses employing MR-Egger and weighted median methods. Furthermore, we assessed heterogeneity using Cochran Q-test and evaluated pleiotropy with the MR-Egger intercept test. To identify potential influential SNPs, we employed a leave-one-out analysis. Additionally, outliers were identified using the Mendelian randomization-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier methods (MR-PRESSO). The IVW results indicated that there was no clear causal effect of prostatitis on ED (odds ratio [OR] = 1.132, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.937-1.367, P = .199) and there was no clear causal effect of ED on prostatitis (OR = 1.044, 95% CI: 0.96-1.135, P = .311). This MR study showed that there was no clear causal effect between prostatitis and ED in Europeans in the genetic prediction.