Environmental Information Processing Research Articles

RNA-Seq Profiling in Chicken Spleen and Thymus Infected with Newcastle Disease Virus of Varying Virulence

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), known as avian paramyxovirus-1, poses a significant threat to poultry production worldwide. Vaccination currently stands as the most effective strategy for Newcastle disease control. However, the mesogenic vaccine strain Mukteswar has been observed to evolve into a velogenic variant JS/7/05/Ch during poultry immunization. Here, we aimed to explore the mechanisms underlying virulence enhancement of the two viruses. Pathogenically, JS/7/05/Ch mediated stronger virulence and pathogenicity in vivo compared to Mukteswar. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed 834 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), comprising 339 up-regulated and 495 down-regulated genes, in the spleen, and 716 DEGs, with 313 up-regulated and 403 down-regulated genes, in the thymus. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that these candidate targets primarily participated in cell and biological development, extracellular part and membrane composition, as well as receptor and binding activity. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis unveiled a substantial portion of candidate genes predominantly involved in cellular processes, environmental information processing, metabolism, and organismal systems. Additionally, five DEGs (TRAT1, JUP, LPAR4, CYB561A3, and CXCR5) were randomly identified through RNA-seq analysis and subsequently confirmed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The findings revealed a marked up-regulation in the expression levels of these DEGs induced by JS/7/05/Ch compared to Mukteswar, with CYB561A3 and CXCR5 exhibiting significant increases. The findings corroborated the sequencing accuracy, offering promising research directions. Taken together, we comprehensively evaluated transcriptomic alterations in chicken immune organs infected by NDV strains of diverse virulence. This study establishes a basis and direction for NDV virulence research.

Transcriptome analysis of mammary epithelial cell between Sewa sheep and East FriEsian sheep from different localities.

Mammary epithelial cells, the only milk-producing cell type in the mammary gland, undergo dynamic proliferation and differentiation during pregnancy, culminating in lactation postpartum. The East FriEsian sheep ranks among the world's most prolific dairy breeds, while the Sewa sheep, a unique dual-purpose breed autochthonous to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, exhibits significantly lower milk production. Employing tissue culture methods, we successfully established mammary epithelial cell lines from both breeds. Morphological assessment of mammary epithelial cells and immunofluorescence identification of Cytokeratin 7 and Cytokeratin 8 confirmed the epithelial identity of the isolated cells. Subsequent RNA-seq analysis of these in vitro epithelial cell lines revealed 1813 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these, 1108 were significantly up-regulated and 705 were down-regulated in Sewa epithelial sheep cells compared to East FriEsian epithelial cells. KEGG enrichment analysis identified cellular processes, environmental information processing, human diseases, metabolism, and organismal systems as the primary functional categories associated with DEGs. Gene ontology (GO) terms annotation, categorized into molecular function, biological processes, and cellular component, yielded "binding and catalytic activity," "molecular function regulator activity," and "cellular process," "biological regulation," and "regulation of biological process" as the top three terms within each domain, respectively. Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins (KOG) classification further revealed that "signal transduction mechanisms" accounted for the largest proportion of DEGs among all KOG categories. Finally, based on these analyses, ATF3 and MPP7 were identified as promising candidate genes for regulating lactation.

Heavy metal exposure reduces larval gut microbiota diversity of the rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis.

Cadmium (Cd), a widely distributed environmental pollutant in agroecosystems, causes negative effects on crops and herbivores through bottom-up processes. The gut microbial community of an insect can play a critical role in response to metal stress. To understand how microbiota affect the stress responses of organisms to heavy metals in agroecosystems, we initially used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the larval gut microbiota of Chilo suppressalis, an important agricultural pest, exposed to a diet containing Cd. The species richness, diversity, and composition of the gut microbial community was then analyzed. Results revealed that while the richness (Chao1 and ACE) of gut microbiota in larvae exposed to Cd was not significantly affected, diversity (Shannon and Simpson) was reduced due to changes in species distribution and relative abundance. Overall, the most abundant genus was Enterococcus, while the abundance of the genera Micrococcaceae and Faecalibaculum in the control significantly superior to that in Cd-exposed pests. Phylogenetic investigation of microbial communities by the reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) showed that the intestinal microorganisms appear to participate in 34 pathways, especially those used in environmental information processing and the metabolism of the organism. This study suggests that the gut microbiota of C. suppressalis are significantly impacted by Cd exposure and highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in host stress responses and negative effects of Cd pollution in agroecosystems.

Metagenomic insights into the mechanism of sophorolipid in facilitating co-anaerobic digestion of mushroom residues and cattle manure: Functional microorganisms and metabolic pathway analysis

The present study aimed to enhance the co-anaerobic digestion system of mushroom residues and cattle manure by incorporating biosurfactant sophorolipid. Results demonstrated that the addition of 75 mg/L sophorolipid increased cumulative methane production by 33.68%, acetate content by 9–10 times, and the abundance of Methanosarcina by 69.22%. The electroactive microorganisms (Bacteroides, Petrimonas, etc.) were enriched, while the up-regulation of functional genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and methane metabolism was observed. The metagenomic analysis revealed the significant involvement of inter-microbial communication and extracellular electron transfer in anaerobic digestion. Petrimonas was identified as the predominant host involved in cellular processes and environmental information processing. The supplementation of sophorolipid significantly enhanced its abundance during the late anaerobic digestion period (by 12.30%–64.84%). The results emphasize the crucial function of sophorolipid as biosurfactant in enhancing the efficiency of anaerobic digestion.

Discovery of key volatile compound and regulatory gene governing the ‘taro-like’ aroma in wax gourd (Benincasa hispida)

The distinctive ‘taro-like’ aroma in wax gourd has become a crucial flavor characteristic, significantly enhancing its market value. Despite its importance, the volatile compounds responsible for this aroma and their genetic regulatory mechanisms have not been sufficiently studied. Utilizing headspace-gas chromatography-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-QTOF-MS), this research examined the volatile compounds in wax gourd germplasms with and without the ‘taro-like’ aroma, identifying 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) as the primary volatile responsible for this aroma. To uncover the genetic basis of this trait, segregating populations and recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were developed from MY-1 x GX-71 germplasms, which exhibit significant differences in aroma expression. Genetic analysis revealed that a single recessive gene governs the ‘taro-like’ aroma trait in wax gourd. Through bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, the candidate region for this aroma gene was localized to a 285.29 kb interval on Chromosome 2. Further examination of candidate gene expression and sequence variations highlighted the BhBADH gene's critical role in the formation of the ‘taro-like’ aroma. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis revealed significant enrichment of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with metabolic pathways involved in environmental information processing, which contribute to 2-AP synthesis in wax gourd with a ‘taro-like’ aroma. Our research provides a theoretical foundation for the molecular breeding to enhance the aroma quality of wax gourd.

Structural and functional differences of gut microbiota in Pomacea canaliculata from different geographical locations and habitats.

Gut microbiota is related to host fitness, and influenced by geographical locations and habitats. Pomacea canaliculata is a malignant invasive alien snail that threatens agricultural production and ecosystem functions worldwide. Clarifying the general rules of the gut microbial community structure and function of the snails in different geographical locations and habitats is of great significance for understanding their invasion at different spatial scales. This study used high-throughput sequencing technology to compare and analyze the differences in community structure and function of gut microbiota in P. canaliculata from five geographical locations (Liuzhou, Yulin, Nanning, Wuzhou, and Hezhou) and three different habitats (pond, paddy field, and ditch) in Guangxi Province. The results showed that intestinal microbial alpha diversity of P. canaliculata was higher in Liuzhou, Yulin, lower in Nanning, Wuzhou, Hezhou, and higher in ponds compared with paddy fields and ditches. The dominant phyla of gut microbiota in snails were Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Fusobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and the dominant genus was Lactococcus. The community structure of gut microbiota in snails varied significantly across different geographical locations and habitats, and the phyla Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria had significantly higher relative abundance in snails collected from Nanning and Yulin, respectively. Moreover, the relative abundance of gut functional microbiota associated with human disease in P. canaliculata was significantly affected by geographical locations and habitats, and with the highest abundance in ponds. However, the relative abundance of functional microbiota related to metabolism, genetic information processing, organizational system, environmental information processing, and cellular processes were only significantly affected by geographical locations. Collectively, geographical locations and habitats had significantly different effects on the community structure and function of gut microbiota in P. canaliculata, and the greater differences were caused by geographical locations rather than by habitats.

One respiratory cycle as a minimum time unit for making behavioral decisions in the mammalian olfactory system.

Voluntary behaviors such as sniffing, moving, and eating require decision-making accompanied by intentional respiration. Based on the study of respiration-coherent activity of rodent olfactory networks, we infer that during the inhalation phase of respiration, olfactory cortical areas process environmental odor information and transmit it to the higher multisensory cognitive areas via feedforward pathways to comprehensively evaluate the surrounding situation. We also infer that during the exhalation phase, the higher multisensory areas generate cognitive-signals and transmit them not only to the behavioral output system but also back to the olfactory cortical areas. We presume that the cortical mechanism couples the intentional respiration with the voluntary behaviors. Thus, in one respiratory cycle, the mammalian brain may transmit and process sensory information to cognize and evaluate the multisensory image of the external world, leading to one behavioral decision and one emotional expression. In this perspective article, we propose that one respiratory cycle provides a minimum time unit for decision making during wakefulness.

Comparative analysis of phosphorylated proteomes between plerocercoid and adult Spirometra mansoni reveals phosphoproteomic profiles of the medical tapeworm

BackgroundPlerocercoid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansoni can infect both humans and animals, leading to severe parasitic zoonosis worldwide. Despite ongoing research efforts, our understanding of the developmental process of S. mansoni remains inadequate. To better characterize posttranslational regulation associated with parasite growth, development, and reproduction, a comparative phosphoproteomic study was conducted on the plerocercoid and adult stages of S. mansoni.MethodsIn this study, site-specific phosphoproteomic analysis was conducted via 4D label-free quantitative analysis technology to obtain primary information about the overall phosphorylation status of plerocercoids and adults.ResultsA total of 778 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were detected between adults and plerocercoids, of which 704 DAPs were upregulated and only 74 were downregulated. DAPs involved in metabolic activity were upregulated in plerocercoid larvae compared with adults, whereas DAPs associated with binding were upregulated in adults. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes (KEGG) analyses indicated that most DAPs involved in signal transduction and environmental information processing pathways were highly active in adults. DAPs upregulated in the plerocercoid group were enriched mainly in metabolic activities. The kinases PKACA, GSK3B, and smMLCK closely interact, suggesting potential active roles in the growth and development of S. mansoni.ConclusionsThe dataset presented in this study offers a valuable resource for forthcoming research on signaling pathways as well as new insights into functional studies on the molecular mechanisms of S. mansoni.Graphical abstract

Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal the mechanism of polystyrene nanoplastics toxicity to mice

Microplastic (MP) are an emerging environmental pollutant, which has toxic effects on organisms, and it has received extensive attention currently. Studying the transcriptomic and metabolic responses of mice to nanoplastic-contaminated water is critical for understanding molecular-level toxicity of nanoplastics (NPs), but there are few studies on this topic. To analyze the effects of different concentrations of polystyrene (PS) nanoplastic-contaminated water on mice at the transcriptome and metabolism of spleens to study the molecular toxicity. Here, testing of histopathology of spleen of female mice was performed after drinking water containing 0.1 μm PS-NPs (1 mg/mL and 50 mg/mL) at different concentrations for 49 days, respectively. The spleen tissue samples were subjected to metabolome and transcriptome sequencing. Four differentially expressed genes were randomly chosen for qRT-PCR to confirm the correctness of transcriptome sequencing. Common Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that a large number of differential genes and differential metabolites mainly focused on immune, inflammation, neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, nervous, etc. in the organism systems module; lipid, amino acid, taurine and hypotaurine metabolisms, etc. in the metabolism module; signaling translation, signaling molecules and interaction, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, etc. in the environmental information processing. The results showed that pathway analysis at transcriptome and metabolome levels confirmed that the immune system of mice was affected after drinking water contaminated with polystyrene nanoplastics.

Sediment microbial diversity, functional potentials, and antibiotic resistance pattern: a case study of Cochin Estuary core sediment.

Marine sediments are an important part of the marine environment and the world's greatest organic carbon source. Sediment microorganisms are important regulators of major geochemical and eco-environmental processes in marine environments, especially nutrient dynamics and biogeochemical cycles. Despite their importance, core marine microorganisms are virtually unknown due to a lack of consensus on how to identify them. Most core microbiotas have been characterized thus far based on species abundance and occurrence. The combined effects of habitat and depth on benthic bacterial communities and ecological functions were studied using "Next-Generation sequencing (NGS) and Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) predictive functional profiling" at the surface (0.2cm) and bottom depth (250cm) in a sediment core sample from Cochin Estuary, Kerala, India. The results showed that bacterial diversity and richness were significantly higher in the surface sediment sample with the most abundant phyla being Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidetes. The major metabolic functions were metabolism, followed by environmental information processing and genetic information processing. Antibiotic resistance genes between the surface and bottom samples help to understand the resistance pattern among multidrug resistance is the most prominent one. Among viruses, Siphoviridae is the dominant family, followed by Myoviridae. In the case of Archea, Crenarchaeota is dominant, whereas among eukaryotes phyla Streptophyta and Chordata were dominant in the surface and the bottom samples respectively.

Multiomics-Based Biocargo Components Analysis in Enterococcus faecium Membrane Vesicles.

Enterococcus spp. have been shown to have gastrointestinal tract protective functions; our recent results suggest that membrane vesicles (MVs) play an important role in the gastric protection of Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium). The specific function is determined by molecular compositions of MVs. To resolve biocargo components in E. faecium MVs (EfmMVs), MVs were isolated from E. faecium culture. Transcriptomics, label-free quantitative proteomics, and untargeted metabolomics were performed to obtain information about the complexity of ribonucleic acids (RNAs), proteins, and metabolites biocargo they carry, respectively. RNA-sequencing identified a total of 2122 transcripts. The top 20 transcripts accounted for 27.63% of total counts, which, including enzymes, participate in glycolysis, ribosomal proteins, DNA-directed RNA polymerases, protein-synthesizing relative enzymes, molecules associated with protein post-translational processing and transport, and peptidoglycan lyases. Label-free quantitative proteomics analysis identified a total of 711 proteins. The top 20 proteins accounted for 48.02% of all identified proteins, which including ribosomal proteins, enzymes participate in glycolysis, DNA-directed RNA polymerases, protein-synthesizing relative enzymes, peptidoglycan lyases, and autolysin. Untargeted metabolomics analysis identified a total of 519 metabolites. The top 20 metabolites accounted for 79.55% of all identified metabolites, which included amino acids, substrates, or products in the metabolism of amino acids, natural organic acids, products in the metabolism of organic acids, ketone compounds, and two other compounds. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses indicated that the identified biocargo components enriched in metabolism, genetic, and environmental information processing. Overall, we hope that the current exploration of multiple "-omics" analyses of this EfmMVs will provide useful information and further groundwork for future studies on E. faecium application.

GhSWEET42 Regulates Flowering Time under Long-Day Conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Flowering in plants is pivotal for initiating and advancing reproductive processes, impacting regional adaptation and crop yield. Despite numerous cloned and identified flowering time genes, research in cotton remains sparse. This study identified GhSWEET42 as a key determinant of the flowering time in cotton, demonstrating that its heterologous expression in Arabidopsis accelerated flowering under LD conditions compared to WT. Transgenic plants exhibited upregulated expression of the flowering inducers AtFT, AtSOC1, AtGI, and AtFKF1, alongside downregulated expression of the repressors AtTSF, AtFLC, and AtRGL2, correlating with the earlier flowering phenotype. GhSWEET42 showed a constitutive expression pattern, with elevated levels in the leaves, petals, and flower buds, and was notably higher in early-maturing cotton varieties. Subcellular localization assays confirmed GhSWEET42's presence on the cell membrane. Transcriptome analysis between WT and GhSWEET42-overexpressing Arabidopsis plants revealed 2393 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), spanning 221 biological processes, 93 molecular functions, and 37 cellular components according to Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis categorized the DEGs into metabolism and environmental information processing. These findings enhance the understanding of GhSWEET42's function and provide a foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing flowering time regulation in cotton.

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce apoptosis, autophagy, and steroidogenesis disruption in granulosa cells to reduce oocyte quality and fertility by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway in female mice

BackgroundNanoplastics (NPs) are emerging pollutants that pose risks to living organisms. Recent findings have unveiled the reproductive harm caused by polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) in female animals, yet the intricate mechanism remains incompletely understood. Under this research, we investigated whether sustained exposure to PS-NPs at certain concentrations in vivo can enter oocytes through the zona pellucida or through other routes that affect female reproduction.ResultsWe show that PS-NPs disrupted ovarian functions and decreased oocyte quality, which may be a contributing factor to lower female fertility in mice. RNA sequencing of mouse ovaries illustrated that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway emerged as the predominant environmental information processing pathway responding to PS-NPs. Western blotting results of ovaries in vivo and cells in vitro showed that PS-NPs deactivated PI3K-AKT signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of PI3K and reducing AKT phosphorylation at the protein level, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway which was accompanied by the activation of autophagy and apoptosis and the disruption of steroidogenesis in granulosa cells. Since PS-NPs penetrate granulosa cells but not oocytes, we examined whether PS-NPs indirectly affect oocyte quality through granulosa cells using a granulosa cell–oocyte coculture system. Preincubation of granulosa cells with PS-NPs causes granulosa cell dysfunction, resulting in a decrease in the quality of the cocultured oocytes that can be reversed by the addition of 17β-estradiol.ConclusionsThis study provides findings on how PS-NPs impact ovarian function and include transcriptome sequencing analysis of ovarian tissue. The study demonstrates that PS-NPs impair oocyte quality by altering the functioning of ovarian granulosa cells. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the research on the effects of PS-NPs on female reproduction and the related methods that may mitigate their toxicity.

The Impact of Seeking and Processing Environmental Information Related to Microplastics on Pro-environmental Behavior Intentions : Focusing on the Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model (RISP)

The Impact of Seeking and Processing Environmental Information Related to Microplastics on Pro-environmental Behavior Intentions : Focusing on the Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model (RISP)

Fe(III)-mediated changes in microalgae-associated bacterial communities and dissolved organic matter characteristics: A case study for Chlorococcum sp. GD

Trivalent iron ions (Fe(III)) have important effects on aquatic ecosystems, especially on the functional diversity and stability of microorganisms and ecosystems. Here, a cultivable microalgae (Chlorococcum sp. GD) from the natural environment (Shanxi, China) were isolated and identified. A combined high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing/excitation-emission matrix coupled with parallel factor (EEM-PARAFAC) analysis was used to integrated the results of Fe(III) influence on Chlorococcum sp. GD bacterial community and dissolved organic matter (DOM) characteristics through laboratory experiments. Due to the addition of Fe(III) in the form of ferric nitrate (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O), complexed with EDTA to maintain solubility and bioavailability, the bacterial community was altered. This led to a decrease in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria and an increase in the relative abundance of Cyanobacteria, especially under excessive Fe(III) treatment. In addition, the relative contribution of bacterial community dispersal limitation and homogenizing dispersal was 100 %, which may lead to differences in their local adaptation and ecological processes with homogenization of bacterial diversity and loss of function. Excessive Fe(III) caused a significant increase in the abundance of genes involved in the carbon cycle (p < 0.01) and a significant decrease in genes involved in the nitrogen cycle (p < 0.01), further affecting the overall regulatory network of gene expression. This led to an increase in the abundance of genes involved in metabolism, cellular processes, environmental information processing, genetic information processing, and human diseases. The moderate amount of Fe(III) promoted the production of microbial components and accelerated the degree of DOM humification. It is also worth mentioning that excessive Fe(III) inhibited DOM degradation. Overall, this work explored the characteristics of bacterial community and DOM changes in Fe(III)-stressed Chlorococcum sp. GD as an example, which contributes to an in-depth understanding of microbial community diversity and element cycling in aquatic ecosystems.

Analysis of the antagonistic effect of Stenotrophomonas geniculata WXY53 on Magnaporthe oryzae through bioassays and Whole-Genome sequencing

Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blast, which poses a significant threat to agriculture. The use of environmentally friendly biological control agents is one of the methods used to reduce disease incidence. Our study identified the isolate WXY53 as Stenotrophomonas geniculata using 16S rDNA and phylogenetic tree analysis. WXY53 exhibited a 53.39 % inhibition rate on the growth diameter of M. oryzae hyphae in the dual culture assay. The WXY53 fermentation broth treatment inhibited 97.89 % of appressoria formation and delayed the colonization of plant cells by invasive hyphae. Applying WXY53 fermentation broth had a significant impact on preventing rice blast in the greenhouse experiment. It suppressed the size of necrotic lesions and reduced the number of lesions in rice and barley by 66.25 % and 72.0 %, respectively. The whole-genome sequencing of WXY53 revealed a genome size of 4,504,923 bp, with 66.51 % GC content and 4038 protein-coding genes. The study utilized multiple databases, including the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins, Gene Ontology, Pathogen-Host Interactions, and Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes to annotate gene functions. The analysis revealed genes related to environmental information processing, biological processes, cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis, glycoside hydrolases, and metabolism. Antibiotics & Secondary Metabolite Analysis Shell analysis predicted that WXY53 has the potential to produce aryl polymers, entolysin, and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoyl serine, in addition to the three gene clusters with unknown functions. Based on these findings, strain WXY53 could be a promising novel source of biological agents for managing rice blast. This study provides a theoretical basis for further investigation into microbial resources and metabolic gene clusters for agricultural biological control.

Comparative Metagenomic Analysis Reveals Rhizosphere Microbiome Assembly and Functional Adaptation Changes Caused by Clubroot Disease in Chinese Cabbage.

Clubroot is a major disease and severe threat to Chinese cabbage, and it is caused by the pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae Woron. This pathogen is an obligate biotrophic protist and can persist in soil in the form of resting spores for more than 18 years, which can easily be transmitted through a number of agents, resulting in significant economic losses to global Chinese cabbage production. Rhizosphere microbiomes play fundamental roles in the occurrence and development of plant diseases. The changes in the rhizosphere microorganisms could reveal the severity of plant diseases and provide the basis for their control. Here, we studied the rhizosphere microbiota after clubroot disease infections with different severities by employing metagenomic sequencing, with the aim of exploring the relationships between plant health, rhizosphere microbial communities, and soil environments; then, we identified potential biomarker microbes of clubroot disease. The results showed that clubroot disease severity significantly affected the microbial community composition and structure of the rhizosphere soil, and microbial functions were also dramatically influenced by it. Four different microbes that had great potential in the biocontrol of clubroot disease were identified from the obtained results; they were the genera Pseudomonas, Gemmatimonas, Sphingomonas, and Nocardioides. Soil pH, organic matter contents, total nitrogen, and cation exchange capacity were the major environmental factors modulating plant microbiome assembly. In addition, microbial environmental information processing was extremely strengthened when the plant was subjected to pathogen invasion, but weakened when the disease became serious. In particular, oxidative phosphorylation and glycerol-1-phosphatase might have critical functions in enhancing Chinese cabbage's resistance to clubroot disease. This work revealed the interactions and potential mechanisms among Chinese cabbage, soil environmental factors, clubroot disease, and microbial community structure and functions, which may provide a novel foundation for further studies using microbiological or metabolic methods to develop disease-resistant cultivation technologies.

New insight into Na+-promoted microbial electrolysis cell towards hydrogen energy recovery: Feasibility and dual mechanism in salt-containing wastewater treatment

The salt-containing wastewater treatment has become serious challenge, while conductivity and micro-ecosystem disorder severely limited microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) efficiency. In order to synchronously overcome the above bottlenecks, this study proposed an innovative Na+-promoted MEC system for efficient salt-containing wastewater treatment. The Na+ presence greatly improved conductivity to impair electric resistance, resulting in rapid electron transfer pattern towards organic degradation in anode and hydrogen synthesis in cathode. Furthermore, the selective Na+ stress triggered microbial community evolution and improved electroactive bacteria activity after salinity cultivation in MEC (0.09–0.17 mol Na+/L), which played “bacteria screening” role for salt-tolerant “electrochemical hydrogen-producing” bacteria community formation. The organic-degrading and hydrogen-producing bacteria with their assistors were tolerant to Na+ stress, which were considerably enriched into dominant microorganisms, while the unfavorable bacteria responsible for hydrogen consumption and competition were inhibited due to salinity-sensitivity. Correspondingly, the metabolic pathways for metabolism, genetic information processing and environmental information processing were improved, positively associating with organic degradation and hydrogen production. Such dual driving contributions of Na+-improved electron transfer-utilization pattern and Na+-modified microbial metabolisms boosted the organic pollutant degradation at anode to 91.34 % while improving the performance and speeds of hydrogen production by 1.57–1.70 times. The hydrogen abundance was also increased to 71.57 % in biogas. The energy efficiencies relative to external electricity and substrates were elevated by 8.80–28.44 %, the coulombic efficiency raised by 14.05 % and reached 109.72 %, suggesting the positive net energy benefits. The findings provided inspirations to the feasible application of MEC in salt-containing wastewater treatment with efficiency benefits.

Cadmium exposure induces changes in gut microbial composition and metabolic function in long-tailed dwarf hamsters, Cricetulus longicaudatus.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to cadmium disrupts the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota, resulting in damage to organ tissue. However, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the broader ecological reality associated with this phenomenon. In this study, we conducted a thorough evaluation of the effects of different concentrations of Cd (6, 12, 24, and 48 mg/L) over a period of 35 consecutive days on the organ viscera and the gut microbiota of long-tailed dwarf hamsters, Cricetulus longicaudatus (Rodentia: Cricetidae), using histopathological analysis, 16S rDNA, and metagenome sequencing. Our findings revealed that the results suggest that Cd exposure induced liver, spleen, and kidney damage, potentially leading to increased intestinal permeability and inflammation. These alterations were accompanied by significant perturbations in the gut microbiota composition, particularly affecting potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Prevotella and Treponema within the gut ecosystem. Consequently, host susceptibility to underlying diseases was heightened due to these changes. Notably though, Cd exposure did not significantly impact the overall structure of the gut microbiota itself. Additionally, Cd exposure induced significant changes in the metabolic functions, with the pathways related to disease and environmental information processing notably enhanced, possibly indicating stronger innate defense mechanisms against external injuries among wild mammals exposed to Cd. This study offers a novel approach to comprehensively evaluate the significant impact of Cd pollution on ecosystems by investigating both structural and functional alterations in the digestive system, as well as disruptions in intestinal flora among wild mammals.

Evaluation of the Immune Response of Patulin by Proteomics.

Patulin, an emerging mycotoxin with high toxicity, poses great risks to public health. Considering the poor antibody production in patulin immunization, this study focuses on the four-dimensional data-independent acquisition (4D-DIA) quantitative proteomics to reveal the immune response of patulin in rabbits. The rabbit immunization was performed with the complete developed antigens of patulin, followed by the identification of the immune serum. A total of 554 differential proteins, including 292 up-regulated proteins and 262 down-regulated proteins, were screened; the differential proteins were annotated; and functional enrichment analysis was performed. The differential proteins were associated with the pathways of metabolism, gene information processing, environmental information processing, cellular processes, and organismal systems. The functional enrichment analysis indicated that the immunization procedures mostly resulted in the regulation of biochemical metabolic and signal transduction pathways, including the biosynthesis of amino acid (glycine, serine, and threonine), ascorbate, and aldarate metabolism; fatty acid degradation; and antigen processing and presentation. The 14 key proteins with high connectivity included G1U9T1, B6V9S9, G1SCN8, G1TMS5, G1U9U0, A0A0G2JH20, G1SR03, A0A5F9DAT4, G1SSA2, G1SZ14, G1T670, P30947, P29694, and A0A5F9C804, which were obtained by the analysis of protein-protein interaction networks. This study could provide potential directions for protein interaction and antibody production for food hazards in animal immunization.