Biology[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Bach transcription factors: Emerging molecular regulators for oxidative stress-mediated skin responses and protection.
Bashir A, Wang M, Liu M … +4 more , Cui J, Nisar MF, Yan C, Zhong JL
J Photochem Photobiol B · 2026 Jun · PMID 42296716 · Publisher ↗
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR), particularly UVA and UVB, is a major environmental source of photo-oxidative stress in skin. Absorption of UV photons by endogenous chromophores triggers excessive generation of reactive oxyg...
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR), particularly UVA and UVB, is a major environmental source of photo-oxidative stress in skin. Absorption of UV photons by endogenous chromophores triggers excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in oxidative stress (OS), lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage, and inflammation. These events contribute to photoaging, pigmentary alterations, impaired wound repair, and photocarcinogenesis. Adaptive responses are orchestrated by stress-responsive transcriptional networks, notably BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1) and BTB and CNC homology 2 (Bach2), members of the Broad-Complex, Tramtrack, and Bric-à-brac (BTB) and Cap 'n' Collar (CNC) family. Bach proteins function as redox-sensitive repressors that compete with Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) for antioxidant response elements (AREs) binding in association with small Maf proteins. Under basal conditions, Bach1 suppresses transcription of cytoprotective genes, including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), thereby maintaining a restrained antioxidant activity. UV-induced oxidative or heme stress promotes Bach1 nuclear export anddegradation, enabling Nrf2-driven antioxidant gene expression. Persistent or dysregulated Bach1 activity following chronic UV exposure has been linked to enhanced ferroptotic susceptibility, iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial metabolic imbalance, and increased genomic instability, promoting photodamage and tumor-associated redox adaptation. In contrast, Bach2 appears to exert context-dependent effects on immune regulation, autophagy, and cellular senescence, indicating functional divergence. Emerging evidence further indicates that Bach-mediated transcription intersects with iron metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, inflammatory signaling, and metabolic reprogramming, positioning these factors as central modulators of UV-induced redox thresholds. The dynamic balance between Bach proteins and Nrf2 defines the magnitude and duration of antioxidant responses following acute or chronic irradiation. Targeting this regulatory axis with natural antioxidants (e.g., eriodictyol, cannabidiol, and 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid), small-molecule modulators, or photodynamic strategies offers potential to enhance photoprotection and mitigate UV-driven pathology. A deeper mechanistic understanding of Bach-dependent signaling in photo-oxidative stress will advance the development of precision interventions for light-induced skin disorders and photocarcinogenesis.
RNA helicase DDX5 alleviates UVB-induced skin DNA damage through RBM15/METTL14-mediated mA modification.
Gao W, Huang F, Li S … +9 more , Gao F, Ai C, Han X, Lv M, Chen W, Li Z, Zhang H, Li Q, Wang YS
J Photochem Photobiol B · 2026 Jun · PMID 42296715 · Publisher ↗
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced DNA damage is a major driver of skin carcinogenesis and premature aging. Understanding the mechanisms of DNA damage repair is crucial for preventing these skin disorders. Proteomic prof...
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced DNA damage is a major driver of skin carcinogenesis and premature aging. Understanding the mechanisms of DNA damage repair is crucial for preventing these skin disorders. Proteomic profiling revealed a significant downregulation of RNA helicase DDX5 in the UVB-irradiated cells, which strongly correlated with nucleotide excision repair and mRNA metabolic processes. Although DDX5 has been implicated in cell cycle regulation and helicase-dependent facilitation of DNA repair, its specific function and underlying mechanisms in mitigating UV-triggered DNA damage remain unclear. Consistent with proteomic data, western blotting analysis confirmed that UVB radiation could cause the upregulation of DDX5 both in vitro and in vivo. To further confirm the effects of DDX5, DDX5 expression was modulated in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells by siRNA transfection and lipofection, and in mice by AAV transduction. Functional assays demonstrated that DDX5 overexpression robustly reversed UVB-triggered apoptosis, DNA damage, γHAX focus formation, and the production of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, whereas DDX5 knockdown exacerbated these effects. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed direct interactions between DDX5 and methyltransferase complex subunits, including RBM15 and METTL14. MeRIP-seq and MeRIP-qPCR further revealed that DDX5 overexpression elevated mA modification on mRNAs encoding key DNA repair factors (LIG1, RFC2, and RAD51), which was accompanied by markedly increased mRNA and protein levels of these repair mediators. Consistently, inhibiting mA methylation with cycloleucine or knocking down RBM15/METTL14 abolished the protective effects of DDX5 and reversed the DDX5-mediated upregulation of repair factor expression. Collectively, these findings illustrated that DDX5 interacts with RBM15/METTL14 to promote mA modification of DNA repair factor mRNAs, thereby enhancing their expression and facilitating the repair of UV-induced DNA damage.
Aging and metabolism contribute separately to brain-body health.
Farahani A, Liu ZQ, Morys F … +5 more , Moqadam R, Zeighami Y, Dadar M, Dagher A, Misic B
PLoS Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42296166 · Full text
The brain and body undergo coordinated changes throughout the life span, yet studies of aging have traditionally examined these systems as separate entities. Here we ask how brain health relates to aging and peripheral b...
The brain and body undergo coordinated changes throughout the life span, yet studies of aging have traditionally examined these systems as separate entities. Here we ask how brain health relates to aging and peripheral biomarkers of metabolic and vascular function, including body mass index, blood pressure, and blood biochemistry. We use multivariate pattern learning to identify generalizable patterns of covariance between multi-modal neuroimaging data (structural, functional, diffusion, and arterial spin labeling MRI), demographic, and physiological markers in two large-scale deeply phenotyped datasets: the Human Connectome Project-Aging and UK Biobank. This data-driven approach isolates two principal axes of brain-body associations in both biological sexes. The first axis is driven by the dominant contribution of age. Across multiple brain measures, aging is associated with loss of brain structural integrity and cerebral vascular dysfunction. The second axis is driven by metabolic features, characterized by low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated body mass index, blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin, insulin, glucose, and alanine aminotransferase that predominantly converge on reduced cerebral perfusion. Importantly, the aging and the metabolic axes are independent of each other, meaning that age and metabolic dysfunction have separable influences on the brain. Finally, we show that deviations from a healthy metabolic profile are linked to cognitive deficits, particularly in females. Our study contributes to development of comprehensive translatable biomarkers for brain health assessment, and highlights the importance of metabolic health as a determinant of brain health in aging population.
Evolutionary analysis of transcription elongation factors reveals conserved and lineage-specific regulatory domains.
Francette AM, Grover A, Clark N … +1 more , Arndt KM
PLoS Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42296152 · Full text
In eukaryotes, transcription elongation factors (TEFs) associate with RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) to facilitate gene expression and couple transcription to co-transcriptional processes, including chromatin regulation and...
In eukaryotes, transcription elongation factors (TEFs) associate with RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) to facilitate gene expression and couple transcription to co-transcriptional processes, including chromatin regulation and RNA processing. To further our understanding of TEF biology, we developed a domain-centric analysis pipeline to perform a broad survey of 10 TEF orthologs-Paf1, Ctr9, Cdc73, Rtf1, Leo1, Spt4, Spt5, Spt6, Spn1, and Elf1-across the Tree of Life and analyze their evolutionary patterns in a structural context. We report evidence for all 10 TEFs being present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor, indicating that mechanisms of TEF-mediated transcription regulation are both ancient and conserved. However, some early-diverging eukaryotic clades exhibit signs of altered TEF domain composition. A comparative phylogenetic analysis highlighted conserved regions of TEFs that are detected in both metazoans and fungi and other regions that appear clade-specific, detected only in metazoans. These observations, together with additional insights generated from evolutionary rate covariation analysis, shed light on under-characterized aspects of TEFs, including domains for which functions have yet to be dissected.
Audiomotor prediction errors drive speech adaptation even in the absence of overt movement.
Parrell B, Bae M, Naber C … +3 more , Kim OA, Niziolek CA, McDougle SD
PLoS Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42296102 · Full text
Observed outcomes of our movements sometimes differ from our expectations. These sensory prediction errors recalibrate the brain's internal models for motor control, reflected in alterations to subsequent movements that...
Observed outcomes of our movements sometimes differ from our expectations. These sensory prediction errors recalibrate the brain's internal models for motor control, reflected in alterations to subsequent movements that counteract these errors (motor adaptation). While leading theories suggest that all forms of motor adaptation are driven by learning from sensory prediction errors, dominant models of speech adaptation argue that adaptation results from integrating time-advanced copies of corrective feedback commands into feedforward motor programs. Here, we tested these competing theories of speech adaptation by inducing planned, but not executed, speech. Human speakers were prompted to speak a word and, on a subset of trials, were rapidly cued to withhold the prompted speech. On standard trials, speakers were exposed to real-time playback of their own speech with an auditory perturbation of the first formant to induce single-trial speech adaptation. Speakers experienced a similar sensory error on movement cancellation trials, hearing a perturbation applied to a recording of their speech from a previous trial at the time they would have spoken. Speakers adapted to auditory prediction errors in both contexts, altering the spectral content of spoken vowels to counteract formant perturbations even when no actual produced speech coincided with the perturbed feedback. Such adaptation was not observed when participants passively listened to perturbed feedback without the intention to speak, ruling out observational learning as the cause of adaptation in movement cancellation trials. These results suggest that prediction errors, rather than corrective motor commands, drive audiomotor adaptation in speech, building on recent findings in reaching.
Eco-evolutionary feedbacks drive the co-occurrence of restriction-modification systems and antimicrobial resistance genes in bacteria.
Westley J, Bedekar P, Pursey E … +4 more , Szczelkun MD, Recker M, van Houte S, Westra ER
PLoS Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42296092 · Full text
Bacterial pathogens commonly become drug resistant via horizontal acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), which are often encoded on mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Although bacterial defence systems are ty...
Bacterial pathogens commonly become drug resistant via horizontal acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), which are often encoded on mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Although bacterial defence systems are typically considered barriers to horizontal gene transfer (HGT), previous studies revealed that bacteria with more restriction-modification (RM) systems (the most abundant bacterial defences) frequently carry more MGEs. It was suggested that this counterintuitive relationship might result from stronger selection for RM systems when exposure to costly MGEs increases. Here, we test this hypothesis using a combination of modeling and bioinformatics analysis of >40,000 bacterial genomes to better understand how eco-evolutionary feedbacks between selection for RM and acquisition of MGEs shape bacterial genome evolution. Our model predicts negative associations between HGT and RM, but only if RM diversity is high. By contrast, at low RM diversity, eco-evolutionary feedbacks drive the emergence of positive associations between HGT and RM. Consistent with these predictions, we identified negative relationships between acquired ARG counts and RM counts across species but positive relationships within individual species. Collectively, our work helps to understand how RM systems shape patterns of HGT of ARGs, which may offer opportunities for targeted surveillance of strains at higher risk of horizontally acquiring novel drug resistance alleles.
Biotic interactions biogeography: A framework for understanding how species interactions shape biodiversity patterns across scales.
Galiana N, Araújo MB
PLoS Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42296056 · Full text
The integration between biogeography and ecology has been historically limited due to the lack of data on biotic interactions across large spatial scales. The emergence of new methods and high-quality ecological network...
The integration between biogeography and ecology has been historically limited due to the lack of data on biotic interactions across large spatial scales. The emergence of new methods and high-quality ecological network data at biogeographical scales are paving the way for a deeper integration of biogeography and ecology. This Essay examines this integration through three interconnected research areas: the effects of biotic interactions on species distributions; the influence of environmental gradients on biotic interactions; and the effects of biotic interactions on the environment. Recent progress and primary challenges are discussed, and suggestions provided on how to advance understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes across scales.
Satellitome analysis of the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens reveals genome organization, interstocks dynamics, and insights into centromeric and telomeric repeat composition.
Alves-Gomes RT, Mora P, Rico-Porras JM … +3 more , Palomeque T, Lorite P, Cabral-de-Mello DC
BMC Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42286621 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), commonly known as the black soldier fly (BSF), is a species of growing industrial interest due to its efficiency in organic waste conversion and protein-rich biomas...
BACKGROUND: Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), commonly known as the black soldier fly (BSF), is a species of growing industrial interest due to its efficiency in organic waste conversion and protein-rich biomass production. Despite the availability of extensive genomic resources, chromosomal-level information on repetitive DNA remains scarce. Here, we present the first comprehensive cytogenomic characterization of satellite DNAs (satDNAs) in H. illucens, integrating cytogenetic mapping with genome data to elucidate their organization and potential structural roles. RESULTS: The karyotype (2n = 14, XY) was confirmed, showing concordance with the assembled pseudochromosomes and revealing heterochromatin polymorphisms between stocks from Brazil and Spain. We identified eleven satDNA families representing approximately 3-4% of the genome in both males and females, with monomer lengths ranging from 7 to 4,166 bp and A + T contents between 43 and 73%. Chromosomal mapping uncovered diverse distribution patterns, ranging from chromosome-specific to broadly dispersed repeats. HillSat03-160 localized to chromosome termini, suggesting a telomere-associated role, whereas HillSat04-7 was enriched in centromeric regions, likely contributing to centromere organization. Other satDNA families, such as HillSat01-162 and HillSat02-4166, showed broad autosomal distributions, whereas HillSat05-196 and HillSat06-109 exhibited stock-specific variation, indicating dynamic repeat evolution. Comparisons between in silico genome assemblies and FISH mapping revealed inconsistencies attributable to the collapse of repetitive regions during assembly. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results demonstrate the dynamic and functional significance of satDNAs in the H. illucens genome, highlighting their contribution to genome organization, telomere evolution, and chromosomal diversification, and providing a foundation for future pangenomic and evolutionary studies in this species.
Engineered targeted enhancement of translation in mammalian cell.
Liu J, Lv Y, Zhou Z … +11 more , Huang L, Lei K, Tu Z, Gong C, Fang Z, Wang C, Wang J, Zhu X, Ye M, Lv S, Huang K
BMC Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42286561 · Full text
BACKGROUND: While the central dogma outlines DNA-to-protein information flow, existing gene regulators mainly target transcription. Here, we developed the λN-Guided RNA Targeting System (λGRTS), a CRISPR-independent plat...
BACKGROUND: While the central dogma outlines DNA-to-protein information flow, existing gene regulators mainly target transcription. Here, we developed the λN-Guided RNA Targeting System (λGRTS), a CRISPR-independent platform enhancing mammalian mRNA translation via specific translation-guiding RNAs (tgRNAs). RESULTS: λGRTS integrates λN (high-affinity BoxB binder), mutated eIF4E1 (ablated non-specific 5' cap binding, retains TIC recruitment), and auxiliary factors (HuR for dsRNA stabilization, PABP and RRM2-RRM3 for mRNA closed loops). Optimized 22-nt tgRNAs (targeting 58 bp upstream of mRNA ATG in 5' UTR) and NES-tagged proteins maximized efficacy. λGRTS outperformed dCasRX (smaller ~ 50 kDa vs. ~ 150 kDa, single tgRNA vs. crRNA-tracrRNA), boosting functional proteins (e.g., GFP). It activated P53/PTEN, suppressing GBM cell proliferation, inducing G1 arrest, and reducing invasion in vitro. In vivo, lentiviral λGRTS inhibited orthotopic GBM in nude mice, extended survival by approximately 35-40 days, with IHC confirming P53/PTEN upregulation. Mass spectrometry showed no off-target effects. Cross-species tests (human, mouse, bovine cells) validated broad applicability via conserved eIF4E1. CONCLUSIONS: λGRTS offers a specific, safe translation-centric tool for gene regulation and oncology research.
Novel π-extended cationic meso-arylporphyrins as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy: Synthesis, photoinduced toxicity and in vivofluorescence.
Zhdanova KA, Savelyeva IO, Markova AA … +15 more , Nguyen MT, Egorov AE, Voitova AV, Rybkin AY, Filatova NV, Bondarenko SD, Mishchenko DV, Gradova MA, Karpechenko NY, Maksimova VP, Popova VG, Govorov ND, Bezborodova OA, Kuzmin VA, Bragina NA
J Photochem Photobiol B · 2026 Jun · PMID 42284620 · Publisher ↗
In this work novel cationic π-extended meso-arylporphyrins with increased absorption in the red and near-infrared (NIR) region were synthesized as potential photosensitizers (PS) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Introduct...
In this work novel cationic π-extended meso-arylporphyrins with increased absorption in the red and near-infrared (NIR) region were synthesized as potential photosensitizers (PS) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Introduction of two phenylethynyl substituents shifts absorption bands of the porphyrins to the red/NIR region (Q-band up to 689 nm, ε ∼ 60,000 M cm) with high photostability. Zn(II) complexes SI-1 and SI-2 exhibit singlet oxygen quantum yields up to 0.65. The obtained compounds demonstrated an exceptionally high phototoxic effect in nanomolar range (IC50 ∼ 7-60 nM) in the HeLa cell line, which is ∼5-50 times higher compared to the reference chlorin e6. The in vitro intracellular accumulation of compounds was studied using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. In vivo NIR fluorescence imaging confirms detectability and distinct biodistribution. Compound SI-1 shows the strongest in vivo signal, while SI-4 exhibits the highest dark-to-photoinduced cytotoxicity ratio. The obtained compounds showed great potential as new porphyrin-type photosensitizers.
Evolutionary inference reveals global natural histories and predicted pathways of antimicrobial resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Aga ONL, Moyo SJ, Manyahi J … +5 more , Kibwana U, Löhr IH, Langeland N, Blomberg B, Johnston IG
PLoS Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42284356 · Full text
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a substantial and growing global health burden. Understanding, and predicting, its evolution in specific pathogens will help responses across scales from individual patient cases to larg...
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a substantial and growing global health burden. Understanding, and predicting, its evolution in specific pathogens will help responses across scales from individual patient cases to large-scale policy. Here, we use global data on AMR features, predicted from 47k Klebsiella pneumoniae genomes, with hypercubic transition path sampling to infer the evolutionary pathways by which AMR features in K. pneumoniae (KpAMR) are acquired across 102 countries, territories, and areas. We identify "globally consistent" evolutionary behaviors that hold across countries, and "globally divergent" behaviors including carbapenem and fluoroquinolone resistance that vary across countries. We show how these divergent dynamics covary both with public health superregion and drug use policy, and reveal competing evolutionary pathways within and between countries. Using newly sequenced data across several decades from sub-Saharan Africa, we show that this inferred global roadmap of KpAMR evolution successfully predicts prospective evolutionary dynamics. Together, we hope that the ability to characterize and predict evolutionary dynamics of AMR acquisition, connected to socio-economic and drug policy predictors, will help strengthen our understanding of AMR evolution worldwide.
IntAct-U-ExM enables super-resolution imaging of isoform-specific actin networks across species.
Dhar A, Dey S, Mullick S … +8 more , Suman NK, van Zwam MC, Palani Balaji NK, Ghosh A, Nair D, van den Dries K, Gadadhar S, Palani S
PLoS Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42284311 · Full text
Expansion microscopy (ExM) has revolutionized super-resolution imaging in cell biology due to its simple and inexpensive workflow. The use of ExM has revealed several novel insights into the nanoscale architectures of ce...
Expansion microscopy (ExM) has revolutionized super-resolution imaging in cell biology due to its simple and inexpensive workflow. The use of ExM has revealed several novel insights into the nanoscale architectures of cellular protein complexes, especially the microtubule cytoskeleton in model and non-model systems. Despite tremendous progress in expansion microscopy protocols that preserve cellular ultrastructure (U-ExM), compatible probes for imaging actin isoforms with U-ExM are still lacking and have hindered the study of diverse actin isoforms and networks across model systems. Here, we use IntAct, an internally tagged actin that incorporates into cellular actin networks, to develop and optimize U-ExM for diverse actin structures in yeast, mammalian cells, and primary neurons. Using ALFA-tagged IntAct variants, we achieve robust visualization of actin patches, cables, and rings in yeast, as well as diverse actin architectures including the cortex, stress fibers, filopodia, and lamellipodia in mammalian cells at improved resolution. In primary hippocampal neurons, IntAct efficiently labels actin throughout the soma and neuronal projections, revealing strong enrichment at dendritic spines and synaptic boutons. Notably, we observe a periodic organization of F-actin along axons consistent with the membrane-associated periodic cytoskeleton, thereby resolving the periodic, sub-diffraction actin ring organization. We also detect transient nuclear actin filaments using IntAct-U-ExM underscoring the advantages offered by our approach to image understudied actin structures. Overall, we demonstrate the effectiveness of IntAct-U-ExM for performing super-resolution imaging of various actin structures in an isoform-specific manner and highlight the potential of IntAct to study the nanoscale organization of diverse actin cytoskeletal networks across species.
The first chromosome-scale genome assembly for Dermacentor reticulatus: a key vector of tick-borne pathogens of public and veterinary health importance in Europe.
Billows N, White ML, Thorpe J … +11 more , Higgins M, Collins E, de Jesus MS, Kristan M, Pullan S, Biddlecombe SM, Brown FV, Clark TG, Hansford KM, Medlock JM, Campino S
BMC Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42277755 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Dermacentor reticulatus is a key tick species across Europe and an established vector of multiple pathogens affecting both human and animal health. Despite its significant role in disease transmission and its...
BACKGROUND: Dermacentor reticulatus is a key tick species across Europe and an established vector of multiple pathogens affecting both human and animal health. Despite its significant role in disease transmission and its expanding distribution, genomic data for this species remain limited. Here, we present the first chromosome-scale genome assembly of D. reticulatus, constructed using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing. RESULTS: This chromosome-scale genome assembly revealed a repeat-rich genome, with approximately 63.6% of the total sequence consisting of repetitive elements. BUSCO analysis demonstrated strong genome completeness, with guided assembly achieving a score of 97.9%, comparable to related Dermacentor species. Gene annotation predicted 21,592 genes with a BUSCO completeness score of 98%. Functional characterisation, including Pfam domain assignment and gene ontology analysis, highlighted enrichment of molecular functions associated with detoxification, protease regulation, antimicrobial defence, and cholesterol metabolism. Additionally, the mitochondrial genome (15,103 bp), comprising 38 genes, was assembled, providing further insight into D. reticulatus phylogenetic placement in the Dermacentor genus. CONCLUSIONS: This genomic resource establishes a foundation for studying tick biology, evolution, and host-pathogen interactions.
Microbial communication in saline environments: quorum sensing and the future of anaerobic wastewater treatment.
Pan Y, Wang XT, Li Y … +5 more , Wang W, Sonne C, Tong YW, Ren N, Ok YS
BMC Biol · 2026 Jun · PMID 42277753 · Full text
Anaerobic treatment of industrial wastewater offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach to reducing environmental contamination while recovering biogas. High-salinity wastewater poses ecological risks and remains d...
Anaerobic treatment of industrial wastewater offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach to reducing environmental contamination while recovering biogas. High-salinity wastewater poses ecological risks and remains difficult to treat due to salt-induced sludge disintegration, volatile fatty acid accumulation, and reduced methane production. Quorum sensing is emerging as a key regulator of microbial activity and system stability under salt stress. This review summarizes salinity-stress inhibition mechanisms, evaluates quorum sensing-based mitigation strategies, and proposes a stage- and performance-based framework for quorum sensing application to advance resilient and efficient anaerobic treatment systems.
Evaluation of Dry Feed Formulations for Culturing the Commercial Fairy Shrimp .
Sriphuthorn K, Dabseepai P, Senasri N
Biology (Basel) · 2026 Jun · PMID 42274544 · Full text
This study evaluated locally available dry feed formulations (FFs) as practical alternatives to fresh sp. for culturing the freshwater fairy shrimp . Seven dietary treatments were evaluated, including fresh sp. at 1 ×...
This study evaluated locally available dry feed formulations (FFs) as practical alternatives to fresh sp. for culturing the freshwater fairy shrimp . Seven dietary treatments were evaluated, including fresh sp. at 1 × 10 cells mL (FF1; control) and six mixed dry diets (FF2-FF7) formulated from spirulina powder, commercial shrimp feed, fish meal, and rice bran. Fairy shrimp were cultured for 20 days in a completely randomized design with three replicates per treatment at a stocking density of 30 individuals L. Growth performance (body length and wet body weight) and survival were assessed across three developmental stages (1-5, 6-10, and 11-20 days post-hatch). Across all developmental stages, FF2 (50% spirulina powder + 50% commercial shrimp feed) consistently supported culture performance comparable to that of the control treatment. During the early developmental stage (1-5 days post-hatch), shrimp fed FF2 exhibited growth and survival rates comparable to those of the control group and significantly higher ( < 0.05) than those observed in several other dry diet treatments. During the late developmental stage (11-20 days post-hatch), survival of shrimp fed FF2 (62.45 ± 5.28 percent) did not differ significantly from that of the control group (61.85 ± 4.25 percent) but was significantly higher ( < 0.05) than survival in the other dry diet treatments. In addition, shrimp biomass produced with FF2 showed greater protein, lipid, carotenoid, and amino acid contents than shrimp fed fresh sp. Protein, lipid, and amino acid contents were determined using standard AOAC methods, and carotenoid content was analyzed by HPLC. These findings suggest that FF2 may serve as a practical algae-independent diet for maintaining growth and survival of under controlled hatchery conditions.
Multi-Omics Dissection of the Shared Genetic Architecture Between Sleep Traits and Epilepsy.
Wang T, Li J, Chen D … +8 more , Liu Y, Fang C, Wang X, Song Z, Guo M, Wang Y, Naumovski N, Zheng X
Biology (Basel) · 2026 Jun · PMID 42274543 · Full text
Epilepsy is a heritable neurological disorder that is frequently comorbid with sleeping difficulties, including short/long sleep duration and insomnia. Although epidemiological studies have consistently reported the como...
Epilepsy is a heritable neurological disorder that is frequently comorbid with sleeping difficulties, including short/long sleep duration and insomnia. Although epidemiological studies have consistently reported the comorbidity between sleep disturbances and epilepsy, the shared genetic architecture and molecular mechanisms underlying this relationship remain poorly characterized, hindering therapeutic development. In this study, we integrated large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics of European ancestry to dissect the genetic and molecular links between sleep traits and epilepsy. Using LDSC and GWAS-pw, we identified modest but statistically significant (Bonferroni-corrected) global and local genetic correlations between sleep behaviors and epilepsy. Subsequent CPASSOC cross-trait meta-analysis and transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) pinpointed specific pleiotropic loci and shared candidate genes, including , , and , which are functionally associated with neuroimmune signaling. While preliminary Phenome-Wide Association Study (PheWAS) profiling of these candidate targets did not identify major adverse associations in current databases, we emphasize that rigorous in vitro and in vivo experimental validations are required before considering them for therapeutic strategies. Finally, pleiotropy-robust bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses suggested unidirectional causal liability from epilepsy to short sleep duration. Although the estimated causal effect size was minimal, it reflects lifelong polygenic architecture rather than acute clinical magnitude. In conclusion, our multi-omics approach unveils the shared genetic architecture of the sleep-epilepsy axis and highlights potential biomarkers for future functional investigation.
Induced Mutagenesis Improves Grain Protein and Micronutrient (Fe and Zn) Content in Spring Wheat ( L.).
Gulina D, Saule K, Dinara Z … +5 more , Saule A, Malika A, Sabina S, Saltanat A, Khava Y
Biology (Basel) · 2026 Jun · PMID 42274542 · Full text
Improving grain nutritional quality without reducing yield remains a major challenge in wheat breeding. This study aimed to identify advanced mutant lines of spring wheat with enhanced grain protein, iron (Fe), and zinc...
Improving grain nutritional quality without reducing yield remains a major challenge in wheat breeding. This study aimed to identify advanced mutant lines of spring wheat with enhanced grain protein, iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) contents combined with reduced phytate levels to improve mineral bioavailability. Mutant lines were developed from the spring wheat cultivar Zhenis using gamma irradiation (100 and 200 Gry) and evaluated for yield-related traits, grain morphometry, and nutritional parameters. Significant phenotypic and genetic variation was observed among the M mutant lines. Grain protein content ranged from 13.23% to 15.63%, and 46.7% of the lines showed significantly higher protein levels than the parent cultivar. Likewise, 43.3% of the mutant lines showed increases in grain iron and zinc contents of up to 3.4- and 2.94-fold, respectively, compared to the control. Phytate-to-mineral molar ratios were significantly reduced, indicating improved mineral bioavailability. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between micronutrient accumulation and grain morphometric traits, particularly grain area. No strong negative relationship between nutritional quality and yield-related traits was detected in the selected lines. These results demonstrate that gamma-induced mutagenesis is an effective approach for developing biofortified wheat genotypes with improved nutritional quality and stable agronomic performance.
Interannual Dynamics of Macrobenthic Communities near a Coastal Nuclear Power Plant: Environmental Drivers and Risks of Cooling Source Blockage.
Huang W, Zhang W, Liu W … +5 more , Fan L, Wen D, Zheng B, Yu Z, Yu S
Biology (Basel) · 2026 Jun · PMID 42274541 · Full text
Cooling water systems of coastal nuclear power plants in China are frequently threatened by blockages caused by marine organisms. However, long-term studies on macrobenthic community dynamics and their associations with...
Cooling water systems of coastal nuclear power plants in China are frequently threatened by blockages caused by marine organisms. However, long-term studies on macrobenthic community dynamics and their associations with environmental factors are scarce, limiting the precise prevention of such blockage risks. This study conducted quantitative monitoring of macrobenthos and synchronous measurement of water environmental factors at 24 sampling stations in three functional areas (water intake, harbor basin, and drainage outlet) adjacent to the Northeast Fujian NPP from 2018 to 2024. Community structure characteristics were analyzed using the Shannon-Wiener and Margalef indices. The Grappler Method Risk Index (GMRI) was employed to screen species at risk of blocking cooling water systems, and the Mantel test and random forest models were applied to explore the associations between the macrobenthic community and environmental factors. A total of 161 macrobenthic species were identified. Polychaetes (71 species, accounting for 44.1%) were the absolute dominant group, followed by crustaceans (35 species) and Mollusks (30 species). The interannual fluctuation range of the polychaete proportion was 41.1-57.8%, reaching a peak in 2023. There were significant differences in community structure among different areas (PERMANOVA, < 0.05), with the largest inter-regional difference in 2024 (R = 0.36). The annual average number of species (9 species), density (155.25 ind./m), and biomass (29.58 g/m) in the drainage outlet were higher than those in the water intake and harbor basin. The GMRI identified (spiny sea cucumber, GMRI values of 50.67% to 64.98% from 2019 to 2023) and sp. (sea anemone, a GMRI value of 54.63% in 2021) as medium-risk species for cooling water system blockage, while most other organisms were classified as low risk or extremely low risk. The Mantel test and random forest analysis confirmed that nitrogen nutrients (NO) and phosphorus (PO) were significantly positively correlated with the polychaete community. Furthermore, NO and NH each explained 13.66% of the variation in the diversity index ('), serving as key factors driving community structure. This study demonstrates the co-dominance of thermal and nutrient drivers in shaping macrobenthic communities over a multi-year scale, and identifies specific, morphologically suited taxa as potential blockage risks. The findings provide a scientific basis for targeted risk-species monitoring and support the integration of long-term ecological data into NPP cooling water system security management.
Ecotoxicological Effects of Conventional and Eco-Friendly Glitter: A Literature Review.
Futia S, Pastorino P, Solé M … +6 more , Caldaroni B, Gentile R, Dörr AJM, Prearo M, Renzi M, Elia AC
Biology (Basel) · 2026 Jun · PMID 42274540 · Full text
Glitter is a distinctive and largely overlooked form of primary microplastic. Unlike more commonly studied microplastics, glitter particles are typically flat, highly reflective, multi-layered, and are composed of polyme...
Glitter is a distinctive and largely overlooked form of primary microplastic. Unlike more commonly studied microplastics, glitter particles are typically flat, highly reflective, multi-layered, and are composed of polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride with metallic coatings and a wide range of additives. In response to regulatory restrictions on intentionally added microplastics and increasing consumer demand, "eco-friendly" alternatives based on modified regenerated cellulose, cellulose nanocrystals, or mica have been introduced, although their environmental safety remains insufficiently characterized. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the environmental occurrence and ecotoxicological effects of both conventional and biodegradable glitters. A systematic literature search in Scopus identified 15 peer-reviewed experimental studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria. Evidence spans a wide range of taxa, including bacteria (i.e., ), microalgae and cyanobacteria (i.e., , , ), aquatic plants (i.e., , ), marine and freshwater invertebrates as crustaceans (i.e., ), bivalves (i.e., ), sea urchins (i.e., ), brine shrimp ( sp.) and terrestrial soil fauna (, ). Results indicate that glitter cannot be treated as a uniform stressor: biological responses vary markedly with particle size, shape, colour, polymer type, additive composition, and weathering time, and leachates often exert stronger effects than intact particles. Reported impacts include impaired photosynthesis and growth, oxidative stress, developmental abnormalities, altered energy metabolism, and reduced reproduction. Substantial gaps remain regarding environmental concentrations, ageing processes, mixture effects, and long-term ecological consequences, particularly for biodegradable glitters. Addressing these gaps will require realistic exposure scenarios, mesocosm and field studies, and integrated chemical-biological approaches to support robust risk assessment and safer material design.
Evolution Under Pressure: Navigating Adaptation from Deep Time to the Anthropocene.
Pagano M, Del Prete S
Biology (Basel) · 2026 Jun · PMID 42274539 · Full text
Environmental stress has always represented one of the most powerful evolutionary forces determining biological diversity [...].
Environmental stress has always represented one of the most powerful evolutionary forces determining biological diversity [...].
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