Search Results (4,655)

Objective: The objectives of this study were to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and whole-genome features of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) among children under 14 years of age in Shijiazhuang during 2022–2025, enrich the whole-genome data of HMPV in China, and provide a basis for further understanding the genetic diversity of the virus and for its prevention, control, and transmission intervention. Methods: A total of 1920 cases of acute respiratory infection were enrolled from three sentinel hospitals in Shijiazhuang. Nucleic acid screening was performed using real-time PCR. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted on 25 positive samples. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using the neighbor-joining method in MEGA, and nucleotide and amino acid sequence identity analyses were performed. Results: The overall detection rate of HMPV from 2022 to 2025 was 4.17%. A prominent peak in winter 2024 was the major distinguishing feature. Temporally, both influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases showed marked seasonality during 2022–2025, with high-incidence periods in December–March and April–June. BLAST alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed that among the 25 sequenced HMPV specimens, genotype B2 was the most frequently identified genotype (13/25, 52%). Conclusions: HMPV epidemics in Shijiazhuang during 2022–2025 mainly occurred in winter–spring and spring–summer, with a notable detection peak in December 2024. The B2 genotype predominated among the sequenced HMPV isolates obtained in this study. The amino acid variation in the G gene was significantly higher than that in other genomic regions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Alternative splicing (AS) contributes substantially to transcriptomic diversity and has emerged as an important regulator of cancer progression. However, the genome-wide characterization of AS events specific to estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer remains limited. This study aims to comprehensively profile AS in ER-positive breast cancer and identify a prognostic AS signature associated with patient outcome. Methods: Clinical and splicing data (Percent Spliced In values) were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for 737 ER-positive samples. Prognostic AS events were identified using Cox regression analysis. The Least Absolute Shrinkage Selection Operator (LASSO) model was used to construct an AS-based prognostic signature, and a standardized risk score was calculated for each sample. The signature was then evaluated by Kaplan–Meier (KM) analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, in addition to other methods to validate model performance. Furthermore, transcript-level annotation and RNA expression correlation were performed to evaluate biological relevance. Results: Profiling identified 6276 AS events across 4457 genes, with exon skipping (ES) representing the most prevalent class (34.4%). Model analysis established a novel five-event AS prognostic signature (comprising DNAJC14, BAZ2B, PCDHAC1, PCDHA7, and DAPL1). The signature significantly stratified patients into high-risk and low-risk groups for both disease-free survival (DFS; p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS; p < 0.001). HER2-specific analysis demonstrated more consistent performance in HER2-negative patients for both DFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p = 0.018). The model achieved area under the curve (AUC) of 0.804 for 60-month follow-up supporting long-term prognostic performance. Additionally, the signature demonstrated stable and reliable discrimination with a concordance index (C-index) of approximately 0.73 across multiple validation methods. Conclusions: The study identified AS signature with promising prognostic value in ER-positive breast cancer. This highlights the potential of splicing-based models to refine risk stratification beyond conventional gene expression analysis. Full article

Aquaponics combines aquaculture and hydroponics, offering an integrated and sustainable food production system. This study investigated the probiotic properties, plant growth-promoting (PGP) activity, and nitrifying capacity of twelve lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from an aquaculture farm environment on the Ivory Coast for their potential application in aquaponic systems. All isolates demonstrated antagonistic activity against key pathogenic indicator strains, except Vibrio cholerae, and displayed varying levels of surface hydrophobicity (5.50 ± 0.70% to 22.83 ± 1.17%) and auto-aggregation (32.50 ± 0.08% to 52.89 ± 0.39%) after 24 h. Antioxidant activity was significantly higher in cell-free supernatants (~71–79%) than in intact cells (~30–33%). Bile salt tolerance (0.3%, 4 h) ranged from 2.13 ± 0.76% to 40.87 ± 2.12%, and survival under pH 1.5 with pepsin for 3 h varied from 4.84 ± 0.26% to 53.98 ± 13.28%. All isolates produced lactic, acetic, citric, malic, and propionic acid and exhibited amylase and cellulase activity; none showed hemolytic activity. Only LAB 11 produced indole-3-acetic acid (17.72 ± 0.06 μg/mL), siderophores, and phosphate-solubilization activity for PGP traits, and this group significantly enhanced maize seed germination (86.66 ± 5.77%) and radicle length (7.00 ± 0.52 mm) compared to the control (63.33 ± 32.14% and 4.94 ± 1.52 mm), respectively. LAB 1 and LAB 10 demonstrated the highest ammonia-oxidizing capacity in vitro and in trout pond water. LAB 1, LAB 10, and LAB 11 were confirmed by whole genome sequencing analysis to be Enterococcus faecalis strains with a favorable-safety genomic profile and probiotic characteristics. These three strains therefore represent promising candidates for consortium-based applications in aquaponics systems. Full article

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are prone to genomic instability during prolonged culture, with recurrent chromosomal aberrations conferring selective advantages. Replication stress is a major driver of this instability, yet the repertoire of replication stress-sensitive loci in iPSCs remains largely unexplored. Here, we mapped aphidicolin-sensitive fragile sites (asFS) in three independent iPSC lines using classical cytogenetic break analysis combined with Monte Carlo simulation and MiDAS mapping directly on banded metaphase chromosomes. We identified 28 asFS, which segregated into a highly active Major cluster (8 sites, accounting for 59% of breaks among asFS) and a less active Minor cluster (20 sites). Five universal asFS (9p21, 6q25-26, 20p11-12, 10q22, Xq25) were present in all three lines, representing a fragility signature associated with the pluripotent state, with Xq25 shifting into the Major cluster after correction for X chromosome dosage. Minor asFS showed preferential co-localization with physical breakpoints or minimal overlapping regions of recurrent culture-acquired aberrations, including 20q11.21 (BCL2L1), 1q32 (MDM4), 8q24 (MYC), 17q21 (WNT3-WNT9B), and 18q21 (DCC/FRA18B). MiDAS mapping validated most asFS and revealed additional replication stress-sensitive loci in pericentromeric and subtelomeric regions that are difficult to score by conventional G-banding. Comparison with fragile site maps from other cell types revealed that the iPSC asFS repertoire is distinct in rank order and relative activity, characteristic of the pluripotent state. Collectively, our findings indicate that the asFS repertoire in iPSCs is hierarchically organized into a stable universal core and a variable peripheral component, and suggest that Minor asFS may contribute to, or be associated with, the genesis of culture-acquired rearrangements. This work provides a framework for understanding how replication stress and clonal selection shape the mutational landscape of pluripotent stem cells. Full article

Background: β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations (BL/BLIs) and siderophore cephalosporin serve as critical polymyxin alternatives for carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA). However, systematic multicenter clinical data from China and the resistance mechanisms underlying non-susceptibility to these agents remain poorly defined. Methods: We collected 442 CRPA isolates from 10 hospitals across eight Chinese provinces (2017–2025), determined minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for cefiderocol (FDC), ceftazidime–avibactam (CZA), imipenem–relebactam (IMR), and ceftolozane–tazobactam (CT) through broth microdilution, and performed whole-genome sequencing. Resistance genes, virulence factors, and sequence types (STs) were identified. A chromosomal co-selection score (eight non-mobile resistance genes) was constructed. Multivariable regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis identified predictors of non-susceptibility. Results: Carbapenemase genes were detected in only 33 isolates (7.5%): metallo β lactamase (MBL) genes in 28, bla_KPC-2 in 2, and bla_{GES 5/14} in 3; the ST463 clone was absent. MBL producers were resistant to CZA, IMR, and CT (0–4% susceptible) but 100% susceptible to FDC. KPC 2 and GES producers were CZA-susceptible (100%) but IMR- and CT-resistant. Among 127 CZA non-susceptible isolates, 99 (78%) lacked carbapenemase genes; ST270 (from a single center) accounted for 64.6% of these. The chromosomal score independently predicted MIC (ρ: CT 0.64, FDC 0.59, IMR 0.50, CZA 0.25—largely attributable to ST270; all p < 0.001). ExoU positive isolates had lower MICs (FDC median 0.12 vs. 0.25 mg/L, p < 0.001). FDC remained active against 97.3% of all isolates and 100% of carbapenemase-positive ones. Genotype-based prediction yielded area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of 0.86 (CT) and 0.80 (CZA). Conclusions: Mechanisms other than acquired carbapenemases—consistent with chromosomal determinants—accounted for most non-susceptibility in this predominantly northern Chinese respiratory tract CRPA collection. Carbapenemase types determine distinct drug susceptibility patterns. Routine carbapenemase detection fails to identify most CZA-resistant strains. FDC retained the broadest in vitro activity and is a reliable therapeutic option pending clinical outcome data, and ST270-associated resistance deserves continuous surveillance. Full article

Background/Objectives: Despite its hostile physicochemical environment characterized by high osmotic pressure, acidic pH, and low water activity, honey serves as a unique ecological niche for resilient microorganisms. This study aimed to recover bacterial isolates from honeys of different botanical origins and to characterize the probiotic-associated properties of a honey-derived Bacillus licheniformis isolate. Methods: A total of 20 bacterial isolates were recovered from four honey samples, including two blossoms and two honeydew honeys. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the recovered isolates had taxonomic assignments consistent with Bacillus licheniformis. Because 16S rRNA sequencing does not provide sufficient resolution to establish strain-level diversity or clonality, one isolate, designated Blhoney, was selected for subsequent molecular and functional characterization. Results: In vitro assays revealed that Blhoney exhibits robust tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal stress, including extreme acidity (pH 1–3), bile salts (0.3–1%), pepsin, and pancreatin, maintaining viability for up to 24 h. Phenotypic antimicrobial testing demonstrated measurable inhibition zones for erythromycin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, tetracycline, gentamicin, streptomycin, and spectinomycin, whereas no measurable inhibition zones were observed for penicillin G, rifampicin, ciprofloxacin, or ceftazidime. However, MIC determination and standardized breakpoint interpretation were not performed; therefore, these findings were interpreted solely as preliminary phenotypic inhibition-zone observations. Although the isolate did not display direct antagonistic activity against the tested bacterial pathogens under experimental conditions, its persistence under the tested gastrointestinal stress conditions supports further investigation of its probiotic-associated characteristics. Conclusions: Overall, these findings indicate that the honey-derived Blhoney isolate exhibits preliminary probiotic-associated characteristics under the tested in vitro conditions. However, further strain-level genomic and safety characterization is required before its potential probiotic application can be established. Full article

Background: Hypoxia and oxidative stress are central features of cutaneous melanoma biology. Body mass index (BMI) and smoking, both of which can influence systemic hypoxia, inflammation, and oxidative stress, have shown inconsistent associations with melanoma. We investigated the association of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha gene (HIF1A) rs11549465 (1772 C>T; Pro582Ser) polymorphism, alone and in combination with overweight/obesity or smoking habits, with cutaneous melanoma susceptibility and clinicopathological characteristics. Methods: This observational case–control study included 132 Caucasian Italian patients with cutaneous melanoma and 312 healthy controls. The rs11549465 polymorphism was genotyped by genomic DNA restriction fragment analysis. Logistic regression provided age- and sex-adjusted and mutually adjusted estimates. Results: Genotype and allele frequencies did not differ between patients and controls. Within the melanoma cohort, smoking for ≥20 years remained associated with metastatic disease after adjustment for BMI ≥ 25 kg/m², age at diagnosis, and sex (aOR = 3.12, p = 0.006), whereas BMI did not (aOR = 1.23, p = 0.612). Compared with healthy controls, metastatic melanoma was independently associated with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² (aOR = 2.26, p = 0.010) and smoking for ≥20 years (aOR = 3.85, p < 0.001). Mean pack-years were higher in melanoma patients than controls (9.4 ± 16.7 vs. 5.1 ± 12.2; p = 0.002), and ≥10 and ≥20 pack-years remained associated after age- and sex-adjustment (aOR = 2.19, p = 0.001 and aOR = 3.31, p < 0.001, respectively). Mean pack-years were higher in MetM than NMetM (13.1 ± 21.0 vs. 5.9 ± 10.0; p = 0.013), and ≥20 pack-years was associated with MetM (OR = 3.05, p = 0.017). Adjusted associations with head/neck melanoma (n = 13) were observed for CC plus BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² (aOR = 9.07, p < 0.001), ≥20 cigarette/day (aOR = 5.96, p = 0.004), ≥20 years smoking (aOR = 6.64, p = 0.003), and other smoking measures. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report on the interplay between the rs11549465 polymorphism and cutaneous melanoma. HIF1A rs11549465 was not independently associated with melanoma susceptibility. Associations involving smoking, BMI, joint genotype–lifestyle exposures, and anatomical localization had wide confidence intervals and were exploratory; small subgroups and multiple comparisons require cautious interpretation and independent validation. Full article

Background: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a widely studied probiotic species; however, probiotic characteristics and safety profiles are strain-specific, requiring independent evaluation. This study characterized Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATA-LPC98052 as a candidate probiotic raw material. Methods: ATA-LPC98052 was evaluated for hemolysis, acid/bile tolerance, Caco-2 adhesion, cytotoxicity, and storage stability. Subacute oral safety was assessed in Wistar rats by gavage for 28 days at 1.2 × 10¹¹ CFU/kg/day; the study design incorporated selected principles of OECD Test Guideline 407. Clinical, hematological, biochemical, organ-weight, and macroscopic endpoints were evaluated. Fecal microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing; WGS was used for taxonomic confirmation and genomic safety screening. Results: ATA-LPC98052 was γ-hemolytic and maintained 60% viability at pH 1.5 and 96% at pH 5.0, while viability ranged from 74% to 82% across 0.1–0.5% bile salt concentrations. Caco-2 cell viability was 99%, adhesion exceeded 90%, and the lyophilized preparation remained stable for 15 months, maintaining 9.6 log₁₀ CFU/g. Repeated oral administration caused no mortality or consistent treatment-related toxicological pattern. Longitudinal microbiota analysis showed no significant treatment × time effects on alpha diversity or Bray–Curtis community structure, and no genus-level MaAsLin2 association was FDR-significant. WGS confirmed L. plantarum identity and no contamination; ResFinder detected no acquired antimicrobial resistance determinants meeting specified thresholds, whereas CARD/RGI identified low-identity qacJ and vanY homologs requiring cautious interpretation. Conclusion: ATA-LPC98052 demonstrated favorable in vitro probiotic characteristics, technological stability, gut microbiota-modulating potential, and a favorable subacute safety profile under the tested conditions; however, microbiota findings were exploratory, and phenotypic MIC testing remains warranted. Full article

G. barbadense represents an indispensable germplasm resource for high-quality textile fiber and disease resistance; nevertheless, systematic information regarding its ZRT/IRT-like protein (ZIP) gene family remains limited. Here, a total of 46 GbZIP genes were identified across the G. barbadense genome. Comprehensive bioinformatic investigations revealed uneven chromosomal distribution and confirmed that segmental/whole-genome duplications, supplemented by localized tandem duplications, drove family expansion. Members clustered within the same phylogenetic clades shared conserved motif organization and gene architecture, while promoter regions harbored abundant cis-acting elements associated with phytohormone and stress signaling. Transcriptome profiling indicated distinct expression patterns across vegetative/reproductive tissues, fiber and ovule developmental stages, and diverse abiotic stress conditions (cold, hot, drought, and salt). Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) further validated that several GbZIP candidates exhibited temporal expression variations upon exposure to cadmium toxicity, V. dahliae infection, and combined Cd-V. dahliae stress. Specifically, GbZIP13, GbZIP18, GbZIP27, and GbZIP36 displayed prominent broad-spectrum responses to all three stress conditions, whereas GbZIP16, GbZIP29, and GbZIP30 showed stress-specific regulatory divergence. Overall, this study aims to systematically analyze the evolutionary characteristics and expression patterns of the GbZIP family, and to specifically evaluate the response differences under Cd stress, V. dahliae stress, and combined stress, in order to identify potential key candidate genes. Full article

Background: Although high PD-L1 expression correlates with improved outcomes to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), it remains an imperfect predictive biomarker. DNA damage response (DDR) pathway alterations are closely associated with antitumor immunity, shaping tumor immunogenicity and the immune microenvironment. This study evaluates the distribution and clinical impact of DDR alterations in advanced Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) ≥ 50%, providing insights for personalized treatment selection and response prediction. Experimental Design: Patients with advanced NSCLC and PD-L1 expression ≥ 50% who received first-line ICI-based therapy were retrospectively enrolled. Tumor tissue samples underwent targeted next-generation sequencing using a comprehensive cancer panel, with a predefined 35-gene DDR panel used to identify and classify pathogenic or likely pathogenic DDR alterations. The associations between genomic DDR alteration status, clinicopathologic characteristics, cytokine profiles, and immunotherapy outcomes were evaluated. Results: Among 121 patients, 72 (59.5%) were classified as DDR-positive and 49 (40.5%) as DDR-negative based on genomic DDR alterations. DDR-positive patients exhibited a higher burden of DDR alterations and TMB, and DDR-positive status remained independently associated with improved outcomes after adjustment for clinical factors and TMB. DDR-positive patients had higher DCB rates and IL-2 levels, whereas TNF-α and IL-6 levels were elevated in DDR-negative patients. DDR-positive status was associated with longer PFS than DDR-negative status (median, 12.7 vs. 8.9 months), with the benefit of chemo-immunotherapy mainly observed in DDR-positive patients. Conclusions: Genomic DDR alterations are associated with distinct immune profiles and may represent a potential biomarker for immunotherapy stratification. DDR-positive patients may derive greater benefit from chemo-immunotherapy, supporting further prospective investigation. Full article

Background: Metastatic melanoma in East Asian populations is enriched for acral and mucosal subtypes and harbors a distinct molecular landscape compared with Western cutaneous melanoma. However, data on the efficacy of first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy and on the impact of molecular characteristics on treatment effect in this population remain limited. We aimed to characterize the genomic landscape of an East Asian metastatic melanoma cohort and to evaluate the predictive values of molecular markers for first-line ICI therapy. Methods: This study included 135 patients with metastatic melanoma who received first-line ICI at Samsung Medical Center between January 2022 and December 2025. Of these, 108 with paired next-generation sequencing (NGS) data were included in the molecular analysis. Survival outcomes were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method, and the prognostic value of molecular subtype was assessed using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Mucosal melanoma was the most common primary site (58, 43.0%), followed by acral melanoma (31, 23.0%) and cutaneous melanoma (25, 18.5%); 4 (3.0%) had uveal melanoma and 17 (12.6%) had melanoma of other or unknown primary origin. The overall objective response rate to first-line ICI was 37.8% (51 of 135), and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.0–9.6). Using the hierarchical classification, 108 patients were classified into five molecular subtypes: BRAF-altered (n = 17, 15.7%), RAS-altered (n = 17, 15.7%), KIT-altered (n = 15, 13.9%), and NF1-altered (n = 7, 6.5%), and quadruple–wild-type (n = 52, 48.1%). TMB-high status (10.2%) showed no significant association with outcomes. Molecular subtype was significantly associated with PFS (log-rank p = 0.009). After multivariable adjustment, BRAF fusion (hazard ratio [HR] 5.05, 95% CI 1.70–14.98, p = 0.003) and KIT-altered status (HR 2.91, 95% CI 1.46–5.77, p = 0.002) emerged as independent adverse prognostic factors, whereas BRAF V600 single-nucleotide variants did not differ significantly from quadruple–wild-type. Conclusions: In this East Asian metastatic melanoma cohort, BRAF fusion and KIT alterations were independent adverse prognostic factors for first-line ICI. These findings suggest that BRAF fusion and KIT-altered tumors may represent distinct subgroups that warrant further investigation. Full article

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) comprises a group of C18 fatty acids containing conjugated double bonds and has been associated with potential anti-obesity and antitumor effects. In this study, 116 presumptive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates were recovered from homemade Sichuan pickles. Primary screening identified 28 CLA-producing isolates, among which strains 7# and 31# showed the highest absorbance at 233 nm (A₂₃₃). CLA production by both strains was subsequently optimized and quantified using gas chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-Q-TOF). Under the optimized conditions, strain 31# produced 66.50 ± 3.80 μg/mL total CLA, including 52.70 ± 3.29 μg/mL c9,t11-CLA and 13.80 ± 0.51 μg/mL t10,c12-CLA. Strain 7# produced 26.79 ± 1.09 μg/mL total CLA, including 14.05 ± 0.49 μg/mL c9,t11-CLA and 12.74 ± 0.60 μg/mL t10,c12-CLA. Physiological, biochemical, and safety assessments showed that strain 31# outperformed strain 7# overall, supporting its use in further product development and mechanistic studies. Functional annotation using the COG database and pathway mapping with KEGG identified candidate genes encoding an enzyme associated with linoleic acid isomerization in both strains. Potential mechanisms underlying their different CLA-producing capacities were also examined, providing a basis for the selection and development of high-CLA-producing strains. Full article

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Although screening has reduced CRC in older adults, cases in younger individuals are rising, highlighting the need for early biomarkers. Emerging research highlights the role of estrogen metabolism in CRC progression, with enzymes such as hydroxysteroid (17-beta) dehydrogenase (HSD17B) being increasingly implicated. In this study, we performed a bioinformatics analysis using publicly available datasets, including The Cancer Genome Atlas Colon Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-COAD) cohort and two independent Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohorts (GSE40967 and GSE41258), to investigate the role of HSD17B enzymes in CRC. Our results suggest that HSD17B2 is frequently downregulated in precancerous lesions and early-stage CRC, which may contribute to elevated estradiol levels and a tumor-promoting microenvironment. In advanced stages, higher HSD17B2 expression levels are associated with poorer survival outcomes in retrospective cohorts. Other HSD17B enzymes also exhibit significant expression changes, further complicating the hormonal landscape of CRC. In addition, estrone, traditionally considered a weaker estrogen, emerges as a potential driver of CRC progression. Our in-silico analyses indicate that HSD17B2 and HSD17B11 warrant further investigation as candidate biomarkers for distinguishing CRC from benign and precancerous conditions, with the combination showing strong discriminatory power in Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses. Overall, these findings highlight the potential role of estrogen metabolism in CRC and suggest that HSD17B enzymes may hold value as candidate prognostic and diagnostic indicators, though their clinical utility remains hypothetical at this stage. Experimental and clinical validation is strictly required to confirm these in silico observations and to clarify their mechanisms in CRC. Full article

Wheat (Triticum aestivum), a key global crop, faces rising drought stress that limits root growth and water uptake. Root meristem growth factors (RGFs) are small peptides that regulate root stem cell maintenance, meristem activity, and lateral root formation in model plants, yet the RGF gene family remains unexplored in wheat. Here, we performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the TaRGF gene family, identifying 15 genes distributed across the A, B, and D subgenomes and classified into five homeologous groups (TaRGF1–TaRGF5), predominantly located on chromosomes 2 and 6. All TaRGFs contained a characteristic RGF motif, with dibasic cleavage sites and Asp–Tyr motifs indicating conserved maturation mechanisms. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, the TaRGF5 homeologs showed the highest similarity to Arabidopsis thaliana RGF5. Tested RNA-seq data revealed predominantly root-enriched expression for all TaRGF genes, with TaRGF5 exhibiting the most root-preferential and downregulation under drought stress. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed that drought stress suppressed the expression of TaRGF5A, TaRGF5B, and TaRGF5D in roots of wheat cultivar Sids-13 across all time points, unlike the higher accumulation seen in controls. Promoter analysis predicted a unique BES1 transcription factor binding site exclusively in TaRGF5B, linking brassinosteroid signaling to peptide-mediated root regulation. Structural modeling and molecular docking predicted an interaction between wheat TaRGF5 homeologs and root growth factor-insensitive receptor kinase (TaRGI3), characterized by conserved sulfotyrosine-mediated binding and favorable interaction energetics. Based on this characterization of the wheat RGF gene family, particularly the potential role of TaRGF5 in root development and drought-adaptation signaling, we propose targeting this gene for functional analysis to improve wheat resilience under water-limited conditions. Full article

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains a major threat to swine production, and its circulation after the African swine fever outbreak requires continued surveillance. This study investigated the temporal, regional, and genetic characteristics of PRRSV in Anhui Province from September 2019 to November 2024. Ten rounds of repeated cross-sectional surveillance were conducted at 147 slaughterhouses and 21 rendering plants. Tissue samples were collected by random, cluster, or risk-based sampling, pooled in groups of five, and tested by RT-qPCR. Representative positive samples with Ct values < 25 underwent ORF5 amplification, Sanger sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 994 site visits yielded 18,733 tissue samples. No positive samples were detected in autumn 2020 or spring 2021, whereas PRRSV was detected again from autumn 2021 and subsequently fluctuated. The highest site-level positivity was 41.18% in autumn 2023, and the highest estimated individual-level positivity was 4.66% in spring 2023. Regional differences were statistically significant, with the highest site-level positivity in northern Anhui, and pooled-sample positivity was higher in rendering plants than in slaughterhouses. All 24 ORF5 sequences belonged to PRRSV-2 and mainly clustered with NADC30-like, NADC34-like, or MLV/classical strains. These findings demonstrate temporal fluctuations and lineage coexistence, supporting continued multisource surveillance and broader genomic and antigenic evaluation. Full article