Search Results (2,550)

Cordyceps militaris is an edible entomopathogenic fungus with substantial nutritional and medicinal value. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the vegetative mycelia-to-primordia (PR) transition and bioactive metabolite synthesis are still poorly defined. Deletion of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase gene (ACAD) caused malformed, stunted PR-like structures together with excessive aerial mycelial growth, severely disrupting PR initiation and fruiting-body elongation in C. militaris. Transcriptomic, untargeted metabolomic and multi-omics analyses were performed on wild-type (WT) and ACAD-knockout strains at the mycelial and PR stages to explore gene expression reprogramming and bioactive nucleoside accumulation during the developmental transition and under ACAD deficiency. In total, 2014, 448, and 838 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in WT PR vs. WT mycelia, ΔACAD mycelia vs. WT mycelia, and ΔACAD PR vs. WT PR, demonstrating extensive transcriptional reprogramming during the development switch and upon ACAD deletion. KEGG enrichment and WGCNA analyses showed that ACAD deficiency significantly suppresses multiple reproductive-development pathways, including cell cycle progression, purine biosynthesis, the TCA cycle, MAPK signaling, redox homeostasis, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. Consistently, ACAD deletion markedly increased intracellular ROS level and substantially reduced cellular ATP levels in mycelia. Several crucial genes modulated by ACAD were identified, including GTP cyclohydrolase I, histone lysine N-methyltransferase ASHR1, adenine phosphoribosyl transferase 1, glutathione-S-transferase F3 and CoA-ligase CCL8. Multi-omics integration demonstrated tightly coordinated transcriptional and metabolic regulation dependent on ACAD function. ACAD deficiency significantly disturbed amino acid, lipid, and nucleotide metabolism and reduced the abundance of amino acid derivatives, lipid compounds and purine nucleoside precursors in mycelia. Particularly, adenosine analogs serve as key precursors of the core bioactive nucleoside cordycepin. Key DEGs, including peroxisomal (S)-2-hydroxyacid oxidase, isocitrate lyase 2 and L-ascorbate peroxidase 5, were linked to these metabolic shifts. Our findings demonstrate that ACAD serves as an essential regulator that interconnects carbon metabolism, redox homeostasis, lipid, amino acid and purine metabolism to promote PR formation and secondary metabolite synthesis in C. militaris. Full article

Fiber yield and hair length are important economic traits in Tianzhu White Yak. However, the genetic variants associated with fiber production performance in this breed remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to investigate the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CFAP299 and PRDM8 genes with fiber yield and hair length traits in Tianzhu White Yak and to identify potential molecular markers for marker-assisted selection. A total of 759 Tianzhu White Yaks were included in this study. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples, SNP detection and genotyping were performed using GATK (v. 4.2.6.1), and candidate SNPs were validated by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. Five SNPs in CFAP299 and three SNPs in PRDM8 were selected for analyses of genetic diversity, Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, linkage disequilibrium, haplotype structure, and associations with phenotypic traits. All eight loci displayed three genotypes. No significant departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was detected at any locus (p > 0.05), and PIC values of 0.25–0.50 indicated moderate polymorphism. After adjustment for sex and age and FDR correction, all eight SNPs remained significantly associated with head hair length (HL) and fiber yield (FY), while several loci were also significantly associated with body-side hair length (BSL) and back hair length (BL) (q < 0.05). Individuals carrying mutant homozygous genotypes generally exhibited higher phenotypic values for the corresponding traits, whereas heterozygous genotypes generally showed intermediate values between the two homozygous genotypes. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analyses revealed that the eight SNPs formed three haplotype blocks. Haplotype combinations in Blocks 1 and 3 were significantly associated with variation in HL, FY, and SL, whereas no significant associations were detected for Block 2. Overall, SNPs and haplotype combinations in CFAP299 and PRDM8 were associated with variation in fiber yield and hair length traits in Tianzhu White Yak. These findings support CFAP299 and PRDM8 as candidate genes associated with fiber-related traits and provide potential molecular markers for further validation and marker-assisted selection. Full article

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (Tobamovirus fructirugosum, ToBRFV) is an emerging virus that affects tomatoes, capsicum, and chili. Since its first detection in Jordan in 2015, the virus has been reported in more than 40 countries across all the continents. In Morocco, the virus was reported for the first time in October 2021. However, its genetic diversity remains unexplored. In this work, we used a collection of 100 tomato fruits from local markets to investigate the virus’s variability. Thirty-eight sequences were recovered and used to study evolutionary pressures acting on the N-terminus of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, the movement protein (MP), and the coat protein (CP) genes. The genetic diversity among Moroccan sequences was low, with over 99% nucleotide identity, which is consistent with the global situation, with the CP exhibiting higher diversity followed by the MP. We identified two sites with non-synonymous substitutions in the CP, and one in the MP. We used haplotype network analyses to reveal the population structure within the Moroccan isolates and studied their relationships with sequences from the rest of the world. Sequences from Morocco showed a clear geographic structure, suggesting that geographic factors, potentially combined with agricultural practices, may contribute to shaping the population structure of ToBRFV in Morocco. Our analyses suggest few introduction events, probably from Israel, Jordan, and Italy. Full article

Developing early-maturing maize varieties with improved tolerance to high-density planting is essential for enhancing yield in China. In this study, a unique panel of 498 cold-adapted early-maturing inbred lines were evaluated for ear length (EL) and ear diameter (ED) across two locations under contrasting planting densities in one growing season. Phenotypic analysis revealed abundant phenotypic variation in these ear traits among the tested lines, and there were significant correlations between environments. A total of 406,897 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs) were obtained from liquid chip analysis. Population structure analysis classified the early-maturing maize germplasm into 9 distinct genetic groups, with obvious genetic differentiation between groups. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis demonstrated rapid LD decay and high genetic variation in the population. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 380 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for both ED and EL under two planting densities. In total, 138 and 89 annotated genes were identified within QTLs detected under normal and high-density planting conditions, respectively. Among them, Zm00001eb288330 (a TPX2 family protein) and Zm00001eb366770 (an OVATE family transcription factor), which were located close to the top SNPs for ED and EL under high planting density, were considered positional candidate genes based on their annotations. Furthermore, by integrating candidate gene analysis with selection signatures, we found that candidate genes detected under high-density planting conditions show signatures of ongoing selection during maize breeding. These findings identify candidate genes for future functional validation and breeding-oriented follow-up studies. Full article

The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) functional variant R230C (rs9282541) is associated with low plasma HDL-C levels, yet its atomic-scale mechanism remains unclear. We evaluated the structural and dynamic impact of R230C compared to wild-type (WT) ABCA1 using 200 ns molecular dynamics simulations in a lipid raft membrane. While the tertiary fold was preserved, R230C exhibited reduced overall flexibility (lower RMSD and localized RMSF rigidification) alongside a slightly expanded conformation (increased Rg and SASA). Localized fluctuations near residue 230 in extracellular domain 1 (ECD1) were coupled with decreased dynamic heterogeneity in distal functional regions, particularly nucleotide-binding domain 2 (NBD2) and transmembrane domain 2 (TMD2). MOSAICS analysis revealed subtle alterations in membrane thickness, midplane displacement, and lipid orientation. Furthermore, CAVER tunnel analysis demonstrated increased pathway heterogeneity (17 clusters in R230C vs. 10 in WT), lower persistence, and smaller bottleneck radii, disrupting the primary cholesterol transport route. Thus, R230C acts as a dynamic allosteric modulator and membrane-coupling agent rather than a folding-disruptive mutation, providing a biophysical rationale for reduced cholesterol efflux and low plasma HDL-C levels. Full article

Aichivirus D (AiV-D), a member of the genus Kobuvirus within the family Picornaviridae, is an emerging pathogen associated with diarrhea in multiple livestock species, including cattle, dairy cattle, Tibetan sheep, and yaks. In this study, a total of 280 fecal samples were collected from yaks with diarrhea in Sichuan, Gansu, and Qinghai Provinces, western China, between June 2025 and February 2026. The overall positive rate of AiV-D was 30.00% (84/280), and the farm-level positive rate was 87.5% (7/8). Four complete yak AiV-D genomes (GenBank: PZ424445–PZ424448) were obtained from the positive samples, with genome sizes ranging from 8369 to 8475 nt and GC contents ranging from 55.66 to 55.85%. Each genome contained a single open reading frame (ORF) of 7509–7518 bp, encoding a typical picornaviral polyprotein consisting of a leader protein (L), structural proteins P1 (VP0, VP3, and VP1), and nonstructural proteins P2 (2A, 2B, and 2C) and P3 (3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D). Pairwise comparisons of the ORF revealed nucleotide and amino acid identities of 82.07–99.63% and 81.96–99.56%, respectively, among the four strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete genomes revealed that strain BKV/YAK/FX1/2025/CHN clustered with the bovine reference strain BKV5 (84.70% nt/88.35% aa identity), whereas the other three strains grouped with the yak reference strain BKV/Yak/SCDF77/2021/CHN (GenBank: OP776109.1) (89.80–93.07% nt 95.53–96.84% aa identity). Recombination analysis predicted a recombination event in strain BKV/YAK/SF1JK6/2025/CHN, with breakpoints located in the nonstructural protein coding region (2C–3D). Additionally, eight full-length VP0, VP3, and VP1 gene sequences were amplified from the AiV-D-positive samples, and a few co-mutational amino acid substitutions were identified in these structural proteins. Phylogenetic analysis based on the VP1 gene further divided the eight strains into two distinct clades: six strains formed an independent clade and were designated as a novel sub-genotype within AiV-D4, tentatively named AiV-D4-L1, closely related to but clearly distinguishable from the AiV-D4 reference strains reported in China, while the remaining two strains (BKV/YAK/FX1/2025/CHN and BKV/YAK/FX77/2025/CHN) clustered with the bovine reference strain and were designated as a novel genotype, AiV-D5. These results reveal genetic diversity among yak-derived AiV-D strains and suggest possible host adaptability or cross-host transmission, warranting further investigation in future studies. However, as all the samples were collected from diarrheic yaks without a healthy control group, the potential association between AiV-D and diarrhea requires further validation. Full article

Objectives: To characterize the clinical and genetic features of Phelan–McDermid syndrome (PMS) in a Chinese prenatal and postnatal cohort, explore genotype–phenotype correlations, and provide evidence to support prenatal genetic counseling. Methods: G-banded karyotyping, single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays (SNP arrays), copy number variation sequencing, and trio whole-exome sequencing were used for genetic diagnosis. Fifteen patients with PMS (11 prenatal and 4 postnatal) were retrospectively enrolled. Genomic visualization, protein structural prediction, and phenotypic heatmap analyses were conducted to analyze genotype–phenotype associations. Results: The prenatal and postnatal detection rates of PMS were 0.061% and 0.49%, respectively. Only 13.3% of cases were detected by karyotyping, whereas 14 cases were confirmed by SNP array analysis. All 22q13 deletions (69.4 kb–8.5 Mb) involved SHANK3, and all copy number variants were de novo. A novel SHANK3 frameshift variant, c.3513_3514delCC, was identified and predicted to result in protein truncation leading to intellectual disability. Prenatal cases mainly presented non-specific ultrasound anomalies (63.6%, 7/11), with fetal growth restriction, renal malformations, and cardiovascular defects being the most frequent findings. A notable 36.4% (4/11) of prenatal cases were complicated by missed abortion, whereas postnatal patients showed predominant neurodevelopmental impairments. In our cohort, larger deletions were observed in cases presenting with more extensive multisystem involvement, a pattern that mirrors findings from recent large-cohort studies. central nervous system abnormalities were predominantly linked to SHANK3 haploinsufficiency, while multi-system malformations seemed to correlate with the cumulative loss of multiple genes across the 22q13 region, in keeping with current hypotheses on contiguous gene effects. Conclusions: PMS presents obvious prenatal–postnatal phenotypic heterogeneity. SHANK3 is the core pathogenic gene, and deletion may influence the extent of multisystem involvement. Combined genetic testing can improve the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis and counseling for PMS. Full article

Ulleungdo Island harbors several endemic plant lineages commonly interpreted as products of anagenetic speciation following long-distance colonization. Yet plastome phylogenies represent a single organellar genealogy and may conflict with nuclear genomic structure, morphology, or taxonomic boundaries. This critical mini-review evaluates whether plastid-based hypotheses for the origin and diversification of Ulleungdo endemics are supported by independent molecular and phenotypic evidence. We synthesize findings from comparative plastomics, chloroplast haplotype and network analyses, nuclear microsatellites, nrDNA sequencing, genome-wide multiplexed inter-simple sequence repeat genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), cytogenetics, morphology, and multicompartment phylogenomics. The evidence reveals heterogeneous evolutionary outcomes. Prunus takesimensis and Phedimus takesimensis are broadly consistent with probable single-origin scenarios, although confidence is constrained by progenitor sampling and marker resolution. Rubus takesimensis exhibits chloroplast non-monophyly and elevated haplotype diversity consistent with multiple maternal origins, whereas Acer takesimense shows signatures of historical drift and loss of rare nuclear alleles. Morphological, chromosomal, plastid, and nuclear–ribosomal evidence strongly support Allium ulleungense, while the delimitation of Viola ulleungdoensis remains unresolved. Plastid–nuclear incongruence in Hepatica maxima and Fagus multinervis further indicates that introgression, hybridization, incomplete lineage sorting, and restricted taxon sampling can complicate evolutionary inference. This comparative framework distinguishes species histories from provisional interpretations based on limited accessions or uniparentally inherited markers. The novelty of this review lies in its cross-taxon assessment of plastome–nuclear–morphological congruence rather than a descriptive plastome inventory. Ulleungdo lineages interpreted as products of anagenetic speciation do not exhibit a uniform genomic signature and that robust taxonomic, evolutionary, and conservation inference requires population-level integration of independently inherited genomic compartments with standardized morphological and reproductive data. Full article

Dietary nucleotides and nucleic-acid-derived compounds are considered bioactive nutrients, but their metabolic relevance remains uncertain. This narrative review, supported by a structured literature search, evaluates intestinal handling and evidence on glucose and lipid metabolism, redox homeostasis, immune function, gut barrier regulation, and microbiota. Direct supplementation studies are distinguished from nucleoside/nucleobase evidence, dietary nucleic acids or purine-rich foods, and endogenous extracellular purinergic signaling. Preclinical studies suggest defined nucleotide preparations may modulate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1)/protein kinase B (AKT)/forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) signaling, lipid accumulation, and mitochondrial/redox-related endpoints. In contrast, extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) studies provide mechanistic context but do not show that oral supplementation modifies purinergic signaling in humans. Human intervention evidence is sparse and derived from older adults not selected for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Reductions in homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) should be interpreted as changes in a surrogate estimate, not proof of therapeutic efficacy. The supplemental doses evaluated in available human intervention studies appear generally well-tolerated, whereas short-term high nucleotide intake can raise circulating uric acid. Dietary nucleotides therefore remain candidate, not established, metabolic or immune therapies. Full article

Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) contribute to innate immune responses and taste preferences. Variants in T2R genes (TAS2Rs) may increase the risk of adverse oral health. This study investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 25 TAS2R genes and 12 TAS2R pseudogenes with oral health symptoms within the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) cohort. Allele frequencies were calculated using PLINK and compared with the 1000 Genomes Project for individuals of European descent. Associations of oral health symptoms reported by 21,991 individuals (mean age 63 years, 50% female, 48% never smokers), with TAS2R SNPs (87 in TAS2R genes; 37 in TAS2R pseudogenes; minor allele frequency > 0.01) were tested by Chi-square with Bonferroni correction and by logistic regression correcting for sociodemographic variables and oral health habits. Fifteen SNPs in TAS2R8, 9, 13, 14, 20, and 50 showed modest suggestive associations with self-reported sore jaw muscles. These variants were associated with relatively small changes in the odds of reporting sore jaw muscles (6 positive; 9 negative). Nine of these SNPs were in TAS2R20 and highly correlated (r² ≈ 1), likely representing a single locus-level genetic signal. However, none of the associations remained significant after Benjamini–Hochberg FDR correction across all 2604 SNP–phenotype tests, and these findings should therefore be considered exploratory. Structure-function analysis identified selected TAS2R20 residues near the predicted ligand-binding region, providing hypotheses for future functional investigation. These exploratory findings provide hypotheses for future genetic and functional investigation and require independent replication in clinically characterized cohorts. Full article

This study evaluated the genetic diversity and population structure of wild M. nipponense populations in the Pearl River Basin based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop sequences. A total of 14 wild populations were collected from the West River, North River, and Pearl River Delta, and genetic diversity and population differentiation were assessed using haplotype analysis, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), pairwise F_ST, and principal component analysis (PCA). A total of 351 variable sites were identified. The overall haplotype diversity (h) and nucleotide diversity (π) were 0.947 and 0.03665, respectively, indicating high genetic diversity across the Pearl River Basin. Significant genetic differentiation was detected among populations (F_ST = 0.3785, p-value < 0.001), with 37.85% of genetic variation occurring among populations. PCA revealed distinct genetic relationships among populations, supporting the presence of population genetic structure within the Pearl River Basin. Populations from Tian’e County, Xilin County, Dahua Yao Autonomous County, and other upper tributaries of the West River exhibited distinct genetic characteristics compared with populations from Zhaoqing City, Guiping City, Guangzhou City, and the middle and lower reaches of the West River and the Pearl River estuary. Among the 14 populations, those from Zhaoqing City, Guiping City, and Guangzhou City exhibited relatively high genetic diversity and distinctive genetic characteristics. These findings suggest that the complex hydrological structure and historical connectivity of the Pearl River Basin have contributed to the observed population genetic structure. The genetically diverse populations identified in this study represent valuable wild germplasm resources for the conservation and selective breeding of M. nipponense. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) is an economically important fruit crop that contributes substantially to food security and smallholder income in Mozambique. Despite this, the genetic diversity of the locally grown germplasm has not been characterized at the molecular level, limiting its improvement and conservation programs. This study assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of germplasm from 94 sweet orange trees sampled across four districts of Inhambane Province using DArTSeq single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Methods: After filtering 8111 SNPs for call rate (≥0.80) and minor allele frequency (≥0.01), 1263 markers were retained, of which 1144 were anchored to the nine chromosomes of the reference genome. Results: Sparse non-negative matrix factorization identified K = 1, indicating a single undifferentiated gene pool, supported by a smooth PCA scree with one weak axis. DAPC assigned individuals to their district only 38.3% of the time (random expectation = 25%; maximum a-score = 0.10), and the first two PCoA axes explained 10.33% of variation with complete district overlap, indicating no detectable geographic structure. Diversity was low, with observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.247) exceeding expected heterozygosity (He = 0.138) and a negative inbreeding coefficient (Fis = −0.222). The pattern indicated a heterozygote excess consistent with the fixation of the heterozygous interspecific-hybrid genome under clonal propagation. A hierarchical analysis of molecular variance showed that differentiation among districts was negligible (0.04%), whereas 4.16% of variation was partitioned among orchards (farms) within districts, indicating that the little of the existing structure resides at the orchard level, confounded with propagation method and cultivar, rather than among districts. Most variation was partitioned within individuals (76.0%), and pairwise FST values (0.0005–0.0035) were uniformly low. Conclusions: These results indicate that the sweet orange orchards stem from a single, highly heterozygous gene pool redistributed through the exchange of seed and vegetative planting material. This underscores the need to introduce diverse external germplasm to broaden the genetic base for sustainable improvement in Mozambique. Full article

Recurrent detection of overlapping tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) across diverse disease conditions supports the emerging view that tRFs may act as regulatory molecules rather than random degradation products. While cases of identical tRFs have been described, their comparative analyses are lacking. tRF-Glu-CTC is one such fragment, repeatedly detected in various pathological conditions. We performed a comparative analysis of tRF-Glu-CTC isoforms, their targets and binding regions reported in 18 disease-associated studies. An 18-nucleotide sequence, TCCCTGGTGGTCTAGTGG, was identified in most (14 out of 18) of these studies despite differences in tRF naming, length and disease context. Several reported tRF targets showed consistent binding regions, with reverse complementarity to the tRF sequence. Comparison with databases of tRF targets, tatDB and tRFTar, identified matching target entries and sequence overlaps, often involving common regions rather than full-length matches. Exploratory analysis of target homologs further illustrated that related genes might share candidate target sites. Our findings indicate that tRF-Glu-CTC represents a recurrent candidate regulatory fragment potentially relevant in a broad range of human diseases. Its structural stability, extracellular vesicle association, detection in multiple species and a core sequence shared between related isoforms support further investigation of its biological and translational relevance. Our work illustrates how tRF target databases can be leveraged to advance smaller-scale tRF studies. Full article

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), especially via coacervation, offers a novel drug delivery strategy by encapsulating therapeutic agents within phase-separated droplets, thereby improving stability, solubility, and controlled release. Polypeptides and polypeptoids are ideal biomaterials for these systems due to their versatility and tunable properties. Polypeptoids are particularly advantageous, offering enhanced enzymatic resistance and greater control over molecular interactions, making them suitable for complexation studies. This research explores the binary complexation of L-, D,L-, and N-substituted (peptoid) poly-lysine with nucleic acids, specifically two lengths of salmon sperm dsDNA and baker’s yeast tRNA, and two nucleotides, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and cytidine triphosphate (CTP). By adjusting the charge fractions, we studied the morphology of the complexes and tested their salt resistance under different ionic conditions. Results show that dsDNA forms precipitates with lysine polypeptides and polypeptoids, whereas tRNA forms coacervate droplets, likely due to differences in secondary structure. Both nucleotides formed coacervates in all systems. L-homochiral poly-lysine complexes are the most salt-stable, followed by racemic poly-lysine, with N-substituted polymers being the least stable as ionic strength rises. For all dsDNA and tRNA systems, the complexes remained under physiologically relevant salt concentrations. These results highlight the role of salt and polymer structures in modulating complexation. The study offers insights into nucleic acid complexation, with implications for nucleic acid encapsulation and stabilization. Full article

Background/Objectives: Using straw as feed is crucial for addressing resource scarcity and waste-based environmental pollution and alleviating the contradiction between forage production and food security. However, rice straw has disadvantages such as a high lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose content, as well as a dense cell wall structure, which greatly limit its utilization as feed. Improving the forage quality of rice straw through genetic breeding is an important means of enhancing its utilization rate. Methods: To explore the molecular basis underlying the improved nutritional and cell wall compositional traits of the rice lines (oszfp30-1 and oszfp30-2) obtained in previous studies, we conducted phenotypic, physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses on oszfp30-1, oszfp30-2 and the wild type (WT) after 50 days of pot cultivation. Results: oszfp30-1 and oszfp30-2 exhibited higher plant height, above-ground biomass, crude protein, and crude fat content, while their hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin contents were significantly lower than those of the wild type. Transcriptomics was used to identify 737 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and metabolomics was used to identify 189 common differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs). KEGG analysis revealed that these DEGs and DEMs were significantly enriched in terpene biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. Conclusions: Our research reveals that the improvement in forage-quality-related traits is closely related to key genes involved in gibberellin synthesis, including GA20ox, GA2ox, and GA3ox; key genes involved in cellulose synthesis, including OsSUS and UGPase; key genes involved in hemicellulose synthesis, including UXS and IRX10; and key genes involved in lignin synthesis, including CCR, CAD, CCoAOMT, and COMT. These identified DEGs and DEMs are associated with the OsZFP30 mutation and may be downstream targets of this transcription factor, providing a foundation for further research on the OsZFP30 regulatory network. Full article