The dormancy characteristics of wheat(Triticum aestivum) seeds determine its germination uniformity after sowing and regulates pre-harvest sprouting resistance of grains at harvest. In this study, the wheat mutant 1813WH, previously generated by our research team with enhanced seed dormancy and antioxidant capacity as well as decreased energy metabolism, was used as experimental material. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were performed on seeds at the waxy ripening stage; differentially expressed genes(DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites(DAMs) were screened based on multi-omics data, with subsequent verification of the associated pathways. The results showed that, compared with the wild type(WT), 1813WH showed altered expression of genes involved in nitrogen metabolism and differential accumulation of corresponding metabolites. Differentially expressed genes(DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites(DAMs) were enriched in pathways including arginine synthesis, amino acid metabolism, and plant hormone signaling. The relative content of the non-reducing sugar—sucrose was significantly higher in 1813WH than in the wild type(P<0.05), while the levels of reducing sugars including glucose-6-phosphate(G6P), fructose-1,6-bisphosphate(FBP), and fructose-6-phosphate(F6P), were significantly lower than in the wild type(P<0.05). In addition, the relative contents of jasmonic acid(Jasmonic acid, JA) and abscisic acid(abscisic acid, ABA) were lower in 1813WH than in WT, whereas the relative cytokinin content was higher than that in WT. These results indicated that the seeds of 1813WH actively inhibited core energy metabolism pathways such as the tricarboxylic acid(TCA) cycle at the waxy ripe stage, redirecting nitrogen resources toward the synthesis of polyamines and inert nitrogen compounds such as asparagine. It was hypothesized that the 1813WH mutant might regulate the core metabolic network, alter the carbon-nitrogen metabolic balance and internal hormone levels in wheat, thereby potentially optimize its growth and stress resistance strategies. Based on this, it is speculated that seeds might maintain deep dormancy through a "resource sequestration" strategy. This study provides a new theoretical basis for subsequent elucidation of its molecular mechanism and further regulation of wheat dormancy and pre-harvest sprouting resistance.

Uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases(UGT) are a class of key enzymes in plants, which are widely involved in physiological processes such as secondary metabolism, hormone balance, and stress response. However, current research on the functions of UGT genes in rice(Oryza sativa) remains insufficient. To explore the mechanism of UGT genes in rice growth and development as well as abiotic stress response, this study comprehensively analyzed the rice UGT family using bioinformatics methods. Meanwhile, combined with qPCR technology, the expression patterns of the OsUGT79 gene in different tissues under 4 abiotic stresses were further investigated. A total of 165 UGT genes were identified in rice. The length of the proteins encoded by these genes ranged from 113 to 772 aa, with a molecular weight of 12.53~83.65 kD. Most of these proteins were acidic(95.2%), hydrophilic(50.3%), and structurally stable(75.2%). These genes were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes, and the promoter regions were rich in cis-acting elements related to abiotic stress response, growth and development, and hormone regulation. Subcellular localization prediction showed that UGT proteins were mainly located in chloroplasts(57%) and cytoplasm(24.8%). Phylogenetic analysis divided these UGT genes into 3 major groups and 6 subgroups(Group Ⅰ~Group Ⅵ), among which Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ belonged to the 1st and 2nd major groups respectively, while Group Ⅲ~Group Ⅵ were classified into the 3rd major group. Conserved motif analysis revealed that 85% of UGT proteins contained the GTB-type superfamily domain. Collinearity analysis results indicated that there were 10 pairs of segmentally duplicated genes and 2 pairs of tandemly duplicated genes in this family. The representative protein OsUGT79 comprised 422 aa with a molecular mass of 51.03 kD, which was acidic, hydrophilic and structurally stable. The gene was localized on chromosome 4, belongs to subgroup Ⅵ of the 3rd major group, and was predicted to be located in chloroplasts. qPCR analysis showed that, under high temperature, drought and cadmium stress, the expression of OsUGT79 in shoots rose rapidly and then declined, with peaks at 12 h for high temperature and cadmium stress at 6 h for drought; under salt stress, shoot expression dropped sharply and remained low. In roots, the expression of OsUGT79 increased markedly from 6 h and continued to rise, reaching maximum at 24 h for all stresses except salt. After a 48 h recovery, shoot expression exceeded all stress-time maxima(except under cadmium), whereas root levels fell below the stress peaks and even below pre-stress values. Moreover, the magnitude of change was consistently greater in roots than in shoots, indicating that OsUGT79 mainly participated in early stress perception and initial responses in roots, while contributing to post-stress physiological recovery in shoot tissues. This study provides the first comprehensive portrait of the rice UGT family's composition and evolutionary characteristics, laying a theoretical foundation for elucidating the functions of OsUGT79 and other UGT members in abiotic stress adaptation and offering valuable insights for molecular breeding of stress-resilient rice.

Filamentation temperature-sensitive H(FtsH), which possesses ATPase and proteolytic activities, is widely distributed in plants and plays important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in plant responses to stress. In this study, the function of FtsH family members in the growth, development, and salt stress response of Gossypium hirsutum were systematically explored, 39 GhFtsH genes were identified in the whole genome of G. hirsutum and were analyzed using bioinformatics methods. The expression profiles of GhFtsH gene family members in various tissues were constructed using RNA-seq data. qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression patterns of 'Lumianyan 37' across distinct developmental stages under different salt concentration treatments. The results revealed that the 39 GhFtsH genes were unevenly distributed on 19 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 39 GhFtsH genes were divided into 7 subgroups. All GhFtsH proteins contained 2 typical conserved motifs. Synteny analysis revealed that several GhFtsH genes were collinear with Arabidopsis thaliana and rice(Oryza sativa). Promoter sequence analysis of GhFtsH identified the cis-acting elements associated with photo-response and stress responses. Most GhFtsH genes were highly expressed in leaves. Similarly, GhFtsH1, GhFtsH2, GhFtsH14, and GhFtsH15 maintained high expression levels under abiotic stress. qRT-PCR results revealed that under salt stress the expression levels of GhFtsH1, GhFtsH2 and GhFtsH14 differed with treatment concentration and developmental stage, with GhFtsH2 exhibiting the most sensitive response. This study provides an important theoretical basis for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance and for stress-resistance breeding in cotton.

Potato(Solanum tuberosum) is a cool-season crop with low tolerance to low temperatures, and high temperature severely inhibits its growth and development. As plant-specific transcription factors, CBF/DREB1(C-repeat binding factor/dehydroresponsive element binding) play vital roles in improving plant stress resistance. To understand the characteristics and functions of the CBF/DREB1 family members(StDREBs) of potato, this study conducted a systematic identification and analysis of StDREBs on a whole-genome scale, and detected their expression patterns under heat and cold stresses. The results showed that there were 8 StDREBs in potato, with 207~329 amino acid residues, the molecular weights of StDREBs ranged from 23.421 to 36.720 kD, containing 6~8 motifs, none of which contained transmembrane domains, signal peptides and introns. StDREBs contained 20~94 phosphorylation sites, the isoelectric points were all less than 7, the aliphatic coefficients were all less than 80, the instability coefficients were all greater than 40, and the grand average of hydropathicity was all less than 0. By detecting the expression patterns of StDREBs under heat and cold stress, it was found that compared with the control group, the expression level of StDREB4 significantly increased at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of the stress treatment, suggesting that it may be related to the heat and cold stress response process of potatoes. In addition, by constructing potato transgenic lines with overexpression of StDREB4 and further analyzing the functions of StDREB4, it was found that overexpression of StDREB4 enhanced the heat and cold tolerance of potato by regulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes and reducing the level of reactive oxygen species, thereby promoting the growth of transgenic potato lines under heat and cold stresses. In conclusion, this study provides candidate gene resources for improving the heat and cold tolerance of potatoes, which are conducive to enhancing the yield and quality of potatoes.

Cyclic nucleotide gated ion channels(CNGCs) plays an extremely important role in various physiological processes of plants, including signal transduction, growth and development, and responses to environmental stress. This study cloned the CaCNGC4 gene from peppers(Capsicum annuum) and performed bioinformatics analysis, expression pattern analysis, and subcellular localization analysis of CaCNGC4. The results showed that the CDS sequence of CaCNGC4 was 2 091 bp and encoded 696 amino acids. It was an alkaline and unstable hydrophilic protein with 6 transmembrane structures, a signal-free peptide, and the subcellular localization results showed that it was located on the plasma membrane. The CaCNGC4 protein had the highest homology with potato(Solanum tuberosum) and opium(S. dulcamara), which were 86.64% and 85.94% respectively, and the lowest homology with sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas), which was 70.07%. The expression level changes of CaCNGC4 gene under hormone(abscisic acid(ABA), gibberellin A3(GA3), methyl jasmonate(MeJA)) treatment and abiotic stress(including high temperature, low temperature, and salt stress) during pepper development were detected by qPCR. The results showed that under hormone treatment and salt stress, the expression of CaCNGC4 gene first decreased, then increased, and finally decreased again. The expression of CaCNGC4 was significantly downregulated after high-temperature treatment for 1, 1.5 and 3 h, while it was significantly upregulated under high-temperature treatment for 6, 12 and 24 h(P<0.05). The expression of CaCNGC4 was significantly downregulated after low-temperature treatment(P<0.05), with no significant difference compared to the control at 24 h. The promoter region of this gene contained a series of cis-elements related to light response, hormone, external environment, and growth and development. The results of this study provide theoretical support for the regulation of pepper growth and development and the improvement of pepper varieties.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2), a key regulatory enzyme in the renin-angiotensin system(RAS) and the functional receptor for multiple coronaviruses, has been extensively studied in mammals. However, the molecular characteristics of waterfowl ACE2, particularly goose(Anser cygnoides domesticus)-derived ACE2, remain largely unexplored.The aim of this study was to clone the goose-derived ACE2 gene, construct its eukaryotic expression vector, and establish Chinese hamster(Cricetulus griseus) ovary(CHO) cell lines stably expressing the protein. The full-length coding sequence of ACE2 was amplified by PCR using jejunum cDNA from the Sanhua goose as the template, and the recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-ACE2 was constructed to determine the optimal screening concentration of neomycin(G418), and then the recombinant plasmid was transfected into CHO cells by liposome assay, and the resistant monoclonal cell lines were obtained by G418 screening, the expression and activity of ACE2 were systematically evaluated using Western blot, qPCR, immunofluorescence staining, and protease activity detection. The results showed that the coding region sequence of goose ACE2 gene was successfully cloned, with a total length of 2 427 bp, and the recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-ACE2 was constructed, and the size of the bands verified by double enzyme digestion was in accordance with the expectation(5428 bp of vector, 2427 bp of ACE2). The optimal screening concentration of G418 was determined to be 800 μg/mL, and 2 monoclonal cell lines expressing ACE2 protein were obtained after screening, named pcDNA3.1(+)-ACE2-1 and pcDNA3.1(+)-ACE2-2, respectively. Compared with the pcDNA3.1(+) control group, ACE2 mRNA levels in both pcDNA3.1(+)-ACE2-1 and pcDNA3.1(+)-ACE2-2 cells were significantly elevated(P<0.01). Immunofluorescence staining revealed distinct ACE2-positive signals in the 2 cell lines, confirming successful protein expression.The enzyme activity assay showed that the ACE2 protease activities expressed by the 2 cell lines were(37.25±2.95) and(246.87±15.94) U/mg, respectively, which were extremely significantly higher than those of the pcDNA3.1(+) group(P<0.01). In addition, ACE2 mRNA expression and enzymatic activity remained stable across multiple passages, indicating that the established cell lines possessed good long-term expression stability. In this study, the CHO cell lines stably expressing highly active ACE2 were successfully established, which provides a reliable platform for the study of the molecular structure and function of goose ACE2.

High temperature has been a severe challenge to the aquaculture. In recent years, with the continuous rise of water temperatures and prolonged duration of high-temperature periods in summer, the impact of heat stress on fish has become increasingly apparent. Triploid fishes exhibit advantages in growth performance, stress resistance and quality traits due to low or complete sterility, and have been widely applied in aquaculture. However, research on their heat tolerance and molecular responses to heat stress remains limited. Olive flounder(Paralichthys olivaceus) is a commercially important marine fish species in China. The present study evaluated the heat tolerance of triploid flounder, analyzed its molecular response to heat stress in muscle via transcriptome sequencing, and compared with those of diploids. The results demonstrated that triploid flounder exhibited significantly enhanced heat tolerance compared to diploids, with both the higher high temperature threshold and longer survival time under high temperature than those of diploids(P<0.01). Under heat stress at 31 ℃ for 24 h, diploid fish displayed adaptive changes in gene expression, a total of 847 genes were differentially expressed, including 618 up-regulated and 229 down-regulated genes, among which genes related to apoptosis and metabolic regulation were significantly upregulated. In contrast, high temperature exerted a relatively minor effect on gene expression in triploid fish, with only 19 genes differentially expressed(16 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated). Among these, genes involved in carbohydrate, fatty acid, amino acid metabolism, apoptosis and FoxO signaling pathway were downregulated. These findings enrich the theoretical foundation for research on fish stress resistance, and provide critical insights for the development of heat-tolerant germplasm.

Notopterygium incisum, as an endemic traditional Chinese herbal resource in northwestern China, its root extracts have shown unique potential in the field of aquatic pathogen prevention and control. However, systematic studies on the effects of stem and leaf extracts on aquatic organisms have not been conducted domestically or internationally, resulting in a lack of necessary safety data to support the development and utilization of these stems and leaves. To realize the rational exploitation of N. incisum stem and leaf resources, this study prepared an ethanol-water extract of the stems and leaves via ultrasonic extraction. Using zebrafish(Danio rerio) embryos as the test organism, a 96 h acute exposure experiment was carried out to detect changes in antioxidant enzyme activities and the expression levels of related genes, thereby investigating the acute toxicity and oxidative stress effects of the extract at low(1/5 LC₅₀, 5.8 mg/L), medium(2/5 LC₅₀, 11.6 mg/L), and high(4/5 LC₅₀, 23.2 mg/L) concentrations on zebrafish embryos. Results showed that the stem and leaf extract of N. incisum inhibited the hatching of zebrafish embryos, with a 96 h median lethal concentration(96 h-LC50) of 29 mg/L. Under low and medium concentrations, the teratogenicity was low, and no significant effects on body length and heart rate. In contrast, high concentrations caused malformations in zebrafish embryos and larvae, such as trunk cysts, delayed yolk sac absorption, and pericardial edema. Antioxidant enzyme activities and the expression of related genes also exhibited concentration dependence: The activities of SOD, CAT, and GST were significantly decreased at low, medium, and high concentrations in a concentration dependent manner, and the MDA content was significantly higher at the high concentration than that at the low and medium concentrations(P<0.05). Specifically, low concentrations mainly induced the expression of antioxidant genes such as mn-sod and gstp-2; medium concentrations significantly activated core antioxidant pathway genes including ucp-2 and cat; high concentrations inhibited the expression of cox-1 and cat, but induced nqo-1, indicating that high concentrations might trigger more complex oxidative stress or toxic responses. Furthermore, the expression levels of cell apoptosis-related genes(bax and bcl-2) were significantly increased at medium concentrations, suggesting that medium concentrations were more likely to induce molecular responses associated with zebrafish embryo apoptosis. This study provides fundamental data for the development and utilization of abandoned herbal resources(stems and leaves of N. incisum) and the research of green aquatic drugs.

Plectropomus leopardus, a highly favored aquatic product among consumers, exhibits muscle development that directly determines its meat yield and quality. To investigate the expression patterns of the myogenin(MyoG) gene in muscle tissues during different post-embryonic developmental stages of the leopard coral grouper(Plectropomus leopardus), CDS of the MyoG gene was amplified by PCR. Bioinformatics analysis of the sequence and its encoded protein was performed using bioinformatic tools. The gene expression levels were examined at 13 time points(0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 days post hatching) using qPCR. The results showed that the MyoG gene CDS was 753 bp long. The protein prediction yielded a 250-amino-acid sequence, with a calculated molecular mass of 27 345.56 D and a theoretical isoelectric point(pI) of 6.82. The molecular formula was C₁₁₇₂H₁₈₅₃N₃₄₂O₃₈₄S₁₅. The instability index was 72.06, indicating that the protein is unstable. The aliphatic index was 57.76, and the grand average of hydropathicity(GRAVY) was -0.644, classifying it as a hydrophilic protein. No signal peptide or transmembrane region was predicted, suggesting it was a non-secretory protein. Amino acid sequence homology analysis with MyoG proteins from 10 other species revealed a closer phylogenetic relationship to teleost fishes like Sebastes umbrosus and Cottoperca gobio, and a more distant relationship to mammals like Homo sapiens and amphibians like Xenopus laevis. qPCR results indicated that, with 0 d as the control group, the expression level of the MyoG gene was significantly upregulated at all time points during the larval stage(0~20 d)(P<0.05). Upon entering the juvenile stage(20~35 d), MyoG expression showed another significant rise at 25 d(P<0.001); the expression level remained high at 30 d(P<0.05) but started to decline. Subsequently, during the juvenile stage(after 35 d), the relative expression of MyoG decreased continuously, with a subsequent upward trend observed at 45 and 55 d, among which the upregulation at 55 d was significant(P<0.05). The MyoG gene exhibited a degree of evolutionary conservation and played a certain role in the post-embryonic muscle development of P. leopardus. Its relative expression levels were relatively high and showed significant differences in the larval and early juvenile stages, while the expression gradually decreased after entering the juvenile stage(after 35 d). These results suggested that the MyoG gene exerts a core function mainly in the muscle tissue of P. leopardus during the larval and early juvenile stages of post-embryonic development. This study revealed the expression pattern of the MyoG gene during early post-embryonic development and enriches the fundamental research data related to muscle development of this species.

The tomato hind, Cephalopholis sonnerati, is a new species of high economic value grouper, which is widely distributed, rich genetic diversity, and difficult to identify its germplasm. In order to develop molecular markers and methods suitable for germplasm identification of the tomato hind, this study used the single copy gene database of spinal animals combined with the resequencing data of the tomato hind to screen the highly conserved sequences of the tomato hind. A target sequence located in the single-copy gene ceramide glucosyltransferase(ugcg) was successfully selected, and specific primers were designed. A specific band of 226 bp with only individual base differences could be amplified from the tomato hind, but the corresponding band cannot be amplified from other groupers. In this study, a single copy conserved gene was selected as the core tool to establish a rapid and accurate identification method for the germplasm resources collection, identification and evaluation and also laid a foundation for the molecular breeding technology innovation and the artificial breeding of the tomato hind.

Strawberry gray mould, caused by Botrytis cinerea, is a highly prevalent and severely damaging disease in strawberry(Fragaria × ananassa) cultivation. Trichoderma spp. is a currently widely utilized and highly effective biological control agent. To effectively control strawberry gray mould using Trichoderma, in this study, the plate dilution method and confrontation test were used to screen Trichoderma strains that inhibit B. cinerea. The strains were identified through morphological characteristics and molecular biological analysis. The biocontrol mechanism, pot control effects of Trichoderma czit against strawberry gray mould and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods. The results showed that Trichoderma czit was obtained from healthy strawberry rhizosphere soil, which had a strong inhibitory effect on B. cinerea, with an inhibition rate of 80.35%. By combining morphological features and molecular biology methods, strain czit was identified as T. longibrachiatum. The results of the biocontrol mechanism indicated that, T. longibrachiatum czit had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on B. cinerea. czit could rapidly occupy nutrient space, completely cover B. cinerea after 7 d of confrontation culture. The inhibitory rate of its volatile metabolites against B. cinerea was 64.12%, and that of its fermentation metabolites was 72.00%. The mycelium of czit could play the role of hyperparasitism by attaching, entangling, penetrating, and deforming B. cinerea mycelium. The results of the pot experiment showed that the strain czit had a 66.26% pot control effect on strawberry gray mould, and had a significant growth-promoting effect on strawberry seedlings. The promoting rates of plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, and root dry weight of strawberry seedlings were 35.82%, 36.80%, 105.34%, 96.63%, 116.22%, and 102.08%, respectively. T. longibrachiatum czit selected in this study had significant control effects on strawberry gray mould and had a significant growth-promoting effect on strawberry seedlings, demonstrating good biocontrol potential and application prospects.

Soybean root rot is one of the major soil-borne diseases that severely impacts the production of soybean(Glycine max). Current control methods predominantly rely on chemical pesticides, which are susceptible to causing environmental pollution and promoting pathogen resistance. This situation underscores the urgent need for eco-friendly alternatives, such as microbial biocontrol agents. To screen for effective biocontrol bacteria against soybean root rot, the YX3 strain with antibacterial activity was obtained from the rhizosphere soil of maize(Zea mays). It was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by comprehensive analysis of colony morphology observation, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and muti-gene phylogenetic analysis. The dual-culture assay showed that YX3 had an inhibition rate of 68.98% on the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum, one of the pathogens of soybean root rot, which could cause mycelial deformities of F. oxysporum, such as swelling, shriveled and twisted mycelium. The sterile fermentation filtrate of YX3 significantly inhibited the germination of F. oxysporum spores; Volatile metabolites interfered with the pigment metabolism of F. oxysporum, resulting in hypha fading, loose structure and weakened pathogenicity. Enzyme activity test showed that YX3 could secrete amylase, protease and cellulase, and its genome contained fenA, srfAA and ituD antibiotic genes. The crude lipopeptide extract had antibacterial activity against F. oxysporum. In greenhouse pot experiment, the control effect of YX3 on soybean root rot was 62.79%. In addition, the YX3 strain showed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against a variety of plant pathogenic fungi(the antibacterial rate was 64.44%~88.74%). The research showed that YX3 has the potential to be developed as a biocontrol agent, which provides a new candidate resource and theoretical basis for biological control of soybean root rot.

Selenium is an essential trace element for organisms, and selenomethionine(SeMet) is one primary chemical form in which animals obtain selenium from natural food. To screen candidate genes associated with SeMet biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis, in this study, 6 strains of B. subtilis were isolated and identified from selenium-enriched soil samples collected in Enshi. The selenium tolerance of B. subtilis of BsES(B. subtilis from Enshi) was determined to be stronger than those of BsJZ(B. subtilis from Jingzhou) and the type strain of Bs168(B. subtilis subsp. subtilis str. 168) using different doses of Na₂SeO₃, and 0.1 mg/mL Na₂SeO₃ was determined to be the optimal additive dose for selenium-enriched culture. High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS) analysis showed that the SeMet synthesis ability of strain BsES08 was the strongest, with a synthesis amount of 8.90 µg/10⁸CFU, which was 39.47% and 34.33% higher than that of the control strains Bs168 and BsJZ, respectively. qPCR was used to comparatively analyze the mRNA expression levels of 31 SeMet synthesis metabolism-related genes in the 6 isolated strains. Results showed that the expression levels of tusA2, tusA1, TrxRB, thiS, nifS, nasD, mrp, mmuM and metE3 genes in strain BsES08 were higher than those in the other strains, suggesting that these genes might be related to SeMet synthesis. Recombinant B. subtilis of BsES08-tusA1 and BsES08-TrxRB were constructed using the pHT43 expression vector to overexpress tusA1 and TrxRB gene, respectively. The SeMet synthesis amounts of the recombinant strains were 10.71 and 11.17 µg/10⁸CFU, respectively, which were 24.90% and 30.23% higher than those of BsES08. In conclusion, a selenium-enriched strain B. subtilis, BsES08, was isolated from selenium-enriched soil in Enshi, which had a high tolerance to inorganic selenium and a high efficiency of organic selenium conversion. Nine candidate genes related to SeMet synthesis were identified. This study provides microbial resources and functional genes for the development and utilization of selenium-enriched probiotics.

Anthracnose poses a severe threat to the green and sustainable development of the agricultural industry. To explore novel biological control technologies, a Bacillus subtilis strain Rbac1 was isolated and purified in this study. The control efficacy of strain Rbac1 against various important diseases, especially anthracnose, was investigated. Results showed that Rbac1 strain significantly inhibited multiple pathogens, including Colletotrichum camelliae, Co. fructicola, Fusarium solani, Aspergillus flavus, and Phytophthora sojae. The conidial germination test indicated that the fermentation filtrate of strain Rbac1 remarkably suppressed the conidial germination of Co. camelliae and Co. fructicola. The antibacterial stability test revealed that the fermentation broth of this strain exhibited favorable thermal stability. There was no significant difference in inhibition rates at pH 3~9 and no obvious change following a 60 min ultraviolet irradiation treatment. The detached leaf biocontrol test demonstrated that the fermentation filtrate of strain Rbac1 effectively controlled anthracnose in 'Baiye 1' and 'Huang jinya' tea(Camellia sinensis) varieties, with control efficiencies of 58.03% and 70.99% respectively. In conclusion, B. subtilis Rbac1 showed great potential for biological control of tea anthracnose. This study provides theoretical basis and strain resources for the development of novel biological control agents.

Pepper(Capsicum annuum) is a globally important economic crop, whose production is seriously threatened by Phytophthora capsici, a devastating oomycete pathogen that has caused severe yield losses. Due to the long-term survival of P. capsici in soil and its high genetic variability, conventional chemical control methods often prove ineffective and tend to cause environmental concerns. Consequently, exploiting and utilizing the host's inherent resistance through techniques such as molecular marker-assisted selection for genetic improvement have become the most economical and effective strategy for disease management. This paper systematically reviews research advances in the biological and genomic evolutionary characteristics of P. capsici, genetic mapping and resistance gene mining of P. capsici resistance, molecular mechanism dissection, as well as modern biotechnological breeding applications in pepper. P. capsici belongs to the genus Phytophthora in the class Oomycetes, and more than 45 physiological races have been identified. It has a two-speed genome structure, and the expansion and sequence polymorphism of effectors such as RxLR(Arg-Xaa-Leu-Arg) and CRN(crinkling and necrosis) are the important molecular basis for its virulence differentiation. Pepper resistance to P. capsici is governed by monogenic, oligogenic, and polygenic inheritance patterns. Major QTL clusters on chromosome 5 are highly conserved, and the CaRPc10.1 locus on chromosome 10 has been finely mapped to a 32.36 kb interval. A series of candidate and functional resistance genes have been identified, including CaDMR1, Capana05g000764, Capann_59Chr10g029350, CaTPX1, and CaAP2/ERF99. In molecular marker-assisted selection breeding, markers such as ZL6726, CaNB-5480, and CA10-233 have been developed, with highest accuracy of resistance identification reaching more than 90%. Meanwhile, progress and breakthroughs in transgenesis, gene editing, and genomic selection have also laid a foundation for precision breeding for resistance to P. capsici. Transcriptomic, proteomic, and epigenetic regulation studies have demonstrated that pepper responds synergistically to pathogen infection via pathways including phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, secondary metabolism, and hormone signaling; and epigenetic regulations such as histone modification and DNA methylation are also involved in disease resistance. Mechanistic investigations into the interactions between effectors(e.g., NLP779 and PcICD1) and host targets have provided potential targets for resistance design breeding. Future research should focus on cloning and functional validation of resistance genes, pyramiding of multiple resistance genes, and dissection of effector-target interactions, so as to promote the breeding of durable and broad-spectrum resistant pepper varieties. This review provides a theoretical reference for optimizing genetic improvement and molecular breeding strategies for P. capsici resistance in pepper.

Cluster of differentiation 163(CD163) protein is a critical receptor for the infection of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV). In recent years, gene-editing technology has been utilized to breed PRRSV-resistant pigs. This review systematically examines the structure and physiological functions of the CD163 protein, summarizes domestic and international research cases in which PRRSV-resistant pigs have been successfully developed through various strategies(including complete deletion, partial deletion, replacement of the cysteine-rich scavenger receptor 5(SRCR5) domain, and single-base editing), and focuses on evaluating the impact of these genetic modifications on other key physiological functions of CD163, such as clearance of hemoglobin-haptoglobin complexes, promotion of erythrocyte development, and immune regulation, in order to provide scientific evidence and references for the safety of commercialized gene-edited disease-resistant animals. Substantial experimental evidence reveals that CD163-edited pigs exhibit complete resistance to PRRSV infection while retaining all normal physiological functions, including the clearance of free hemoglobin in plasma, the promotion of erythroblast development, and its function as a receptor for the TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis(TWEAK). These findings provide crucial safety assurances for the commercial application of PRRSV-resistant gene-edited swine.

With the advancement of molecular breeding technologies, genomic selection based on SNP markers has become a key technical approach for improving the efficiency of genetic improvement. Sheep(Ovis aries) are livestock of significant economic value, and developing efficient breeding tools tailored to their populations is crucial to advancing the sheep industry. This study developed a 50K SNP liquid phase breeding chip for sheep breeding using genomic data and targeted capture sequencing technology. By integrating SNP data from 355 individuals in the iSheep database and resequencing data from 10 East Friesian sheep, 58 859 high-quality SNP loci were selected, including 31 729 core functional loci(53.91%). The average spacing between the selected SNPs is 43.9 kb, covering functional regions associated with important economic traits. Quality testing of the chip was conducted by randomly sampling 100 sheep, and the results demonstrated excellent performance in the sheep population: The map rate exceeded 99.7%, capture rate was higher than 76%, dup rate was below 12%, and the SNP call rate reached over 95.98%. Further genome-wide association analysis used this breeding chip to identify genetic loci influencing sheep growth traits(such as body weight, body length, abdominal girth, and chest girth). The results showed that the chip successfully identified multiple significant SNP loci associated with growth traits. This chip holds broad application prospects in sheep molecular breeding, particularly in breeding efforts related to important economic traits, as it can help improve breeding efficiency and advance sheep genetic improvement. This study provides a scientific basis for future molecular marker selection of sheep growth traits

Panax notoginseng is a renowned Chinese medicinal plant. Phytophthora blight, incited by Phytophthora cactorum, represents one of the most devastating diseases affecting its cultivation, causing significant losses in both yield and quality. To screen for novel microbial resources for the environmentally friendly control of Pa. notoginseng blight, this study utilized healthy Pa. notoginseng plants from disease-affected fields. Samples from 6 parts(main root, lateral root, stem, leaf, petiole, and fruit) were collected. Endophytic bacteria were isolated using the dilution spread plate method. The isolates were identified based on morphological characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The ultimate aim was to screen for biocontrol strains with potent inhibitory efficacy against the pathogen causing Pa. notoginseng blight. The plate confrontation method was used to determine the antagonistic ability of all strains against Pa. notoginseng phytophthora blight, and the optimal antagonistic strain was selected for pot experiments to verify its control effect. A total of 58 isolates were obtained from the healthy Pa. notoginseng plants in the phytophthora blight fields. Through the plate confrontation method, 13 antagonistic bacteria with significant inhibitory effects on Ph. cactorum were screened out. Among them, strain PNMR-1(identified as Serratia plymuthica) isolated from taproots showed the best antagonistic effect, with an inhibition rate of 60.56% after 7 d of confrontation culture. Observation under an optical microscope revealed that this strain could significantly inhibit the mycelial growth of Ph. cactorum and cause mycelial deformation. The results of pot experiments indicated that the control effect of strain PNMR-1 on Pa. notoginseng phytophthora blight was 67.54%, which was slightly lower than that of the chemical fungicide fluazinam treatment(70.19%), but the difference was not significant. This study isolated a new biocontrol strain, S. plymuthica PNMR-1, which had a significant inhibitory effect on the pathogen of Pa. notoginseng phytophthora blight, this strain can be used as an excellent microbial resource for the biological control of Pa. notoginseng phytophthora blight.