@article {pmid42231482,
year = {2026},
author = {Pei, T and Nwanade, CF and Wang, Z and Liu, Z and Dai, Y and Zhang, X and Yu, Z},
title = {Adaptive restructuring of the microbiota promotes overwintering survival of the tick Dermacentor silvarum.},
journal = {Parasites & vectors},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1186/s13071-026-07457-3},
pmid = {42231482},
issn = {1756-3305},
support = {32071510//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2026ZD01909104//National Science and Technology Major Project/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Dermacentor silvarum is a medically important tick species in temperate regions of Asia that must survive prolonged cold exposure during winter. However, the impact of low-temperature stress on its microbial community and the potential functional implications for overwintering remain poorly understood.

METHODS: Adult ticks of D. silvarum were subjected to controlled low-temperature treatments (8, 4, 0, and -4 °C) for 7 days, with ticks maintained at 27 °C serving as controls. The bacterial 16S rRNA (V4 region) and fungal ITS1 regions were amplified and sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq PE250 platform. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to assess microbial diversity, community composition, and predicted functional profiles.

RESULTS: Cold exposure significantly altered both bacterial and fungal community structures, increasing overall microbial diversity. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota dominated the bacterial assemblages, whereas the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the predominant fungal phyla. A marked enrichment of psychrotolerant and metabolically versatile genera, including Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, and Trichosporon, alongside a decline in the nutrient-provisioning symbiont Coxiella were observed in cold-treated ticks. Functional prediction suggested that the enriched taxa are potentially involved in antioxidative defense, cryoprotectant biosynthesis, membrane stabilization, and detoxification processes.

CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that low temperature drives a comprehensive reorganization of the microbiota in D. silvarum. The increase in psychrotolerant and detoxifying microbes likely reflects an adaptive host-microbe interaction that enhances tolerance to cold, oxidative, and osmotic stress, thereby promoting overwinter survival of the ticks. These findings provide new insights into the ecological resilience of tick-associated microbiomes and the symbiotic mechanisms underlying vector adaptation to climatic challenges.},
}

@article {pmid42231805,
year = {2026},
author = {Kazmi, SAM and Fatimi, SH and Pasha, HA},
title = {Colouring Inside the Lines: Why Medical Students Should Be Encouraged to Draw More in Surgical Rotations.},
journal = {The clinical teacher},
volume = {23},
number = {4},
pages = {e70451},
doi = {10.1111/tct.70451},
pmid = {42231805},
issn = {1743-498X},
abstract = {Art and surgery have long shared a symbiotic relationship, each rooted in observation, precision and creativity. I was reminded of this early as a medical student during my cardiothoracic surgery and general surgery rotations, when I began making 2-min 'thumbnail' sketches after cases-just enough lines to capture planes, landmarks and instrument angles. What started as a way to stay focused quickly changed how I saw operative anatomy: messy, layered, dynamic and rarely like the textbook plate. Although drawing has anchored surgical understanding from Vesalius and Da Vinci to Cheselden and Bell, the habit has faded in modern curricula, displaced by digital imaging and largely passive viewing, especially as a medical student in surgical rotations. My experience suggests the opposite approach is both feasible and valuable. Brief, structured sketching sharpened my spatial reasoning and helped me retain operative steps; the gaps in my redraws mapped exactly to the questions I asked on rounds the next morning. Drawing not only refines visual-spatial skills but also promotes deeper cognitive processing and long-term retention-qualities essential for surgical trainees. Despite its proven benefits, many students and clinicians shy away from drawing due to perceived lack of skill, time constraints or undervaluing of artistic learning. Integrating structured drawing exercises and art-based reflection into surgical training may not only enhance anatomical comprehension but also foster mindfulness, empathy and critical observation. Reviving art within surgical education is, therefore, not an indulgence in aesthetics, but an investment in cultivating more perceptive, reflective and precise surgeons.},
}

@article {pmid42231890,
year = {2026},
author = {Lee, HO and Farmer, AD and O'Rourke, JA and Doyle, JJ and Cannon, SB},
title = {Impacts of gene duplication in the evolution of symbiotic root nodule symbiosis in legumes.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1784647},
pmid = {42231890},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {Root nodule symbiosis (RNS) is found in approximately 16-18 widely-separated lineages within the "nitrogen-fixing nodulation clade (NFNC)". Although modeling of trait gain and loss across approximately 13,000 species within the rosid group indicates multiple gains and losses, there is no consensus about whether RNS had a single or multiple origins; and our understanding is fragmentary regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying those changes. Evolution of a new organ and functions involves many thousands of genes; but the evolutionary histories for many of these genes may be uninformative regarding RNS evolution. A portion of the genes, however, are likely to be derived from prior gene duplications and to have acquired new functions or to have come under new regulatory patterns. Whole genome duplications (WGDs) could conceivably enable the necessary neo- or sub-functionalization for new roles in the nodule. All species that exhibit RNS share a history of several ancient WGDs; but the last such common WGD for these species was the "gamma" paleohexaploidy that occurred early in the core eudicot lineage, ~120 Mya. This presents a puzzle: If legume RNS within the NFNC only arose in the Late Cretaceous, several tens of millions of years after the gamma event, what explains the long, seemingly quiescent interval and the many eudicot lineages without RNS? This study focuses on a collection of gene superfamilies with additional independent WGDs that appear to have occurred in the interim period, after the gamma triplication and prior to the evolution of RNS, identifying several that are both essential for RNS and that show evidence of critical roles of both ancient WGDs and more recent local duplications.},
}

@article {pmid42233733,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, H and Sun, H and Li, H and Hu, X and Liu, C and Cao, Y and Wang, Y and Wang, S and Wei, G and Chen, W},
title = {Long-Term Inorganic Nitrogen Fertilization Drives a Trade-Off in the Soybean Symbiotic Network From Low-Loss Fixation to High-Loss Metabolism.},
journal = {Molecular ecology},
volume = {35},
number = {11},
pages = {e70421},
doi = {10.1111/mec.70421},
pmid = {42233733},
issn = {1365-294X},
support = {42377127//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
abstract = {The productivity and sustainability of legume crops are highly dependent on their tripartite symbiotic system with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a system currently facing significant pressure from long-term excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization. However, how long-term N input and host niche selection jointly regulate the structure and function of this tripartite symbiotic system remains poorly understood. Using a soybean pot experiment with soils collected in 2022 from a 24-year field experiment (winter wheat-summer maize rotation, receiving annual urea at 0, 200, 400, 600 kg N ha[-1] year[-1] since 1998), we systematically elucidated these mechanisms. The results demonstrate that host niche selection is the dominant driver structuring the core symbiotic network. This manifests as a progressive, stringent homogeneous selection for rhizobia from soil to nodules, and as dispersal limitation for AMF, imposed by strong physical filtration at the root epidermis. Long-term N input nonlinearly disrupted this host-dominated framework. Specifically, excessive N fertilization shifted rhizobial community assembly from deterministic to stochastic dominance, weakened their cross-kingdom synergy with AMF, and triggered a transition in the systemic N-cycling pathway. This transition moved from an efficient, low-loss internal symbiotic N-fixation mode to a high-loss-risk external N metabolism mode. This functional trade-off ultimately compromised the system's nutrient accumulation and retention capacity, offering a mechanistic explanation for how excessive N fertilization drives agroecosystems from symbiosis-dependence to fertilizer-dependence. These findings demonstrate that optimizing N management sustains nutrient retention and productivity by preserving the host-shaped symbiotic network, offering a reference for reducing fertilizer dependence and improving the sustainability of legume production.},
}

@article {pmid42233846,
year = {2026},
author = {Moreira, AA and Camargo, RS and Forti, LC and Camargo-Mathias, MI and Castellani, MA and Zanuncio, JC and Serrão, JE and Calligaris, IB and Coelho, BS and Jean-Baptiste, MC},
title = {Morphology of ovaries and spermatheca of Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) queens: implications for oviposition rates.},
journal = {Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia},
volume = {86},
number = {},
pages = {e302649},
doi = {10.1590/1519-6984.302649},
pmid = {42233846},
issn = {1678-4375},
mesh = {Animals ; Female ; *Oviposition/physiology ; *Ants/physiology/anatomy & histology ; *Ovary/anatomy & histology ; },
abstract = {The nest of leaf-cutting ants is founded by a newly mated queen, which lays the first eggs, giving rise to workers responsible for nest construction and colony maintenance. Bioecological and physiological aspects of queens may help explain variations in the size of newly founded nests of species in the genus Atta. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between ovary and spermatheca morphology and the oviposition rate of Atta sexdens Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) queens. Forty-one newly founded nests of A. sexdens were collected, and the volume of each fungus garden was measured. The queens from these nests were isolated and fed daily with the colony's symbiotic fungus to determine their daily egg production over four days. At the end of this period, the ovaries and spermathecae of the queens were dissected and analyzed under light microscopy. The oviposition rate of A. sexdens queens ranged from 0.5 to 90.5 eggs per day. Ovaries showing signs of degeneration, including yolk reabsorption in oocytes, were observed in queens with the lowest oviposition rates. Spermatheca morphology was similar among all queens. The relationship between ovarian morphology and oviposition rate in young A. sexdens queens supports the hypothesis that differences in ovarian condition contribute to variations in egg production. Such differences may ultimately influence colony growth in the field.},
}

Animals
Female
*Oviposition/physiology
*Ants/physiology/anatomy & histology
*Ovary/anatomy & histology

@article {pmid42233878,
year = {2026},
author = {Bove, CB and Castillo, KD and Hughes, AM and Ries, JB and Davies, SW},
title = {Strong Symbiodiniaceae influence on coral gene expression under ocean acidification and warming.},
journal = {Integrative and comparative biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/icb/icag062},
pmid = {42233878},
issn = {1557-7023},
abstract = {Tropical coral reefs face unprecedented threats from ocean acidification and warming, driving alarming declines in reef communities worldwide. Yet environmental history and diverse symbiotic partnerships often shape how corals respond to environmental change. We investigated how the Caribbean coral Siderastrea siderea responds to simulated future ocean conditions by examining holobiont phenotypes, symbiotic communities, and gene expression profiles. After three months of exposure to various acidification and warming scenarios, S. siderea showed only moderate stress responses, with no shifts in algal symbiont or bacterial communities. Remarkably, even under the warmest temperature and lowest pH conditions, coral host gene expression patterns were primarily shaped by which Symbiodiniaceae genus they hosted, rather than experimental treatments. Corals predominantly hosting Durusdinium trenchii exhibited higher lipid content but reduced calcification rates compared to those hosting Cladocopium goreaui, suggesting different metabolic strategies based on which symbiont was predominant in the coral holobiont. While moderate treatment effects were observed, significant changes in holobiont phenotype and gene expression occurred mainly under extreme acidification conditions unlikely to be experienced within the next century. Under these extreme scenarios, we detected reduced growth rates and downregulation of calcification-related genes, indicating potential challenges for skeletal production in future oceans. These findings enhance our understanding of coral acclimatization strategies and emphasize how symbiotic relationships fundamentally shape coral responses to environmental change. As climate change intensifies, these molecular and physiological mechanisms may determine which coral species persist on future reefs.},
}

@article {pmid42234850,
year = {2026},
author = {Li, Q and Zhou, Y and Kang, W and Tang, X and Hu, B and Tang, Z and Wu, F and Downs, CA and Zhao, H},
title = {Environmental Concentrations of Herbicide Prometryn Increase the Susceptibility of Reef-Building Corals to Nitrate Stress.},
journal = {Environmental science & technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6c06486},
pmid = {42234850},
issn = {1520-5851},
abstract = {Herbicide and nitrate pollution frequently co-occur in coastal waters, while their combined effect on corals has been a critical knowledge gap. Although corals can exhibit acclimation to nitrate enrichment, it is unclear whether this acclimation persists under coexposure to PSII herbicides. Here, we investigated the combined effects of nitrate and the PSII herbicide prometryn on the reef-building coralAcropora hyacinthusby integrating physiology, ultrastructure, and host-symbiont multiomics. The results demonstrate that prometryn acts as the primary driver of photodamage and photosynthetic toxicity in the symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae under costress. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that prometryn induced activated symbiophagy and chloroplast degradation with loosely stacked thylakoids in Symbiodiniaceae. Transcriptomics and proteomics analyses predicted that nitrate enrichment stimulated host glutathione-based antioxidant responses. However, prometryn-induced phototoxicity impaired photosynthate supply and disrupted this nitrate acclimation mechanism. Moreover, reduced photosynthate transfer further impaired the host energy balance and intensified oxidative stress. These findings show that PSII herbicides can override short-term acclimation to nitrate enrichment, underscoring the need for the joint regulation of herbicide and nutrient inputs in reef ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid42235129,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, L and Guan, M and Sun, D and Yu, H and Jiang, X},
title = {Biofilm-induced modification of passive film and corrosion resistance of TC4 alloy by Bacillus safensis, Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens and Chlorella marina.},
journal = {Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands)},
volume = {172},
number = {},
pages = {109353},
doi = {10.1016/j.bioelechem.2026.109353},
pmid = {42235129},
issn = {1878-562X},
abstract = {TC4 (Ti-6Al-4 V) titanium alloy resists seawater corrosion by forming a TiO2 passive film, yet its integrity is strongly affected by biofilm-induced interfacial heterogeneity. This work examined passive film modification under five conditions: sterile artificial seawater, Bacillus safensis, Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens, Chlorella marina, and a bacterial-algal symbiotic system. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, polarization curves, Mott-Schottky analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cell quantification were combined to correlate biofilm features with semiconductor defects and corrosion performance. Bacterial and mixed biofilms developed extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) barriers that stabilized n-type TiO2 with oxygen-vacancy defects, raising electron escape and improving protection. P. nigrifaciens produced a compact, viscous EPS layer that yielded the best corrosion resistance, while B. safensis showed dynamic evolution from early protection to mid-stage defect increase and late partial self-repair. In contrast, the porous algal film of C. marina generated p-type defects, facilitating Cl[-] ingress and poorer resistance. The symbiotic system balanced these effects through concurrent O2 generation and EPS shielding. The overall corrosion-resistance order was P. nigrifaciens > ASW ≈ B. safensis > Symbiotic > C. marina. These findings reveal how biofilm structural properties mediates passive film semiconductor properties and suggest an EPS-based interfacial design to improve the durability of marine titanium components.},
}

@article {pmid42236523,
year = {2026},
author = {Kim, MK and Oh, SJ and Lee, BM and Lee, J and Hwang, CY},
title = {Genomic and phenotypic insights into Pseudocolwellia antarctica sp. nov., a novel psychrotolerant bacterium with symbiotic potential from Antarctic zooplankton.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-53601-5},
pmid = {42236523},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {RS-2023-00301976//National Research Foundation of Korea/ ; RS-2024-00436649//Korea Institute of Marine Science and Technology promotion/ ; RS-2024-00405801//Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea/ ; },
abstract = {Zooplankton in the Southern Ocean represent unique microhabitats for microbial communities that contribute significantly to polar biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we performed a polyphasic and genomic characterization of two Gram-negative, psychrotolerant bacterial strains, HL-MZ7[T] and HL-MZ19, isolated from Antarctic zooplankton. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses clearly placed these isolates within the genus Pseudocolwellia, forming a sister clade to Pseudocolwellia agarivorans QM50[T]. The complete genomes of HL-MZ7[T] (4.5 Mbp) and HL-MZ19 (4.6 Mbp) exhibited DNA G + C contents of 36.0% and 35.9%, respectively. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values confirmed that both strains represent a novel genomic species, distinct from P. agarivorans QM50[T] (79.5% ANI and 24.0% dDDH). Comparative genomic analysis revealed a rich repertoire of genes associated with cold environmental adaptation and host-microbe interactions. Notably, we identified biosynthetic gene clusters of aryl polyenes and homoserine lactones, alongside genes involved in surface adhesion and nutrient acquisition, suggesting a specialized symbiotic potential within the zooplankton micro-niche. Phenotypically, the strains are characterized as strictly aerobic, with optimal growth at 15-20 °C and 3.0% (w/v) sea salts. These findings expand the genomic and ecological understanding of zooplankton-associated bacteria in polar marine ecosystems, and support the proposal of Pseudocolwellia antarctica sp. nov.},
}

@article {pmid42226738,
year = {2026},
author = {Vivas Ríos, LDC and Pérez Guedez, NC and Brazon Lunar, MF and Casado Chacín, MJ and Mendoza Sandoval, AD and Coll, DS and Villarreal, HJF and López, DJZ and Quintero, AJ},
title = {Effect of a symbiotic microbial complex (SMC) on productivity, early viability and blood parameters in broiler chicken under stress rearing conditions.},
journal = {Journal of advanced veterinary and animal research},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {170-180},
pmid = {42226738},
issn = {2311-7710},
abstract = {Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of a novel Symbiotic Microbial Complex (SMC) as a non-nutritive additive on the productive performance, hematological parameters, and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens reared under environmental stress. Materials and Methods: A total of 264 one-day-old Ross broiler chickens were assigned to two treatments: A Control and an SMC treatment (10% dietary inclusion), with three replicates of 44 birds each, for 42 days. Diets were isoproteic and isoenergetic for the Pre-starter (1-10 days), Starter (11-22 days), and Finisher (23-42 days) phases. Environmental parameters (averaging 29.6°C) and water quality (Nitrates) were monitored. Weekly evaluations of production variables, hematology, and serum biochemistry were performed. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Chi-square tests. Results: Inclusion of SMC significantly reduced cumulative mortality in the Pre-starter (20.45% Control vs. 3.03% SMC) and Starter phases (6.06% Control vs. 0.00% SMC) (p < 0.05). While no significant differences were observed in body weight or feed conversion ratio, the SMC treatment exhibited greater physiological stability. Liver enzyme activity (ALT/AST) was lower in SMC birds during metabolic peaks, and lipid profiles remained within normal physiological ranges despite environmental challenges. Conclusions: The SMC acted as a potent bioprotector, significantly enhancing early viability and maintaining systemic homeostasis. Its protective effect buffered the physiological toll of environmental heat and suboptimal water quality. However, its growth-promoting potential may be optimized under controlled environmental settings where metabolic energy is not prioritized for survival and homeostatic maintenance.},
}

@article {pmid42227223,
year = {2026},
author = {Pérez-Ortega, S and Ortiz-Álvarez, R and Wierzchos, J and Blázquez, M and Gérault, A and de Los Ríos, A},
title = {Exploring the lichenization continuum through the marine tripartite symbiosis of Collemopsidium pelvetiae.},
journal = {American journal of botany},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e70210},
doi = {10.1002/ajb2.70210},
pmid = {42227223},
issn = {1537-2197},
abstract = {PREMISE: Symbioses between lichen-forming fungi and brown algae (phaeophytes) are extremely rare. We investigated the interactions between the marine fungus Collemopsidium pelvetiae and its two photosynthetic partners, the brown alga Pelvetia canaliculata and a cyanobacterial symbiont to address questions on symbiosis biology, lichenization, and the diversity of fungal-photosynthetic associations in marine environments.

METHODS: We combined light microscopy, fluorescence microscope in structural illumination microscopy mode (SIM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to characterize thallus architecture, symbiont interfaces, and ultrastructural interactions. Amplicon-based 16S rRNA sequencing profiled cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria from two regions (northern Spain and Brittany, France).

RESULTS: Collemopsidium pelvetiae had distinct interactions with its two photosynthetic partners and with heterotrophic bacteria. Interactions with Pelvetia canaliculata were restricted to the region beneath the perithecia, where hyphae penetrated the outer amorphous cell-wall layer, without any evident host defense response. In contrast, the interaction with cyanobacteria involved the formation of intracellular haustoria, which ultimately lead to the death of the cyanobionts, suggesting a controlled parasitic relationship or a transitional stage toward lichenization. Unexpectedly, C. pelvetiae also produced haustorium-like projections into heterotrophic bacterial cells, a structure not previously reported in lichen symbioses. Microbiome analysis identified Pleurocapsa as the most likely cyanobiont genus associated with C. pelvetiae and revealed consistent heterotrophic bacterial communities, suggesting a species-specific assemblage.

CONCLUSIONS: This marine tripartite symbiosis involves distinct interaction modes, challenging strict lichen definitions. We propose that lichen symbioses form a multidimensional continuum of strategies rather than a single mutualistic model.},
}

@article {pmid42228352,
year = {2026},
author = {Kumar, R and Banerjee, R},
title = {Sulfide dynamics at the gut-microbiota interface: diet, oxygen and redox interplay.},
journal = {Gut microbes},
volume = {18},
number = {1},
pages = {2681720},
doi = {10.1080/19490976.2026.2681720},
pmid = {42228352},
issn = {1949-0984},
abstract = {Teeming with microbes, the unique biogeography of the gut is shaped by interactions between diet, host and microbial metabolism. Hydrogen sulfide represents one such plane of interaction in the lower gut where it is largely the product of microbial activity. Sulfide oxidation by host epithelial cells helps shape a severely hypoxic luminal environment in which obligate anaerobes thrive and furnish among other products, butyrate, a fuel of choice for colonocytes. This metabolic symbiosis in healthy gut is supported by diet, and disrupted when the host sulfide oxidation capacity is exceeded, with resultant local and long-range impacts, including increased susceptibility to enteric pathogens and behavioral changes. Under homeostatic conditions, sulfide oxidation tunes host energy and redox metabolism that is corrupted under dysbiosis linked to gastrointestinal diseases. H2S could also be important for inducing a metabolic state change as in hibernating animals, by increasing energy storage in the form of reduced cofactors as well as increasing intracellular oxygen. In this review, we bracket luminal free sulfide exposure to colonocytes based on bioenergetic studies on colon-derived cells, discuss the microbial pathways for sulfide generation, and their interplay with dietary sulfur and host oxygen and redox metabolism.},
}

@article {pmid42228914,
year = {2026},
author = {Kaste, JAM and Ji, R and Sydow, P and Sawers, RJH and Matthews, ML},
title = {Metabolic modeling predicts synergistic growth benefits between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and theoretical N2-fixing rhizobia symbiosis in maize.},
journal = {Plant physiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/plphys/kiag327},
pmid = {42228914},
issn = {1532-2548},
abstract = {Engineering a novel N2-fixing rhizobia symbiosis in cereal crops is a strategy being pursued to improve agricultural sustainability. However, if such a symbiosis were introduced it would have to be economically viable in the context of plants' existing nutrient acquisition strategies, including existing symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that most plants already engage in. It is important to understand how the metabolic costs and benefits from these symbioses with overlapping functions might impact plant growth when evaluating the potential benefits of this engineering strategy. To address this, we developed metabolic models describing how the relative growth rate of Zea mays is impacted by the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis and a hypothetical N2-fixing symbiosis with Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens in isolation and in tandem. The metabolic models of the plant-AMF symbiosis and plant-AMF-rhizobia symbiosis are the first of their kind. To validate the AMF component of our model, we conducted a field evaluation comparing AMF-compatible and mutant AMF-incompatible maize hybrids. The empirically measured AMF-mediated growth benefit agreed well with model predictions. Our model of the rhizobium symbiosis predicted that the lower N content of cereal crops makes the growth penalty associated with acquiring nitrogen from rhizobia smaller than in legumes. Finally, the model of the plant-AMF-rhizobia symbiosis predicted positive synergies between rhizobia and AMF under nutrient-limited conditions but negative synergies under phosphorus-replete conditions. This indicates that these bioengineering strategies could improve cereal crop yields and may achieve greater gains in tandem, but soil nutrient levels and plant nitrogen requirements should be considered.},
}

@article {pmid42229194,
year = {2026},
author = {Cohen-Sánchez, A and Compa, M and Quetglas-Llabrés, MM and Araujo, O and Tejada, S and Gil, L and Pinya, S and Sureda, A},
title = {Depth-dependent temperature shifts and their impact on zooxanthellae dynamics and physiological stress in Anemonia sulcata.},
journal = {Marine environmental research},
volume = {220},
number = {},
pages = {108167},
doi = {10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108167},
pmid = {42229194},
issn = {1879-0291},
abstract = {Warming seas represent a major threat: rising baseline temperatures and increasing frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves intensify physiological stress in marine organisms. In symbiotic cnidarians, thermal stress can disrupt the host-symbiont balance by enhancing reactive oxygen species production, potentially leading to oxidative damage and bleaching. Depth can further modulate thermal exposure, as shallow habitats experience greater temperature variability and light intensity than deeper zones. The aim was to assess the effects of depth-dependent temperature shifts in Anemonia sulcata by sampling individuals at 0.2 and 1.5 m depth monthly from June to September 2024, with an additional sampling in November. Zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a and c concentrations, antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase), and lipid peroxidation biomarker (malondialdehyde) were quantified. Discrete monthly temperatures did not differ significantly between depths; however, 24-h temperature records in July and August revealed diel peaks up to ∼31.1 °C in shallow habitats, approximately 2 °C higher than in deeper sites. Zooxanthellae density and chlorophyll a and c concentrations increased during the warmest months (August-September), particularly in shallow anemones. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities, together with malondialdehyde levels, were elevated in shallow individuals during July-September, whereas superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase remained comparatively stable. These patterns indicate enhanced photosynthetic activity accompanied by increased oxidative stress in shallow habitats. In conclusion, although A. sulcata appears capable of short-term photoacclimation, the concurrent rise in lipid peroxidation suggests that antioxidant defences may become insufficient under repeated or prolonged warming, potentially preceding bleaching events.},
}

@article {pmid42230617,
year = {2026},
author = {Kambar, N and Song, Y and Herrera, CM and Baliga, M and Leonard, SP and Barrick, JE and Trent, MS and Moran, NA and Leal, C},
title = {Symbiotic bacteria produce non-lytic vesicles with nucleic acid cargo.},
journal = {Nature communications},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-73834-2},
pmid = {42230617},
issn = {2041-1723},
support = {W911NF-20-1-0195//United States Department of Defense | U.S. Army (United States Army)/ ; R01GM143723//U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)/ ; R01AI174416//U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)/ ; R35GM158145//U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)/ ; 1S10OD028700-01//U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)/ ; },
abstract = {Symbiotic bacteria in the gut have an important physiological impact on their hosts, but the mechanisms that underlie the exchange of molecular signals remain poorly understood. Membrane vesicles have been suggested to mediate the direct exchange of cytoplasmic content like nucleic acids (NAs), but their study is complicated by conflicting and imprecise reports of their type and composition. Here, we show that honeybee gut symbionts produce non-lytic membrane vesicles (MVs) enriched in NA, potentially explaining the RNAi activity of engineered Snodgrassella alvi in honeybees. Using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we developed a method to distinguish lytic from non-lytic MV production in Gram-negative bacteria and to differentiate outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from outer-inner membrane vesicles (OIMVs) based on membrane ultrastructure. Among the strains studied, S. alvi, Gilliamella apicola, and Gilliamella apis exhibit clear OMV and OIMV budding, while Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica show membrane debris and self-assembled vesicles, indicating lytic release. MVs from the symbionts carry significantly more NAs than non-symbionts. Assays on DNA and RNA contents confirm the cytoplasmic origin of MV cargo in S. alvi, suggesting a role in mediating NA delivery to the insect host. These findings enhance our understanding of symbiotic vesiculation and highlight the potential for engineering symbionts to boost honeybee immunity and deliver NA-based therapeutics via vesicular transport.},
}

@article {pmid42221078,
year = {2026},
author = {Gaspary, JFP and Lopes, LFD and Gaspary, FP and Lopes, EG and Edgar, AL and Camara, EP and Camara, AG},
title = {Stabilized adaptive states in microbiome-human integrated physiology: reframing health and chronic disease as symbiotic biological states.},
journal = {Frontiers in medicine},
volume = {13},
number = {},
pages = {1824897},
pmid = {42221078},
issn = {2296-858X},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Modern medicine has achieved remarkable precision in identifying molecular mechanisms and developing targeted interventions. However, a persistent clinical paradox remains: many chronic conditions-including metabolic, autoimmune, neuropsychiatric, and oncological disorders-exhibit long-term stability, resistance to guideline-concordant treatment, and recurrent trajectories. Despite extensive mechanistic characterization, the organizational basis of this stability remains insufficiently explained.

CONCEPTUAL GAP: In acute contexts such as infection and environmental intoxication, organisms can remain internally coherent while temporarily prioritizing non-host biological demands. This state-based perspective, however, has rarely been extended to chronic disease. At the same time, microbiome research has demonstrated that human physiology operates within a multigenomic system, in which exogenous gene repertoires contribute substantial metabolic and signaling capacity. Epigenetic research further indicates that repeated ecological exposures can progressively stabilize adaptive biological states over time.

PROPOSED FRAMEWORK: We propose a conceptual framework in which health and disease are interpreted as stabilized adaptive states emerging from hierarchical signal integration within a multigenomic human system. In this model, chronic pathology reflects coherent but constrained regulatory configurations, rather than simple dysregulation or isolated system failure. Central to this interpretation is membrane-level decisional architecture, which governs signal routing, threshold modulation, and downstream transcriptional responses across tissues.

IMPLICATIONS: This framework reorganizes existing evidence into a systems-level interpretation of chronic disease stability, providing a basis for generating testable hypotheses regarding state transitions, responsiveness to perturbation, and restoration of physiological flexibility. Rather than introducing new therapeutic doctrines, the model aims to clarify how biological systems stabilize over time and how such stabilization may be investigated within existing experimental paradigms.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261295889, CRD420261295889; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261295945, CRD420261295945.},
}

@article {pmid42221143,
year = {2026},
author = {Man, Y and Wang, Z and Wang, Z and Yang, N and Zhang, S and Han, Z},
title = {Draft Genomes of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and its symbiont from Southwestern China.},
journal = {Journal of nematology},
volume = {58},
number = {1},
pages = {186-188},
pmid = {42221143},
issn = {0022-300X},
abstract = {Heterorhabditis nematodes have been widely exploited as effective biological control agents. Their pathogenicity largely relies on their bacterial symbionts. Here we present the genome assemblies and annotations of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and its symbiotic bacterium Photorhabdus laumondii, isolated from Yunnan, China, along with comparative genomic analyses against the type strain TT01 from Australia.},
}

@article {pmid42221484,
year = {2026},
author = {Sullivan, LT and Kelly, SE and Hunter, MS},
title = {Late is not great: fitness implications of delayed symbiont acquisition.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1786420},
pmid = {42221484},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {Acquisition of beneficial microbes is often vital to the success of animals. In terrestrial arthropods, obligate symbionts are often acquired from mothers. However, the leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus zonatus, acquires its soil-dwelling bacterial symbiont, Caballeronia, from the environment in each generation starting in the 2nd instar. Bugs must locate their symbionts in a complex and heterogeneous environment, and location and acquisition may take time. We asked if there are costs to acquisition delay and if such costs accrue over longer intervals. A cohort of L. zonatus nymphs was split among eight treatments: seven different intervals for symbiont acquisition after bugs reached the 2nd instar (0-24 days) and a negative control in which bugs were never fed Caballeronia. We assessed the impacts on host performance by measuring acquisition success, juvenile survivorship, development time, adult mass, and development of the midgut symbiotic organ compared with the 0-day treatment. All measures were reduced by delayed acquisition of symbionts, beginning 8 days after nymphs reached the 2nd instar. As the delay increased, host survivorship and acquisition success were further reduced. Surviving hosts developed more slowly, were smaller, and their midgut symbiotic organs were smaller. Our results suggest that symbiont acquisition is most beneficial to hosts within a narrow window, within ~1 week of reaching the 2nd instar. Our results point to an important potential cost to this type of symbiosis. Nymphs must not only find the symbiont, but find it before it is too late to provide a benefit.},
}

@article {pmid42222304,
year = {2026},
author = {Li, J and Li, Y and Chen, S and Xing, G and Zhang, Y and Meng, X and Zhang, Y and Cai, Y and Lin, JM},
title = {Enhancements of symbiotic adhesion and antibiotic efficacy observed by the metabolic crosstalk within cell-bacteria cocultured on a microfluidic gut chip.},
journal = {Journal of pharmaceutical analysis},
volume = {16},
number = {5},
pages = {101641},
pmid = {42222304},
issn = {2214-0883},
abstract = {The gut cells and symbiotic bacteria play a critical role in maintaining gut health and influencing disease development, with metabolic interactions among its constituents warranting further investigation. In this study, we developed a cell-bacteria coculture system on a microfluidic gut chip to simulate the human gut microenvironment and performed multi-omics analyses to elucidate the metabolic crosstalk within the system. The results revealed that the coculture significantly enhances the adhesion and biofilm formation of symbiotic bacteria to gut epithelial cells through activation of the glucose-pyruvate-acetate metabolic cycle. This coculture promotes glucose consumption and acetate secretion while remaining resilient to antibiotics. Moreover, the coculture protected symbiotic bacterial biofilms from antibiotic-induced disruption, thereby enhancing colonization resistance and improving the efficacy of antibiotics against pathogens. Our findings highlight the importance of cell-bacteria interactions in driving the glucose-pyruvate-acetate metabolic cycle, enhancing symbiotic adhesion, and optimizing antibiotic efficacy.},
}

@article {pmid42222793,
year = {2026},
author = {Frota Gaban, SV and Queiroz Nogueira, SS and Marlon Mota Marques, F and Porro, C and Alves Filho, EG and Silva, LMA and Canuto, KM},
title = {Optimization of Kombucha Fermentation from Green Tea and Pineapple Juice: Chemical, Physicochemical, and Bioactive Profiles for Functional Beverage Development.},
journal = {ACS omega},
volume = {11},
number = {20},
pages = {30197-30207},
pmid = {42222793},
issn = {2470-1343},
abstract = {This study evaluated the metabolic evolution and functional quality of green tea-based kombucha and pineapple juice-based kombucha fermented with the same symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. Beverages were monitored over 0, 3, 5, and 7 days of fermentation using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy alongside complementary physicochemical and color analyses to elucidate changes in organic acids, amino acids, and phenolic compounds. Both beverages showed progressive pH reduction to approximately 3.4, increased titratable acidity, and lightning of color (increased L, decreased a and b*) over time. Sucrose content decreased progressively in both systems, accompanied by ethanol production followed by oxidation to acetic, gluconic, and succinic acids, which increased significantly (p < 0.05). Pineapple juice-based kombucha exhibited higher total acid production and faster acidification, while green tea kombucha maintained greater stability in malic and citric acids. Among nitrogenous and phenolic compounds, epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) peaked at day 5 before declining due to oxidative degradation; theanine and alanine showed transient increases, indicating microbial synthesis and assimilation. Caffeine remained relatively stable throughout fermentation. Antioxidant activity measured by the ABTS assay revealed significantly higher radical scavenging capacity in green tea kombucha (10.36 μmol TE/g at day 0 to 10.33 μmol TE/g at day 7) compared to pineapple kombucha (1.90 μmol TE/g to 3.00 μmol TE/g over the same period). Overall, day 5 was identified as the optimal fermentation point, balancing acid production, pH reduction, and preservation of bioactive compounds, supporting the development of functional kombucha beverages from both tea and fruit matrices.},
}

@article {pmid42223126,
year = {2026},
author = {Chen, H and Kang, M and Xie, C and Song, Z and Zhang, J and Wu, X and Song, Y and Zhao, J and Zhang, P and Xia, P and Zhang, Z and Lynch, I and Guo, Z},
title = {Electrostatic Adsorption-Driven Reorganization of Phycosphere Eco-Corona as a Toxicity Mechanism of Cationic Nanoplastics.},
journal = {Environmental science & technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6c00547},
pmid = {42223126},
issn = {1520-5851},
abstract = {Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging contaminants in freshwater ecosystems, readily forming heterogeneous aggregates with microalgae, yet their behavior in algal phycospheres remains poorly resolved. Here, we establish an aquatic phycosphere-plastic symbiotic system and a four-tiered analytical workflow, encompassing growth responses, cellular effects, phycosphere dynamics, and proteomic reprogramming to test how surface charge controls interactions between carboxylated and aminated polystyrene NPs (PS-COOH, PS-NH2, 50 nm) and Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Negatively charged PS-COOH exposure largely preserved physiological, ultrastructural, and redox homeostasis, indicating high tolerance of the symbiotic system. In contrast, positively charged PS-NH2 strongly inhibited biomass and chlorophyll, and triggered a cascade of intracellular stress, including sustained reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant imbalance, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and up to 89.6% apoptosis. Three-dimensional excitation-emission fluorescence with parallel factor analysis and self-organizing map (PARAFAC-SOM) analysis revealed charge- and dose-dependent reorganization of tyrosine- and tryptophan-like protein components in tightly and loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances, indicating spatial eco-corona remodeling. Quantitative proteomics showed that PS-COOH mainly induced homeostasis regulation in photosystem and electron-transport proteins, whereas PS-NH2 broadly disrupted photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and protein homeostasis. This multitier framework links NPs' surface charge to coupled interfacial, cellular, and proteomic processes in microalgal phycospheres, providing a mechanistic basis to assess the biological footprint of NPs in freshwater ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid42223258,
year = {2026},
author = {Riedmuller, KC and Dyer, JE and Ottesen, EA},
title = {Large temperature excursions have modest impacts on community composition in the high diversity gut microbiome of omnivorous American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana).},
journal = {Microbiology spectrum},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0028826},
doi = {10.1128/spectrum.00288-26},
pmid = {42223258},
issn = {2165-0497},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Microbial residents of ectothermic hosts are exposed to variations in temperature that have the potential to impact their physiology and the host-microbe symbiotic relationship. In this experimental warming study, laboratory populations of American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) were kept at a baseline low room temperature of 20-22°C or a high temperature of 30°C, for 2 weeks. We quantified bacterial load and performed high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess the hindgut microbiome's response to a near 10°C shift in environmental temperature. We report modest impacts of temperature on cockroach gut microbiome composition. The high temperature treatment induced increases in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Euryarchaeota phyla, as well as the Lactobacillaceae and Enterococcaceae families. We also observed increased interindividual variability. There were no significant differences in the dominant Bacteroidota or Firmicutes phyla, and no significant losses or reductions in taxa, or bacterial load, respectively. This suggests that the gut community of American cockroaches is largely resilient to prolonged increases in temperature, and has implications for the cockroach to withstand the impacts of climate change.

IMPORTANCE: Insects, as with most animals, often harbor microbial symbionts that play an essential role in host health and nutrition. As insects are ectotherms, these microbial symbionts are subject to the same temperature fluctuations as their hosts, potentially impacting host temperature responses. Here, we demonstrate that the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) gut microbiome exhibits only modest changes following an ~10°C increase in environmental temperature. This contrasts with studies in other insects, whose microbiota were highly responsive to temperature variation. This work illustrates that the microbiota of insects may vary in their sensitivity to long-term temperature shifts, providing a more comprehensive understanding of potential variability in insect responses to climate change.},
}

@article {pmid42223530,
year = {2026},
author = {Pokharel, SK and Walsh, S and Shehata, N and Ahearne, A and Belin, D and Larson, B and Tabor, B and Wall, D and Stevens, DC},
title = {Predator avoidance promotes inter-bacterial symbiosis with myxobacteria in polymicrobial communities.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wrag140},
pmid = {42223530},
issn = {1751-7370},
abstract = {Myxobacteria are predatory soil bacteria with the largest known bacterial genomes, rich in biosynthetic gene clusters for specialized metabolites. Despite their ecological importance as potential keystone taxa in soil food webs, there is a disconnect between laboratory-isolated myxobacteria and abundant Myxococcota detected in environmental metagenomic studies. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of stable myxobacterial swarm consortia from rhizospheric soil, consisting of myxobacteria associated with novel Microvirga species. Using metagenomic sequencing, we assembled metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) for four consortia, revealing phylogenetically distinct yet stably associated bacterial partnerships. Comparative genomics identified evidence of horizontal gene transfer, including acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) synthases and ankyrin repeat (ANKYR) proteins shared between consortium members, and genome-scale metabolic modeling predicted complementary auxotrophies. Time-lapse microscopy revealed that Archangium exhibited reduced predation toward its Microvirga companion (0.7% predation rate) compared to non-symbiotic Myxococcus xanthus (14.9% predation rate) but maintained robust predatory capacity against Escherichia coli prey. These findings indicate that predation avoidance and metabolic complementarity can drive stable inter-bacterial symbiosis in predatory myxobacterial communities, providing foundational insights into previously overlooked myxobacterial partnerships that may be prevalent in natural soil ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid42225158,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, M and Wang, H and Liang, X and Li, J and Wang, C and Cui, L and Yang, S and Lin, J and Yang, Q and Yang, Z},
title = {Enhanced phenanthrene degradation in microalgae-bacteria systems: Mechanistic roles of exogenous and indigenous degraders.},
journal = {Bioresource technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {135034},
doi = {10.1016/j.biortech.2026.135034},
pmid = {42225158},
issn = {1873-2976},
abstract = {This study investigates the synergistic mechanisms of phenanthrene (PHE) biodegradation using Chlorella vulgaris consortia with exogenous (EB) and indigenous (IB) bacteria. Results showed that both cooperative systems significantly enhanced algal growth and PHE removal, with biomass increasing by 17.2% (C.v-EB) and 75.0% (C.v-IB), and biodegradation rates reaching 75.3%-78.4%. Mechanistically, C.v-EB relied on enzymatic antioxidant responses (SOD and CAT) and a protein-rich extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) shield to mitigate oxidative stress. In contrast, C.v-IB exhibited superior resilience through non-enzymatic redox regulation (glutathione/thioredoxin systems) and the formation of a dense, biofilm-like EPS matrix supported by active transport genes (wzm/wzt). Metagenomic analysis revealed that C.v-IB possessed higher metabolic redundancy and energy production efficiency, organized into a coordinated "Degradation-Defense-Communication" genomic architecture via quorum sensing. Furthermore, both consortia expanded the metabolic landscape of PHE, effectively eliminating intermediate toxicity through divergent pathways. These findings provide a systematic framework for developing robust algal-bacterial biotechnologies for the remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wastewater.},
}

@article {pmid42225249,
year = {2026},
author = {Nie, X and Qin, J and Liu, M and Wang, H and Hou, K and Duan, Y},
title = {Process-Level Design of Engineered Microalgal-Bacterial Systems for Carbon-Efficient Nitrogen Removal from Low C/N Wastewater: Carbon/Electron Redistribution Revealed by Metabolic Network Analysis.},
journal = {Environmental research},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {124883},
doi = {10.1016/j.envres.2026.124883},
pmid = {42225249},
issn = {1096-0953},
abstract = {Carbon scarcity in low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) wastewater limits electron donor availability and constrains biological nitrogen removal. Although microalgal-bacterial symbiosis (MBS) is a promising low-input alternative, the mechanisms that sustain nitrogen removal under carbon-limited conditions remain unclear. Here, process-level characterization and metagenomic analysis were combined to investigate community assembly and carbon/electron redistribution in engineered MBS systems. Under the tested conditions, a balanced algae-to-bacteria ratio (1:1) created the most stable niche and achieved >97% NH4[+]-N removal with minimal nitrate accumulation, indicating effective coupling of nitrification, denitrification, and assimilation. EPS dynamics showed a shift from accumulation to reutilization during prolonged carbon limitation: polysaccharides decreased in the later stage as external COD was depleted, suggesting mobilization of EPS as an internal carbon source. Consistently, TCA-cycle genes (e.g., IDH, OGDH, mdh) were enriched whereas glycolysis-related genes (e.g., GAPDH, PGK) declined, indicating a shift in metabolic potential toward greater generation of reducing equivalents. Overall, the results suggest that EPS functions as a dynamic carbon reservoir and that algae-bacteria interactions promote carbon/electron redistribution under carbon-limited conditions. This study provides a process-level basis for designing carbon-efficient wastewater treatment systems.},
}

@article {pmid42225308,
year = {2026},
author = {Varughese, GI},
title = {Symbiosis of international medical graduates in the NHS.},
journal = {BMJ (Clinical research ed.)},
volume = {393},
number = {},
pages = {e579580},
doi = {10.1136/bmj-2026-579580},
pmid = {42225308},
issn = {1756-1833},
}

@article {pmid42225647,
year = {2026},
author = {Weixia, W and Jinli, Z and Qi, W and Jiachun, H and Pinjun, W and Tingheng, Z},
title = {The Bacillus rugosus BPH-S36 genome, a symbiont enabling brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) adaptation to resistant rice.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41597-026-07541-4},
pmid = {42225647},
issn = {2052-4463},
support = {32272538//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; CARS-01//the China Agriculture Research System/ ; CAAS-ASTIP-2021-CNRRI//the Rice Pest Management Research Group of the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of China Academy of Agricultural Science/ ; CPSIBRF-CNRRI-202406//the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Public Welfare Research Institute/ ; },
abstract = {The brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens) is a major pest of rice, and its adaptation to resistant rice varieties often involves symbiotic microorganisms. Bacillus rugosus strain BPH-S36, isolated from a BPH population IR56 (virulent on resistant rice variety IR56), has been shown to enhance host survival on resistant rice when introduced into a susceptible BPH population TN1. To understand the genetic basis of this symbiotic virulence, we sequenced and assembled the complete genome of BPH-S36. The genome comprises a single circular chromosome of 4,120,256 bp with a GC content of 43.81%, encoding 4,288 protein-coding genes, 30 rRNA genes, 87 tRNA genes, and numerous genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, transport, and secondary metabolite synthesis. The assembly exhibits high completeness (98.4% BUSCO) and the genome sequence has been deposited in public databases (NCBI accession number JBSTRU000000000, BioProject: PRJNA1372835, BioSample: SAMN53627811). This high-quality genome resource provides a foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying insect-symbiont-plant interactions and offers potential targets for novel pest management strategies.},
}

@article {pmid42225829,
year = {2026},
author = {Jöst, AB and Kim, T},
title = {From rigidity to collapse in soft coral slumping within the World Heritage coral gardens in Korean waters.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-54847-9},
pmid = {42225829},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {RS-2025-02304432//Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries/ ; PEA0441//Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology/ ; },
abstract = {Coral communities (i.e., soft and hard corals) in Korean waters persist in temperate coastal environments characterized by strong seasonal variability and episodic hydrographic extremes. Within a protected coastal seascape of high ecological and socio-economic value, designated as a UNESCO natural heritage site for its vibrant soft coral gardens, we report the first observation of widespread collapse in soft corals. Based on in situ photographs, we document a previously undescribed loss-of-structural-integrity phenomenon in soft corals. We term this a "slumping event." We define slumping in organisms lacking rigid skeletal support as collapse of the hydrostatic skeleton. The event affected multiple species of non-symbiotic octocorallian soft corals (family Nephtheidae), for which we describe four morphological stages: drooping, dangle, deflation, and disintegration, with a potential additional "inflation" stage. These represent descriptive categories based on cross-sectional observations rather than a confirmed temporal sequence. Environmental analyses indicate that the event coincided with anomalous hydrographic conditions characterized by sustained low salinity and elevated temperature. To quantify prolonged freshwater exposure, we introduce the Degree Freshening Week (DFW) metric, capturing the cumulative duration and intensity of hypo-saline stress, highlighting the importance of stress persistence rather than short-term extremes. This study provides the first field-based documentation and definition of soft coral slumping in situ. The aim is to present initial observations of this phenomenon in a hypothesis-generating context to guide further investigation into the effects of compound environmental stress on temperate coral communities.},
}

@article {pmid42216980,
year = {2026},
author = {Ranger, CM and Baniszewski, JA and Patwa, N and Wei, HH and Pachhain, S and Raubenolt, JA and Altland, M and Cambronero-Heinrichs, JC and Phuntumart, V and Reding, ME and Rassati, D and Keesey, IW and Biedermann, PHW},
title = {Synergistic Effects of Acetic Acid and Ethanol on Offspring Production and Gallery Expansion by Fungus-Farming Ambrosia Beetles.},
journal = {Journal of chemical ecology},
volume = {52},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {42216980},
issn = {1573-1561},
support = {#2021-51181-35863//USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture-Specialty Crop Research Initiative award/ ; N/A//USDA-Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative/ ; #5082-21000-018-00D//USDA-ARS National Program 305 Project/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Ethanol/pharmacology ; *Acetic Acid/pharmacology ; *Coleoptera/physiology/drug effects/growth & development ; Larva/drug effects/growth & development/physiology ; *Fungi/drug effects/physiology ; Drug Synergism ; X-Ray Microtomography ; },
abstract = {Wood-boring ambrosia beetles and their offspring obligately depend on cultivated fungi that they maintain within host trees. Stressed trees produce at least two potent antimicrobials, ethanol and acetic acid, which typically suppress the growth of most fungi. Ethanol facilitates the growth of ambrosia beetles' fungal mutualists and thus aids in host colonization; however, acetic acid's effects are unknown. Here, we evaluated the effects of acetic acid on tunneling and offspring production by two exotic ambrosia beetle species, Xylosandrus germanus and Anisandrus maiche. Cut wood stems (i.e., bolts) were infused with water alone, 5% ethanol, or mixtures of 5% ethanol with acetic acid at various dilutions. Infestations by X. germanus and A. maiche resulted in more frass, larvae, pupae, and adults in the combined 5% ethanol-acetic acid treatment, than in the 5% ethanol alone or water control treatments. X-ray micro-computed tomography revealed that bolts infused with this 5% ethanol-acetic acid mixture had larger insect gallery volumes than those with only 5% ethanol, which in turn were larger than the water control. A positive relationship was found between frass ejected by each beetle and gallery volume across all experiments. This study demonstrates that acetic acid and ethanol synergistically increase offspring production while facilitating gallery expansion by the larvae. Understanding how ambrosia beetles utilize stress-induced compounds within host trees to benefit their fungiculture could lead to novel management strategies for these invasive insects.},
}

Animals
*Ethanol/pharmacology
*Acetic Acid/pharmacology
*Coleoptera/physiology/drug effects/growth & development
Larva/drug effects/growth & development/physiology
*Fungi/drug effects/physiology
Drug Synergism
X-Ray Microtomography

@article {pmid42217057,
year = {2026},
author = {Dissanayake, EJMSK and Mine, Y and Amano, M and Ogura-Tsujita, Y},
title = {Generalist core orchid mycorrhizal fungi structure symbiotic associations across multiple orchid species in the Ryukyu archipelago, an island biodiversity hotspot.},
journal = {Mycorrhiza},
volume = {36},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {42217057},
issn = {1432-1890},
mesh = {*Mycorrhizae/physiology/classification/genetics ; *Orchidaceae/microbiology ; *Symbiosis ; Japan ; *Biodiversity ; Phylogeny ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Islands ; },
abstract = {Plant-fungal symbioses influence plant community structure and dynamics, and orchids provide a model system for examining these interactions due to their strict dependence on orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) throughout the life cycle. However, the organization of OMF communities across multiple orchid hosts in island ecosystems, and the identity of fungal lineages functioning as core symbionts, remain insufficiently resolved. We characterised OMF associated with 28 orchid species across the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan using a two-step approach: preliminary Sanger sequencing followed by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) with multiple primer sets to improve taxonomic and phylogenetic coverage. HTS detected 57 OMF operational taxonomic units (OTUs), dominated by Tulasnellaceae, and recovered all Sanger-detected OTUs while capturing additional diversity. Six OTUs exhibited exceptionally broad host ranges, each occurring in more than ten orchid species, forming an ecologically influential generalist group that provides the basis for the core OMF concept proposed in this study. All orchids showed broad and flexible fungal associations with low specificity. Population-level patterns revealed both conserved and site-specific partners, reflecting the coexistence of apparent and true generalism among Ryukyu orchids. Primer choice significantly influenced the recovery of Tulasnellaceae clades, demonstrating that single universal primers underestimate lineage-level diversity. Together, these results indicate that orchid communities in the Ryukyus are structured around a core set of ecologically versatile generalist fungi that function as key symbionts across diverse hosts and habitats. These lineages represent promising candidates for multispecies symbiotic propagation and conservation initiatives, although their functional roles require validation through symbiotic culture assays.},
}

*Mycorrhizae/physiology/classification/genetics
*Orchidaceae/microbiology
*Symbiosis
Japan
*Biodiversity
Phylogeny
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Islands

@article {pmid42217121,
year = {2026},
author = {Misra, S and Salimi, F and Farrokh, P},
title = {The biostimulant role of microbial exopolysaccharides: mechanisms and agricultural applications.},
journal = {World journal of microbiology & biotechnology},
volume = {42},
number = {6},
pages = {},
pmid = {42217121},
issn = {1573-0972},
mesh = {*Polysaccharides, Bacterial/chemistry/metabolism/pharmacology ; Plant Growth Regulators/metabolism ; Rhizosphere ; *Crops, Agricultural/microbiology/growth & development ; Agriculture ; Fungi/metabolism ; Bacteria/metabolism ; Symbiosis ; Soil Microbiology ; Cyanobacteria/metabolism ; Plants/microbiology/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are high-molecular-weight carbohydrate polymers secreted by bacteria (including cyanobacteria) and fungi that have attracted increasing interest as biostimulants for sustainable crop production. Despite a growing body of literature, an integrated analysis connecting EPS structural and physicochemical properties to downstream plant molecular responses has been lacking. This review addresses that gap by adopting a structure-function-omics framework, tracing a sequence from EPS chemical composition, including charge, molecular weight, hydrophilicity, and rheological behavior, through plant perception mechanisms, to the transcriptomic and metabolic changes that follow. In the rhizosphere, EPS contribute to soil aggregate stabilisation, water retention, and heavy metal chelation, improving root-zone conditions under drought, salinity, and metal toxicity. At the plant surface, LysM-domain receptor-like kinases recognize structurally defined EPS and initiate signaling cascades. The outcome, such as symbiosis, immunity, or growth promotion, depends on the EPS structural identity. Transcriptomic and metabolomic studies across multiple crop systems indicate that EPS exposure is associated with modulation of photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, antioxidant defense, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Phytohormone networks involving salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and auxin are also influenced, though evidence for intact high-molecular-weight EPS as direct hormonal regulators remains limited. Dedicated coverage is provided for cyanobacterial EPS, an underexplored source with distinctive structural properties. The review concludes by identifying priority knowledge gaps, notably the complete absence of studies on EPS-mediated epigenetic effects in plants, and outlines directions for translating EPS research into field-applicable biostimulant technologies.},
}

*Polysaccharides, Bacterial/chemistry/metabolism/pharmacology
Plant Growth Regulators/metabolism
Rhizosphere
*Crops, Agricultural/microbiology/growth & development
Agriculture
Fungi/metabolism
Bacteria/metabolism
Symbiosis
Soil Microbiology
Cyanobacteria/metabolism
Plants/microbiology/metabolism

@article {pmid42217804,
year = {2026},
author = {Sebastiano, S and Habek, E and Habouzit, C and Lestrade, D and Cazier, E and Assaf, AA and Guiraud, P and Formosa-Dague, C},
title = {Multiscale characterization of a microalgae-yeast co-culture: combining physiological performance assessment and nanomechanical analysis of symbiotic interactions.},
journal = {Bioresource technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {135004},
doi = {10.1016/j.biortech.2026.135004},
pmid = {42217804},
issn = {1873-2976},
abstract = {Microalgae and yeasts can establish a mutualistic relationship based on reciprocal oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange, offering a strategy to overcome productivity limits caused by the slow growth of microalgae. This study examines the physiological and biophysical responses of Parachlorella kessleri when co-cultured with Saccharomyces cerevisiae to enhance lipid productivity while maintaining cost-effectiveness for large-scale applications. A multi-scale analytical approach was used to clarify the mechanisms driving this interaction. Under co-culture conditions, biomass and lipid production increased 4-fold compared to microalgal monoculture grown in BBM + NO3 medium. Yeast sustained microalgal growth during the transition to phototrophy after glucose depletion (day 6) and promoted lipid accumulation through nutrient competition. Despite prolonged nutrient limitation (approximately 8 days), yeast viability remained above 68%, indicating possible metabolic support from microalgae via exopolysaccharides (EPS) - derived molecules. At the biophysical level, atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses showed increased microalgal cell size, visible EPS production, and clear surface structural modifications in yeast cells, together with a significant reduction in yeast cell wall stiffness. Single-cell force spectroscopy using fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM) revealed stronger and longer microalgae-yeast interactions in co-culture, likely due to enhanced EPS production when cocultured. Overall, combining physiological and biophysical insights provides a deepened understanding of co-culture dynamics across scales, supporting the rational design and optimization of microalgae-yeast systems for sustainable and economically viable lipid production.},
}

@article {pmid42218227,
year = {2026},
author = {Metz, S and Paulini, M and Rising, K and Quigley, KM and Voolstra, CR and Combosch, DJ and Ziegler, M and Parkinson, JE and McKenna, V and O'Brien, R and Niu, H and Linsdell, A and Aunin, E and Gettle, N and Oatley, G and Platte, R and Wood, J and McCarthy, S and Holroyd, N and Howard, C and Downie, J and Santos, CA and Johnson, W and Sinclair, E and Collins, J and Pelan, S and Zilov, D and Brooks, K and van Niekerk, K and Absolon, DE and Mathers, TC and Jackson, B and Howe, K and Blaxter, M and Sweet, M},
title = {Chromosome-level genomes of scleractinian corals: gene prediction and functional annotation.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41597-026-07499-3},
pmid = {42218227},
issn = {2052-4463},
support = {GBMF8897//Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation/ ; GBMF8897//Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation/ ; 220540/WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; },
abstract = {Scleractinia (stony corals) are a diverse taxonomic order within the phylum Cnidaria, comprising more than 1,600 species described to date. Most of these corals play a key role as reef builders by secreting calcium carbonate, forming rigid skeletons that provide the structural foundation of tropical coral reef ecosystems. Through colonial growth and symbioses with their photosynthetic microalgae (Symbiodiniaceae) and a suite of other microorganisms, scleractinian corals support high primary productivity and underpin the vast biodiversity of coral reefs. Corals are under severe pressure from climate change, including ocean warming and acidification, which threaten their survival and, consequently, the persistence of coral reef systems globally. In recent years, significant efforts have been made to increase the number of sequenced genomes from scleractinian corals, thereby providing crucial insights into their biology, evolution, resilience, and vulnerability. However, there are few high-quality reference genomes for Scleractinia, and many available genomes remain unannotated, creating barriers to collaboration and scientific insight. Annotation outcomes also vary depending on the methods and software utilised. To address these issues, we applied a standardised pipeline for generating high-quality gene models to 40 scleractinian genomes, spanning 22 genera across 13 families. These genomes, produced through the Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics (ASG) Project, are publicly available. This curated resource of annotated quality genomes will provide essential molecular tools at a critical time for coral reef conservation.},
}

@article {pmid42218251,
year = {2026},
author = {Dalo, DD and Andeta, AF and Mamo, BG and Gunnabo, AH},
title = {Native rhizobia nodulating soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) performs better than commercial strain across locations in South Ethiopia Region.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-55131-6},
pmid = {42218251},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is one of the important legume crops, rich in protein, vegetable oil, maintain soil fertility and used as human food and livestock feed. Despite its importance, adoption and productivity of soybean in South Ethiopia is limited by poor agricultural practices and poor access to inputs like biofertilizers. This work aimed at trapping and screening elite rhizobia strains to use as inoculants in farmers' fields for improved soil health and crop productivity. Forty-four rhizobia strains isolated from different locations in South Ethiopia region were screened along with a commercial inoculant Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain (obtained from Menagesha Biotech Industry, Addis Ababa) in greenhouse using modified Leonard jars (MLJ). Three top performing rhizobia strains SB19, SB22, and SB24 based on the MLJ experiment and the commercial inoculant were further evaluated in farmers' fields at different locations with varying eco-physiological conditions because environmental factors differ from place to place, affecting how living things grow, survive and function. MLJ experiment revealed that the new isolates SB19, SB22, and SB24 had significantly higher relative symbiotic effectiveness (SE%) (p < 0.05) than un-inoculated and N-fertilized control plants. Except SB19, the top performing strains did not differ from the commercial strains regarding SE%. Strain SB19 produced 34 to 61 number of nodules, while the commercial strain induced 22 to 49 nodules. In the first field experiment (2023) inoculation of soybean with SB19 resulted in average grain yields of 3.1 and 2.92 tons ha[-][1] at Arba Minch University (AMU) demo farm and Abaya campus experimental sites to be consistent with, respectively. In experiment 2 (2024), SB19 strain resulted in the average grain yields of 2.39 and 2.45 tons ha[-1] at Abaya and AMU demo sites, respectively. Across all locations, the commercial strain produced an average yield of 2.25 to 2.40 tons ha[-][1], which was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of the native strains, but higher than the control plants, which yielded 1.87 to 2.02 tons ha[-][1]. Among the evaluated strains, SB19 consistently exhibited the most promising performance across all fields and locations compared to the commercial one and others. This finding highlights the presence of highly effective, locally adapted rhizobial strains capable of nodulating soybean in South Ethiopian soils, and demonstrate their promise for selection and improvement into superior inoculant strains to enhance soybean productivity.},
}

@article {pmid42218364,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, H and Shi, H and Li, C and Lei, L},
title = {EgSPE, a secreted protein from Epichloë gansuensis, modulates symbiotic establishment and host drought tolerance.},
journal = {BMC plant biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1186/s12870-026-09133-1},
pmid = {42218364},
issn = {1471-2229},
support = {U21A20239//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32300241//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 22ZSCQD01//Gansu Province Intellectual Property Program/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Epichloë endophytes form beneficial symbioses with cool-season grasses, enhancing host tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought while maintaining normal plant growth. However, the molecular mechanisms underpinning this symbiosis, particularly the role of fungal-secreted protein, remain largely unexplored.

RESULTS: In this study, we identify EgSPE, a secreted protein from Epichloë gansuensis, as a key regulator of symbiotic establishment and host drought adaptation in drunken horse grass (Achnatherum inebrians). Transcriptome profiling during host colonization revealed EgSPE as a strongly induced gene encoding a secreted protein. Functional characterization facilitated by a substantially improved transformation system demonstrates that EgSPE is critical for fungal growth and efficient host colonization, as its deletion severely disrupted symbiotic establishment. Notably, EgSPE activates the host drought-responsive signaling by inducing the marker gene RD29A in a heterologous system (Nicotiana benthamiana) and upregulating stress-related genes (AiRD22, AiNAC5, and AiABA1) in its native host (A. inebrians). Consistently, only the E. gansuensis wild-type and OE-EgSPE strains enhanced host drought resistance, whereas the Δegspe mutants failed to confer this benefit.

CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our research findings identify EgSPE as a fungal protein that plays an important role in the establishment of symbiosis and in the host's drought response, providing strong evidence for how E. gansuensis promotes abiotic stress tolerance in grasses.},
}

@article {pmid42218921,
year = {2026},
author = {Guo, F and Fu, W and Topalović, O and Zhang, Q and Li, K and Li, H and Qing, X},
title = {Genomic insights into nematode microbiomes reveal novel endosymbionts Rickettsiella.},
journal = {Molecular phylogenetics and evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {108650},
doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2026.108650},
pmid = {42218921},
issn = {1095-9513},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Bacterial endosymbionts are key drivers of invertebrate ecology and evolution. While the diversity and functional role of the nematode microbiome remain poorly explored.

METHODOLOGY: We reconstructed and characterized 108 metagenome-assembled genomes from 10 published and 15 newly sequenced nematode genomes.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report the first evidence of Rickettsiella in nematodes and discovered novel endosymbionts Cardinium and Wolbachia in plant-parasitic nematodes. The nematode microbiome is enriched with genes for carbohydrate metabolism and the biosynthesis of essential amino acids and vitamins, indicating a potential primary role in host nutrition. Notably, mobile genetic elements like prophages and insertion sequences (IS) are widespread and carry passenger genes involved in vitamin biosynthesis, suggesting horizontal gene transfer facilitates metabolic adaptation. Genomic reduction in the nematode Rickettsiella lineage, reveals extensive gene loss, particularly in amino acid biosynthesis. Crucially, we find no evidence of purifying selection on its residual nutritional pathways, and thus cannot clearly support a mutualistic role for this association.

CONCLUSION: Our findings expand the known host range of major endosymbiont groups and reveal a spectrum of symbiotic relationships in nematodes, from putative mutualism driven by nutritional supplementation to associations with neutral or parasitic traits, shaped by pervasive horizontal gene transfer and reductive genome evolution.},
}

@article {pmid42218922,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, Y and Liu, Y and Wang, X and Wang, Y and Zhang, T and Shao, C},
title = {Comparative genomics of parasitic and symbiotic microeukaryotes: Phylogenomic insights into lifestyle transitions and co-evolutionary dynamics.},
journal = {Molecular phylogenetics and evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {108651},
doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2026.108651},
pmid = {42218922},
issn = {1095-9513},
abstract = {Host-associated lifestyles are widespread among microbial eukaryotes, yet their evolutionary origins remain poorly resolved in unculturable lineages. Ciliates are complex unicellular eukaryotes characterized by nuclear dimorphism and extensive genome plasticity. They exhibit diverse host interactions, including ectoparasitism by Trichodina on fishes, opportunistic pathogenesis by Balantidium in mammals, and obligate anaerobic endosymbiosis by Nyctotheroides in amphibians. However, the evolutionary relationships among these host-associated forms have been obscured by a lack of genomic data. Here, we overcome this limitation by applying single-cell whole-genome sequencing to directly recover draft genomes from five ciliate species isolated from vertebrate hosts. Phylogenomic analyses reveal that these host-associated ciliates are distributed across deeply divergent clades within the phylum Ciliophora, with no congruence observed between ciliate phylogeny and host phylogeny. This decoupling demonstrates that host association has evolved independently in distantly related lineages without long-term co-diversification. Consequently, functional convergence in key gene categories suggests a shared genetic toolkit for adapting to diverse host environments. Furthermore, comparative functional profiling identifies convergent enrichment in genes involved in environmental sensing, transmembrane transport, and protein complex assembly, despite stark ecological differences among parasitic and symbiotic lifestyles. These shared molecular features suggest that successful colonization of animal hosts may be constrained by common physiological requirements rather than lineage-specific adaptations. By leveraging single-cell genomics, our study establishes a genomic framework for unculturable host-associated ciliates, providing access to previously elusive symbiotic and parasitic lineages and significantly advancing our understanding of the evolution of host dependence across microbial eukaryotes.},
}

@article {pmid42219403,
year = {2026},
author = {Walker, SL and Emery, SM},
title = {Fungal symbiosis alters non-host, community-level plant trait response to N enrichment in a low-nutrient sand dune system.},
journal = {Oecologia},
volume = {208},
number = {6},
pages = {},
pmid = {42219403},
issn = {1432-1939},
support = {#2217765//National Science Foundation/ ; #0918267//National Science Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {*Symbiosis ; *Nitrogen ; Epichloe ; Poaceae ; Endophytes ; },
abstract = {Atmospheric nitrogen (N) enrichment is known to alter plant community trait composition and diversity. Additional research in low-resource environments is needed, however, as plant communities in these systems may respond differently than those where N is less limiting. Further, fungal endophytes, such as the Epichloë group, alter key mechanisms of species coexistence but have yet to be studied for their effects on community-level functional traits under conditions of global change. We studied the effects of N enrichment and the presence of aboveground fungal endophyte Epichloë amarillans (Epichloë hereafter) within the dominant grass species, Ammophila breviligulata (Ammophila hereafter), on community-weighted mean (CWM) traits and trait diversity of colonizing plant species in a long-term experiment of a low-resource coastal dune system. N enrichment at both real-world and high levels increased CWMs of plant size and specific leaf area (SLA) of colonizing species, and high N enrichment initially suppressed trait diversity (FDis). While N enrichment reduced community-level specific root length (SRL), this effect disappeared when Epichloë was present, indicating a predominant role of the fungal endophyte. We found that N enrichment may alter plant functional traits, even in a low-resource habitat, which may increase productivity, alter erosional dynamics, and affect belowground functioning. The presence of a fungal endophyte, however, altered community response to N enrichment treatments in a key root trait indicating that its presence may affect community-level traits and belowground functioning beyond its host species.},
}

*Symbiosis
*Nitrogen
Epichloe
Poaceae
Endophytes

@article {pmid42219535,
year = {2026},
author = {Zheng, Z and Cai, M and Liu, J and Zhou, N and Kong, F and Xie, F},
title = {Paralogous LRR receptor kinases confer symbiosis specificity between arbuscular mycorrhizal and root nodule symbioses in Lotus japonicus.},
journal = {The New phytologist},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/nph.71307},
pmid = {42219535},
issn = {1469-8137},
support = {2024YFA0918200//National Key Research and Development Program of China/ ; },
abstract = {Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and root nodule (RN) symbiosis play essential roles in plant nutrient acquisition and share a common symbiotic signal transduction pathway, yet they produce distinct developmental outcomes. Here, we identify arbuscular mycorrhiza-induced kinase 2 (AMK2), a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLK) in Lotus japonicus, as a key regulator of AM symbiosis. AMK2 is a paralog of the rhizobial infection receptor Rhizobial Infection Receptor-like Kinase 1 (RinRK1), highlighting an evolutionary link between receptors controlling different symbiotic programs. AMK2 expression is strongly induced following AM fungal (AMF) inoculation and is directly activated by the AM-specific transcription factor CBX1 through conserved CTTC cis-regulatory motifs. The AMK2 protein localizes specifically to arbuscule-containing cells, and amk2 mutants exhibit severely reduced arbuscule formation. Domain-swapping experiments between RinRK1 and AMK2 demonstrate that symbiosis specificity is determined by their intracellular kinase domains, whereas their extracellular domains are functionally interchangeable. Together, our findings show that two evolutionarily related LRR-RLK receptors have been differentially recruited to regulate AM and RN symbioses, providing mechanistic insights into how shared signaling components have diversified to control distinct mutualistic interactions between plants and microbes.},
}

@article {pmid42219551,
year = {2026},
author = {Ma, C and Zhuang, H and Yao, L and Sun, M and Yu, C and Feng, T and Kang, W},
title = {Characterization of Key Aroma Compounds in Pandan Kombucha Fermented With SCOBYs From Different Regions via GC-MS, E-Nose, E-Tongue, and Sensory Analysis Approach.},
journal = {Journal of food science},
volume = {91},
number = {6},
pages = {e71164},
doi = {10.1111/1750-3841.71164},
pmid = {42219551},
issn = {1750-3841},
support = {27220H240337-A06//Shanghai Institute of Technology/ ; },
abstract = {This study explored pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb.) infusion as a novel substrate for kombucha fermentation and examined the impact of symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) geographical origin on flavor development. Kombucha samples fermented using SCOBYs sourced from three regions in China: Jining, Shandong (SJ); Hangzhou, Zhejiang (ZH); and Hefei, Anhui (AH), were systematically characterized by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS), electronic nose, electronic tongue, sensory evaluation, and multivariate statistical analyses. In total, 50 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified across all samples. The SJ sample exhibited the highest total VOC concentration (29.42 µg/g) and a balanced, floral, and fruity profile, linked to key compounds like 2-buten-1-one, 1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadien-1-yl)-, (E)-, linalool, ethyl acetate, and phenethyl acetate. The ZH sample (27.24 µg/g) showed intense sour notes from acetic acid and butanoic acid, along with astringent notes from 4-ethylphenol and malty notes from 3-methyl-1-butanol. The AH sample had the lowest VOCs (10.32 µg/g) and malt-like, sour, and bitter characteristics. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis identified 2-buten-1-one, 1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadien-1-yl)- as the most influential aroma-active compound across all samples. Furthermore, orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis screened 19 key differential aroma compounds contributing to sample discrimination. Overall, these findings demonstrate that SCOBY origin plays a decisive role in shaping the aroma composition, taste attributes, and sensory quality of pandan kombucha, providing a scientific basis for substrate innovation and starter culture selection in kombucha production.},
}

@article {pmid42216275,
year = {2026},
author = {Wong, ELY and Otte, J and Schmitt, I},
title = {Chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of the lichen-symbiotic green alga Trebouxia illuminate evolutionary relationships and climate associations, and yield new phylogenetic markers.},
journal = {Genome biology and evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/gbe/evag129},
pmid = {42216275},
issn = {1759-6653},
abstract = {The green-algal genus Trebouxia (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) is the most common photosynthetic symbiont of lichens, displaying high phylogenetic diversity, and worldwide distribution across all climate zones. These single-celled terrestrial algae are valuable systems to study diversification, environmental adaptation and species interactions, yet genomic resources remain limited. We present over 30 new chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of Trebouxia species, extracted from PacBio metagenomes of diverse Umbilicaria lichens from multiple climate zones. The genomes represent previously identified operational taxonomic units (OTUs) T. jamesii (A03), T. sp. (A04), T. incrustata (A06), T. vagua (A10), T. sp. (S02), T. sp. (S03), T. sp. (S04), T. suecica (S05), T. sp. (S08), T. angustilobata (S09), T. simplex (S10), T. sp. (S20), T. barrenoae (S28), a newly designated OTU A57, and several Single-Occurrence Sequences (SOS) from Clade A, I and S. Up to four Trebouxia OTUs were found within a single thallus. Organelle genomes vary considerably in size and structure. The consensus phylogenies from chloroplast (77 genes) and mitochondrial genes (32 genes) are largely congruent with the nuclear ITS tree, differing mainly in the derived clade S sections. All genes are under purifying selection, with mitochondrial genes exhibiting higher nucleotide diversity and hence phylogenetic resolution than chloroplast genes. Certain gene and protein features correlate with temperature variability, and some (such as GC content, arginine and valine content) mirror findings in mycobiont nuclear genomes from the same samples, and highlighting shared signatures of environmental adaptation. We designed primers for new, variable phylogenetic markers, including chloroplast genes ftsH and rpoC1, and mitochondrial genes ATP1, ATP6 and ND6. Overall, this study advances our understanding of organelle genome evolution in Trebouxia, and provides valuable resources for future ecological and evolutionary research.},
}

@article {pmid42207621,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, X and Jiang, J and Deng, Q and Liu, L and Hu, R and Sattar, W and Muhammad, A and Hou, Y and Shi, Z},
title = {PGRP-S1 Maintains Gut Microbiota Homeostasis of a Notorious Insect Pest by Negatively Regulating Intestine Immunity.},
journal = {Journal of agricultural and food chemistry},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acs.jafc.6c00887},
pmid = {42207621},
issn = {1520-5118},
abstract = {Red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier is a non-native stem-boring pest in China that has established symbiotic interactions with gut microbiota. However, the molecular mechanisms by which RPW avoids aberrant immune activation to maintain gut microbiota homeostasis remain poorly understood. Here, we found that RfPGRP-S1 is a secreted peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP) with amidase activity, and it is present in the gut with the highest expression level. Furthermore, RfPGRP-S1 could be drastically induced to be expressed upon bacterial challenge. rRfPGRP-S1 caused significant bacterial agglutination and significantly retarded the growth of S. aureus. RfPGRP-S1 knockdown dramatically decreased the persistence of introduced E. coli in the gut and hemolymph and the load of the indigenous gut microbiota, with intensively altered bacterial compositions. However, higher expression levels of RfDefensin were detected in the gut after RfPGRP-S1 silencing. Collectively, we found that RfPGRP-S1 maintains gut bacterial homeostasis by preventing the excessive activation of intestinal immunity via its amidase activity.},
}

@article {pmid42207963,
year = {2026},
author = {Wu, L and Xu, Z and Wang, J and Liu, F and Ding, Y and Gao, Y and Wang, S and Liu, J and Chan, HL and Wu, W and Wu, YH and Yu, L and Hao, X and Li, X and Edwards, DG and Sha, C and Lee, TD and Guan, N and Aguirre, S and Becerra-Dominguez, L and Hoffman, D and Chen, X and Rivas, CH and Yan, XG and Bado, IL and Zhang, W and Zhu, Q and Sreekumar, A and Satcher, RL and Zhang, XH},
title = {ICAM1high Neutrophils Sculpt Tumor Evolution and Metastasis through Symbiotic Adhesion and Reverse Migration.},
journal = {Cancer research},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-25-3935},
pmid = {42207963},
issn = {1538-7445},
abstract = {Neutrophils are a prominent component of the tumor microenvironment that can have both pro- and anti-tumor functions. By analyzing neutrophils across different human cancers, we revealed an ICAM1high subset enriched in the tumor microenvironment, which were also observed in murine triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) models. ICAM1high neutrophils exhibited an enhanced capacity for cell-cell adhesion specifically with tumor cells retaining epithelial features, and this adhesion conferred mutual advantages to both cell types. In contrast, cancer cells with mesenchymal-like phenotypes were vulnerable to neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity due to decreased cell adhesion and elastase resistance. These opposite effects drove tumor evolution toward a dichotomy of neutrophil-enriched, epithelial-like and macrophage-enriched, mesenchymal-like ecosystems. As ICAM1high neutrophils can reverse migrate from tissue into the circulation, the adhesive and reverse migratory properties together mediated metastatic intravasation. Spatial transcriptomic and tissue microarray analyses demonstrated interactions between tumor cells, neutrophils, and endothelial cells in human TNBC, particularly in non-Hispanic European compared to African American patients. Together, this study demonstrated tumor-immune co-evolution in which neutrophils instruct phenotypes and metastatic behaviors of TNBC, which may preferentially occur in patients of certain ancestries.},
}

@article {pmid42208257,
year = {2026},
author = {Yu, H and Chen, Y},
title = {Agriculture-conservation nexus in East Asian GIAHS: Paddy reclamation reshapes migratory avian communities.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {410},
number = {},
pages = {130040},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130040},
pmid = {42208257},
issn = {1095-8630},
abstract = {Existing studies suggest that land use/land cover (LULC) changes causing biodiversity loss have inadequately incorporated the sustainability paradigm of human-nature coupled systems in East Asian Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), while also lacking analysis of differential responses among specific species to cultivated landscape changes. Based on the theoretical framework of human-nature coupled systems, this study reveals the compound ecological effects of paddy field reclamation policies in East Asian agricultural heritage sites. Focusing on China's Liaohe river wetlands, one of the world's fastest-changing estuarine ecosystems in land cover, we integrated multi-source remote sensing data and avian biodiversity data from 1990 to 2023 to quantitatively assess the response patterns between paddy reclamation and bird biodiversity. Results show that paddy field coverage in the Liaohe river wetlands increased from 29.79% to 45.25%, primarily driven by rice-crab symbiotic system expansion. However, this ecological compatibility did not significantly reduce net potential biodiversity loss, but rather altered avian community structures, consequently influencing the typological and functional choices of global migratory birds. This indicates that agricultural land changes in heritage sites can enhance avian diversity and stability by creating eco-mimetic habitats and food supplies, effectively substituting natural wetland functions, while simultaneously reshaping biological chains at typological scales. These findings challenge the unidirectional ecological loss assumptions in LULC changes, provide critical empirical evidence for aligning the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework with Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems conservation goals, and establish a novel land-sharing pathway for synergistic agricultural intensification and ecological protection.},
}

@article {pmid42209929,
year = {2026},
author = {Hami, A and Attar, IE and Mghazli, N and Marzouk, O and Bouzroud, S and Sbabou, L and Taha, K},
title = {Cyanobacterial biostimulants boost tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Growth and drought tolerance for climate-resilient cropping systems.},
journal = {World journal of microbiology & biotechnology},
volume = {42},
number = {6},
pages = {},
pmid = {42209929},
issn = {1573-0972},
mesh = {*Solanum lycopersicum/growth & development/microbiology/physiology ; Drought Resistance ; *Cyanobacteria/physiology/isolation & purification/classification ; Biomass ; Photosynthesis ; Plant Roots/growth & development/microbiology ; Droughts ; Symbiosis ; Stress, Physiological ; Anthocyanins/metabolism ; Catalase/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Since 2.4 Giga-annum, cyanobacteria have played a pivotal role in the oxygenation of Earth, supporting nitrogen availability through symbiosis with plants such as cycads, and enhancing growth, yield, and resilience to abiotic stresses, particularly drought induced by climate change. This research explores the effects of their lyophilized and aqueous extracts on tomato growth and stress resilience. The primary goal was to identify the cyanobacterial symbionts and evaluate the effects of the two biostimulant forms on tomato growth traits, in order to select the most effective for alleviating drought stress. The results indicated that the isolated strains belong to Desmonostoc sp., with the best performance observed in lyophilized biomass extracted from Desmonostoc sp. CH3C6 and C5. The experimental setup, involving single inoculations of the best performing strains and their co-inoculation revealed that inoculation enhanced root growth and relative water content, while negatively affected photosynthetic pigments. Inoculation with Desmonostoc sp. CH3C6 increased total soluble sugar (37.32 mg) and total phenol content (20.74 mg GAE (Gallic Acid Equivalent) /g), whereas proline (31.78 mg/g), catalase activity (0.002 U mg[-1] protein), and anthocyanin (0.101 mg/mL) biosynthesis were significantly improved by co-inoculation under stress. These findings reveal strain-specific responses to the derived biostimulant forms, with lyophilized biomass particularly improving tomato tolerance under water scarcity. Nevertheless, further research is required to understand crop specificity to biostimulant form, as well as the optimal application frequency and techniques.},
}

*Solanum lycopersicum/growth & development/microbiology/physiology
Drought Resistance
*Cyanobacteria/physiology/isolation & purification/classification
Biomass
Photosynthesis
Plant Roots/growth & development/microbiology
Droughts
Symbiosis
Stress, Physiological
Anthocyanins/metabolism
Catalase/metabolism

@article {pmid42210460,
year = {2026},
author = {Nie, RN and Wu, CX and Wang, R and Dong, MB and Zheng, X and Li, A and Ji, XY and Sun, LY and Su, Y and Zhang, JP},
title = {[Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on growth and physiological characteristics of walnut seedlings under NaCl stress].},
journal = {Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology},
volume = {37},
number = {4},
pages = {1044-1054},
doi = {10.13287/j.1001-9332.202604.019},
pmid = {42210460},
issn = {1001-9332},
mesh = {*Juglans/growth & development/physiology/microbiology ; *Seedlings/growth & development/physiology/microbiology ; *Mycorrhizae/physiology ; *Salt Stress/physiology ; *Sodium Chloride/pharmacology ; Basidiomycota/physiology ; Symbiosis ; Fungi ; },
abstract = {Soil salinization is a global problem constraining agricultural and forestry development. Utilizing micro-bial symbiosis to enhance the salt tolerance of woody plants is a sustainable and effective strategy. We conducted a pot experiment to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of single and combined inoculation with Funneliformis mosseae (Fm) and Piriformospora indica (Pi) on two-month-old 'Red Kernel Walnut' (Juglans regia) seedlings under salt stress. There were five treatments, including 1) non-stress control (CK), 2) salt stress (0.8% NaCl, S), 3) salt stress + Fm inoculation (S+Fm), 4) salt stress + Pi inoculation (S+Pi), and 5) salt stress + combined Fm and Pi inoculation (S+FmPi). We measured the growth parameters, chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities, osmotic regulatory substances, and endogenous hormone levels at 10, 20, and 30 days after the initiation of treatments. The results showed that the inhibitory effect of salt stress on plants intensified over time. Inoculation treatments effectively alleviated stress damage at all time points, with combined inoculation (FmPi) demonstrating superior efficacy compared to single inoculations. At 10, 20, and 30 days after treatment, compared to the salt stress group (S), the S+FmPi treatment increased seedling biomass by 6.6%, 18.4%, and 24.2%, respectively; leaf chlorophyll a content by 43.3%, 84.9%, and 56.5%, chlorophyll b content by 19.6%, 107.6%, and 98.6%; root superoxide dismutase activity by 40.6%, 10.8%, and 9.7%, and ascorbate peroxidase activity by 44.7%, 57.3%, and 22.6%; while decreased root malondialdehyde content by 26.0%, 28.3%, and 28.9%. Hormonally, compared with the salt stress group (S), combined inoculation (S+FmPi) resulted in 1.0% decrease, 4.0% increase, and 3.3% reduction in leaf indole-3-acetic acid content at 10 d, 20 d, and 30 d, respectively. Moreover, abscisic acid content was decreased by 15.9% at 10 d, increased by 2.0% at 20 d, and decreased by 7.9% at 30 d. Comprehensive evaluation using principal component analysis and membership function values ranked the alleviating effects of inoculation treatments as S+FmPi >S+Fm>S+Pi. Combined inoculation of Fm and Pi significantly enhanced salt tolerance of walnut seedlings through synergistic multi-pathway regulation. These findings would provide a theoretical foundation for applying mycorrhizal technology in walnut cultivation on saline soils.},
}

*Juglans/growth & development/physiology/microbiology
*Seedlings/growth & development/physiology/microbiology
*Mycorrhizae/physiology
*Salt Stress/physiology
*Sodium Chloride/pharmacology
Basidiomycota/physiology
Symbiosis
Fungi

@article {pmid42210596,
year = {2026},
author = {Li, X and Wang, F and Shi, F and Wei, Y and Zhou, M and Wu, F and Su, H and Liu, X},
title = {Multiomics Reveals the Mechanisms of Rhizosphere Symbiotic Fungi in Mitigating Micro(nano)plastics Transfer and Toxicity in Food Chains.},
journal = {Environmental science & technology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.5c16131},
pmid = {42210596},
issn = {1520-5851},
abstract = {Soil micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) pollution is becoming increasingly prominent, posing a serious threat to ecological security. However, few studies have examined the remediation of soil MNPs pollution. This study constructed a multidimensional coupled system of soil-microbe interface plants-animals, in order to investigate the pathways and key mechanisms underlying rhizosphere microbiome-mediated inhibition of trophic transfer and toxicity of MNPs. The findings demonstrated that the common root-associated soil microorganisms, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), exhibit a mitigation effect on the food chain ecological stress of various MNPs in the environment. The mitigation was primarily manifested as a 45.57-56.52% reduction of MNPs concentration in animals and plants (due to changes in the rhizosphere environment and MNPs aging, which inhibit MNPs migration) and a decrease in MNPs binding ability to organisms. Additionally, analysis of molecular regulatory mechanisms showed that AMF mediation improved the substance synthesis and defensive pathways of plants under MNPs stress, and their palatability as food, leading to increased immune regulation and energy metabolism functions in snails consuming AMF-mediated leaves. These findings provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the development of green and efficient biological control technologies for soil MNPs pollution.},
}

@article {pmid42211484,
year = {2026},
author = {Tang, SY and Liu, PF and Fu, C and Tang, SY and Zhou, XF and Lou, BG},
title = {Physiological mechanisms of Piriformospora indica- Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Fisch symbiosis in regulating growth and medicinal compound biosynthesis under salt stress.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1802147},
pmid = {42211484},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. is a medicinal plant commonly cultivated in salinized soils, where environmental stress suppresses the accumulation of pharmaceutically active components. To date, only limited studies have examined whether Piriformospora indica, a root endophytic fungus with growth-promoting and stress-alleviating properties, can improve the salt tolerance and medicinal quality of G. uralensis, particularly at the physiological and transcriptional levels.

METHODS: In this study, we successfully established a symbiotic system between G. uralensis and P. indica. To evaluate responses to salt stress, P. indica-inoculated and non-inoculated plants were subjected to NaCl treatments at 0, 100, 200, 300, and 350 mM, with 18 biological replicates per treatment. Colonization by P. indica was confirmed through microscopic examination and molecular identification. Growth phenotypes, antioxidant enzyme activities, membrane lipid peroxidation levels, chlorophyll-related indices, and the accumulation of key medicinal components were systema4tically quantified in symbiotic G. uralensis across different growth stages.

RESULTS: Inoculation with P. indica significantly increased plant height, root length, and dry weight by 27.8%, 25.5%, and 52.2%, respectively. The symbiotic association enhanced the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) by 48.4% and 27.5%, respectively. Although malondialdehyde (MDA) content initially increased by 16.5% due to early fungal colonization, the canopy SPAD value simultaneously increased by 20.3%. These findings suggest that P. indica colonization is associated with differential oxidative stress responses between roots and shoots. Furthermore, under the high salt concentration of 300 mM NaCl, the contents of liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid were markedly increased by 124.7% and 62.5%, respectively. P. indica enhanced the accumulation of secondary metabolites by modulating key rate-limiting enzyme genes rather than indiscriminately activating entire metabolic pathways. For example, the symbiont significantly upregulated GuHMGR in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis and GuCHR in flavonoid biosynthesis. These transcriptional changes may contribute to alleviating salt-induced constraints on secondary metabolite accumulation.

DISCUSSION: In conclusion, P. indica colonization significantly improved growth performance, stress resistance, and medicinal compound accumulation in G. uralensis under salt stress. This study provides a theoretical foundation for improving the cultivation quality of G. uralensis in saline soils.},
}

@article {pmid42212565,
year = {2026},
author = {Moore, ME and Curé, AE and Johnson, TW and Biddle, G and Baniszewski, JA and Ranger, CM and Milbrath, LR and Lovett, B},
title = {Ethanol tolerance of fungal strains underlies biocontrol of invasive ambrosia beetles.},
journal = {Journal of economic entomology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jee/toag144},
pmid = {42212565},
issn = {1938-291X},
support = {#2021-51181-35863//United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative/ ; #8062-22410-007-000D//United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research/ ; },
abstract = {Entomopathogenic fungi are widely recognized as biological control agents showing potential against insect pests that are difficult to manage with chemical pesticides. Invasive ambrosia beetles threaten a wide variety of tree crops and prove challenging to manage with chemical pesticides due to their unique life history: entrenched in the xylem of tree hosts, feeding on symbiotic fungi. Many ambrosia beetle species attack trees that are flood-stressed and producing ethanol, a key component of growth for their fungal symbiont. Ethanol causes osmotic and chaotropic stress in microbes and could prevent successful biocontrol of ambrosia beetles using insect-killing microbes. To investigate the potential of entomopathogenic fungi to manage ambrosia beetles, we conducted a series of experiments using 3 species in eastern North America (Xylosandrus germanus, Xylosandrus crassiusculus, and Anisandrus maiche). We tested the efficacy of 3 microbial-based commercially available biopesticides (Botanigard 22 WP: Beauveria bassiana; Met52: Metarhizium brunneum; and PFR-97 20% WDG: Cordyceps javanica) in a series of environments with and without ethanol. We found that B. bassiana was the most effective against all 3 beetle species, but that its pathogenicity was heavily dependent on the ethanol-tolerance of the strain used. We isolated 2 strains of B. bassiana from separate batches of Botanigard that demonstrated significant differences in ethanol tolerance, as well as pathogenicity, radial colony growth, and spore production in the presence of ethanol. Our results emphasize the importance of pest natural history in control methods, while revealing that the performance of biocontrol products varies across microbial species and exhibits strain-dependency.},
}

@article {pmid42213076,
year = {2026},
author = {Gan, B and Yang, C and Jia, C and Wang, K and Chen, J and Ding, S and Zhao, J},
title = {Microbiome-mediated polyphosphate accumulation enhances the resilience of sponge holobionts to future climate scenarios.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wrag128},
pmid = {42213076},
issn = {1751-7370},
abstract = {Ocean warming is threatening the stability of marine ecosystems, yet the mechanisms underlying the resilience of foundational species like sponges remain poorly understood. Polyphosphate (PolyP), a key player in marine phosphorus burial, is hypothesized to play an important role in sponge stress adaptation. Here, we demonstrated that microbiome-mediated PolyP dynamics were closely associated with sponge adaptation to thermal stress. Field investigation of three sponge species (Spongia sp., Tedania sp., Haliclona simulans) revealed marked interspecific differences in PolyP accumulation, with Spongia sp. maintaining the highest PolyP levels. Strong seasonal fluctuations in sponge PolyP content, peaking in June and reaching a minimum in January, correlated with ambient temperature. We found that this variation was regulated by ppk1 gene expression levels rather than by altering the microbial composition. The ppk1-harboring microbial assemblages exhibited host specificity, and phylogenetic analysis uncovered sponge-specific clades of ppk1 genes. Laboratory warming experiments further confirmed the functional link: under acute heat stress, both the ppk1 gene of the symbiotic microorganisms and the inorganic pyrophosphatase (ppa) gene in the host were upregulated in Spongia sp. PolyP likely provide an energy source for the host, maintaining holobiont stability and leading to low mortality. Conversely, H. simulans, with limited PolyP supply, ultimately suffered 100% mortality. Our results establish a link whereby sponge-associated microbes, via ppk1 expression, modulate PolyP accumulation to support host oxidative phosphorylation and mitigate thermal stress. This microbiome-mediated physiological pathway contributes to our understanding of sponge climate resilience, offering new functional insights into holobiont persistence in a warming ocean.},
}

@article {pmid42213547,
year = {2026},
author = {Wu, S and Zhang, L and Cai, X and Wang, Z and Chen, X and Huang, Y and Wen, M and Yu, T},
title = {Bio-inspired Optofluidic Molecular Communication with Photothermally Actuated Microrobot Swarms.},
journal = {IEEE transactions on nanobioscience},
volume = {PP},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1109/TNB.2026.3698265},
pmid = {42213547},
issn = {1558-2639},
abstract = {Molecular communication (MC) offers a bio-inspired paradigm for information transfer in environments inaccessible to conventional electromagnetic waves. However, translating MC concepts to the microscale has been hampered by a lack of integrated, biocompatible testbeds. Inspired by biological spectral-dependent photothermal transduction of specific light wavelengths into thermal energy, we present the first fully integrated microscopic MC platform utilizing photothermally responsive microrobot swarms. Our platform employs core-shell microrobots that exhibit a strong photothermal response, enabling precise and non-invasive navigation within microfluidic channels via near-infrared (NIR) light. This optofluidic architecture facilitates a symbiotic dual-bit encoding scheme, which concurrently modulates information onto both microrobot arrival and the optical control states. We demonstrate a complete communication workflow, from microrobot emission and laser-guided modulation to real-time optical detection and signal demodulation. The system achieves a data rate of 0.63 bits · min[-1] with a low bit error rate of 4%, validated by a multi-sampling detection algorithm and the transmission of the ASCII string "HELLO WORLD". This work provides a robust testbed for validating MC theories in biologically relevant microenvironments and serves as a step toward applications in the Internet of Bio-Nano Things.},
}

@article {pmid42213785,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, X and Zhang, A and Yu, C and Tang, X and Wang, J and Chen, F and Jiang, K and Yin, WB and Fang, W},
title = {Barceloneic acid A enables Metarhizium robertsii to establish parasitism in insects and mutualism in plants by inhibiting farnesyltransferase.},
journal = {Cell reports},
volume = {45},
number = {6},
pages = {117371},
doi = {10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117371},
pmid = {42213785},
issn = {2211-1247},
abstract = {Many microbial symbionts form distinct partnerships with different hosts. While the mechanisms specific to each partnership are well understood, the shared strategies that a symbiont uses to interact with disparate hosts remain understudied. Here, we report that the endophytic and entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii deploys the farnesyltransferase inhibitor barceloneic acid A (BA-A) to modulate the physiology of insects and plants to develop parasitism and mutualism, respectively. During insect infection, BA-A inhibits host Ras protein farnesylation, reducing its cell membrane localization and suppressing MAPK/ERK phosphorylation and production of the hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone. This suppresses larval pupation and decelerates larval death by upregulating antibacterial peptides to kill gut-derived opportunistic pathogens in the hemocoel, prolonging M. robertsii's access to nutrient-rich larval hemolymph for maximal reproduction. BA-A also inhibits the plant farnesyltransferase, downregulating the defense-related protein PR2 to facilitate mutualism development. The BA-A biosynthetic gene cluster was characterized, which is activated during interactions with insects and plants.},
}

@article {pmid42214552,
year = {2026},
author = {Pereira, CF and Ferrarini, MG and Kaltenpoth, M and Engl, T},
title = {Probing metabolic integration in obligate, intracellular symbioses.},
journal = {Current opinion in insect science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {101541},
doi = {10.1016/j.cois.2026.101541},
pmid = {42214552},
issn = {2214-5753},
abstract = {Microbial symbionts can contribute crucial capabilities to insect physiology such as limited nutrients, digestive or detoxifying enzymes, or bioactive specialized metabolites. While symbiont identity, localization and genomic capabilities are comparatively well understood due to the rise of sequencing technologies, the molecular and metabolic integration of intracellular symbionts is less well characterized. Due to the obligate nature of most of these symbioses, the study of host or symbiont in isolation is rarely possible. Instead, in situ techniques are required to decipher intertwined physiological processes. Temporally and spatially resolved structural analyses of symbiotic associations, omics approaches, and integrated metabolic models allow for a better understanding of host-symbiont interaction and provide testable hypotheses. Gene expression modulation of both host and symbiont, pharmacological perturbation of enzyme activities, and isotope tracing, then allow to test these hypotheses experimentally. Here, we provide a conceptual overview of these fields and emphasize how integrated workflows can yield causal insights.},
}

@article {pmid42214860,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, X and Jiang, Y and Chen, X and Hu, M and Xu, L and Wang, Q and Zhu, W},
title = {Efficient U(VI) immobilization of uranium-contaminated soil mediated by Fungal-Bacterial Consortia.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {513},
number = {},
pages = {142502},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142502},
pmid = {42214860},
issn = {1873-3336},
abstract = {This study isolated and screened four uranium-tolerant bacterial strains (Priestia aryabhattai, Priestia megaterium, Bacillus subtilis, Arthrobacter woluwensis) and a group of uranium-tolerant symbiotic fungi (Mucor lusitanicus, Mucor ambiguus, Mucor circinelloides, Mucor plumbeus, Rhizopus arrhizus, Parasitella parasitica) from uranium-contaminated soil, based on which a Fungal-Bacterial Consortia (FBC) was constructed. The uranium immobilization performance of two FBC application modes in soil, namely direct addition and sodium alginate immobilization, was systematically evaluated. The results showed that uranium immobilization by FBC was mainly achieved via biosorption, bioreduction and bioaccumulation. Application of free FBC at 5% dosage and sodium alginate-immobilized FBC beads at 3% dosage reduced the acid-soluble uranium fraction by 65% and increased the residual uranium fraction by approximately 533%, with remediation performance significantly superior to that of single microbial strains. Furthermore, FBC amendment significantly elevated the abundance of functional strains in soil, with notable enrichment of the core uranium-tolerant genera screened in this study, including Bacillus, Arthrobacter, Priestia and Mucor. Further analyses demonstrated that the activities of soil urease, dehydrogenase and sucrase were significantly enhanced following FBC treatment, coupled with a marked upregulation in the expression of functional genes nirS3 and phnK. In addition, for Lolium perenne cultivated in the remediated soil, plant height, root length and biomass were increased by 30-50%, and uranium accumulation efficiency of the root system was enhanced by 3 folds. Collectively, these findings validate the high-efficiency remediation potential of the self-constructed uranium-tolerant FBC and provide a practical foundation for in-situ bioremediation strategies.},
}

@article {pmid42215318,
year = {2026},
author = {Chaddad, Z and Kaddouri, K and Lamrabet, M and Alami, S and Mnasri, B and Wipf, D and Courty, PE and Missbah El Idrissi, M},
title = {Corrigendum to "Bradyrhizobium zaerense sp. nov., an efficient symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium isolated from Lupinus luteus and Retama dasycarpa root nodules" [Systemat. Appl. Microbiol. 49 (2026) 126712].},
journal = {Systematic and applied microbiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {126733},
doi = {10.1016/j.syapm.2026.126733},
pmid = {42215318},
issn = {1618-0984},
}

@article {pmid41935273,
year = {2026},
author = {Ma, Y and Yu, L and Di, P and Zhu, X and Ma, X and Kong, W},
title = {Fungal-fungal interaction between Sanghuangporus vaninii and its endophytic Fusarium solani rewires host secondary metabolism to boost bioactive metabolite production.},
journal = {Microbial cell factories},
volume = {25},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {41935273},
issn = {1475-2859},
support = {32500047//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2026CYZC-017//Gansu Province Colleges and Universities Industry Support Program Project/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The medicinal mushroom Sanghuangporus vaninii produces valuable bioactive compounds, but yields are low in artificial culture. While co-culture with microbes can elicit production, the regulatory potential of native endophytic fungi - which share an evolutionary history with their host - remains largely unexplored. In this study, we report for the first time a co-culture system between S. vaninii and its endophytic fungus Fusarium solani MF20 to enhance the production of medicinal metabolites and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

RESULTS: Co-culture with F. solani MF20 dramatically increased the yields of total flavonoids (9.38-fold), terpenoids (3.18-fold), and crude polysaccharides (4.87-fold) in S. vaninii. Integrated omics analyses revealed that the endophytic interaction induced global metabolic change in the host. Early signaling events, such as a controlled oxidative stress response, Ca[2+] influx, extracellular ATP accumulation, and enhanced membrane permeability, were associated with the redirection of cellular resources from primary growth toward chemical defense. Key biosynthetic pathways, such as terpenoid backbone and flavonoid synthesis, were transcriptionally up-regulated, directly corroborated by the massive accumulation of bioactive compounds including the triterpene pachymic acid and complex modified flavonoids. Central carbon metabolism was reshaped, with activation of the pentose phosphate pathway potentially supplying NADPH for biosynthesis.

CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates that a native endophytic fungus can act as a powerful biotic elicitor to unlock the metabolic potential of its medicinal fungal host. The co-culture strategy activates a stress-mediated defense response that reprograms primary and secondary metabolism, leading to overproduction of pharmaceutically relevant compounds. Beyond providing insights into fungal-fungal symbiotic interactions, this study validates endophyte-host co-culture as an effective and sustainable bioprocess technology for enhancing the production of high-value metabolites from medicinal fungal resources.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-026-02994-z.},
}

@article {pmid42205089,
year = {2026},
author = {Duan, M and Wang, M and Wei, F and Tao, M and Yang, H and Li, S and You, R and Yang, C and Duan, X and Yang, S and Rao, MJ},
title = {Fairy Ring Fungus Rewires Rice Lipid Metabolism: A Symbiotic Strategy for Enhanced Growth and Photosynthetic Efficiency.},
journal = {Physiologia plantarum},
volume = {178},
number = {3},
pages = {e70950},
doi = {10.1111/ppl.70950},
pmid = {42205089},
issn = {1399-3054},
support = {202305AC160057//Project for Reserve Talents of Young and Middleaged Academic and Technical Leaders/ ; 2022JJB130068//Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province/ ; 210604199008271015//Young Talent Project of Talent Support Program for the Development of Yunnan/ ; 202401BA070001-122//Local Universities of Yunnan Provincial Department of Science and Technology,/ ; 202401AU070077//Basic Research Special Project of Yunnan Provincial Department of Science and Technology/ ; },
mesh = {*Oryza/microbiology/metabolism/growth & development/physiology ; *Photosynthesis/physiology ; *Lipid Metabolism/physiology ; *Symbiosis/physiology ; Plant Roots/metabolism/microbiology ; Galactolipids/metabolism ; Plant Leaves/metabolism ; Chlorophyll/metabolism ; },
abstract = {The fairy ring fungus Leucocalocybe mongolica (strain LY9) has shown significant potential as a sustainable biofertilizer, yet its mechanisms for enhancing crop growth remain poorly understood. This study suggests that LY9 significantly improves rice growth and photosynthetic efficiency by reprogramming lipid metabolism in a tissue-specific manner. Using soil transformation experiments with varying LY9 concentrations (10%-50%), we observed dose-dependent increases in tillering (up to 122%), root length (26%), and chlorophyll content (214%). Lipidomic profiling and transcriptomic analyses revealed that LY9 upregulates lysophosphatidylethanolamines (LysoPEs) in rice roots (promoting membrane flexibility and nutrient uptake), while enhancing chloroplast lipids like monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and stress-protective oxylipins in leaves, thereby supporting photosynthetic performance and resilience. LY9 treatment reduced post-harvest soil nutrient concentrations, suggesting enhanced plant nutrient uptake and utilization by the rice plants. These findings provide novel insights into how fungal symbionts optimize plant lipid networks to boost growth, offering a sustainable strategy to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers in rice cultivation.},
}

*Oryza/microbiology/metabolism/growth & development/physiology
*Photosynthesis/physiology
*Lipid Metabolism/physiology
*Symbiosis/physiology
Plant Roots/metabolism/microbiology
Galactolipids/metabolism
Plant Leaves/metabolism
Chlorophyll/metabolism

@article {pmid42206572,
year = {2026},
author = {Alamer, N and Siozios, S and Corbin, C and Hornett, EA and Jones, JE and Hurst, GDD},
title = {Spiroplasma Are Protective Heritable Symbionts With Low Physiological Impact in the Drosophilid Fly Zaprionus kolodkinae.},
journal = {Environmental microbiology reports},
volume = {18},
number = {3},
pages = {e70365},
doi = {10.1111/1758-2229.70365},
pmid = {42206572},
issn = {1758-2229},
support = {NE/V011979/1//Natural Environment Research Council/ ; //Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Spiroplasma/genetics/physiology/classification ; *Symbiosis ; *Drosophilidae/microbiology/physiology/parasitology ; Phylogeny ; Wasps/physiology ; Female ; },
abstract = {Spiroplasma bacteria are widespread associates of insects, with Drosophila serving as a key model for understanding maternally inherited symbioses. Most research has focused on the poulsonii-citri clade of Spiroplasma, leaving other lineages comparatively understudied. Here, we characterise the symbiosis between the drosophilid Zaprionus kolodkinae and its ixodetis group Spiroplasma (sZko). We assembled a complete genome for sZko, which encodes multiple candidate symbiosis factors, including ankyrin repeat domain proteins and diverse ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) toxins typically linked to protective interactions. Notably, the genome also harbours a gene with a predicted ricin B lectin-binding domain, a candidate for establishing microbe-insect interactions at the eukaryotic cell surface. Phenotypic assays confirmed maternal inheritance of sZko with no evidence of reproductive parasitic phenotypes. Infected flies were protected against attack by the generalist parasitoid wasp Leptopilina heterotoma. There was no detectable impact of sZko on its host's starvation tolerance, suggesting minimal physiological cost to the host, and this low impact was mirrored for the protective symbiont sHy1 in D. hydei but contrasted with previous results for D. melanogaster. We conclude the Z. kolodkinae-Spiroplasma association is primarily defensive, and genomic analysis raises the possibility that protection involves a novel coupling between lectin-binding domains and RIPs.},
}

Animals
*Spiroplasma/genetics/physiology/classification
*Symbiosis
*Drosophilidae/microbiology/physiology/parasitology
Phylogeny
Wasps/physiology
Female

@article {pmid42192285,
year = {2026},
author = {Kang, W and Du, Y and Hou, W and Han, Y and Lu, B and Guan, J and Shi, S},
title = {Efficient rhizobium strains enhance nitrogen fixation and growth in alfalfa by improving photosynthetic carbon metabolism and respiratory nitrogen assimilation.},
journal = {BMC plant biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1186/s12870-026-08954-4},
pmid = {42192285},
issn = {1471-2229},
support = {GSAU-DKZY-2024-002//China Agricultural University Corresponding Support Research Joint Fund, China/ ; CARS-34//National Modern Agricultural Industrial Technology System of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China/ ; 32101427//Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation, China/ ; KLGE-2022-01//Open project of Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem，Ministry of Education, China/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Improved symbiotic nitrogen fixation efficiency between alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and rhizobia represents a green development strategy that addresses the demand for high‑quality protein, while also serving as a critical measure for safeguarding China's food security. Currently, there is limited research on how rhizobium inoculation influences alfalfa growth and development through photosynthesis and respiratory metabolism. Furthermore, studies examining the impact of rhizobium strains with differing symbiotic effectiveness on these metabolic pathways remain scarce.

RESULTS: The number of effective nodules per plant (7), nitrogenase activity (0.29 µmol·g[- 1]·h[- 1]), and leghemoglobin content (0.76 mg·g[- 1]) of the LL2 inoculation group were significantly higher than those of the QL5 group. The aboveground dry weight (0.59 g·10 plants[- 1]) of LL2 was also significantly greater than that of both the QL5 inoculation treatment and the uninoculated control. These results demonstrate that rhizobium strain LL2 is an efficient symbiotic match for ' Gannong No.9 ' alfalfa, whereas strain QL5 is an inefficient match. Metabolomic analysis revealed that, in leaves, seven differential metabolites were up-regulated in both photosynthetic and respiratory metabolism. Among these, Adenosine 5'-Diphosphate (ADP) was significantly higher in LL2 than in CK (Control) and QL5. In roots, nine differential metabolites were up-regulated. Among these, four metabolites-3-Phosphoglyceric acid, Uridine-5'-diphosphate-glucose, (2 S)-2-Isopropylmalate, and L-Glutamic acid-were present at significantly higher levels in LL2 than in both CK and QL5. Compared to the QL5 group, the LL2 inoculation group resulted in significantly higher contents of ADP in leaves and elevated levels of the root metabolites such as the photosynthetic carbon fixation intermediate 3-Phosphoglyceric acid, the glycosyl donor Uridine-5'-diphosphate-glucose, the respiration and nitrogen metabolism-related compounds (2S)-2-Isopropylmalate and L-Glutamic acid. Additionally, in nodules, the key metabolites trehalose-6-phosphate and alpha-D-glucose-6-phosphate (involved in sugar metabolism and the pentose phosphate pathway) were also significantly elevated Among these, ADP and alpha-D-glucose-6-phosphate participate simultaneously in photosynthetic, respiratory, and symbiotic metabolic pathways; 3-Phosphoglyceric acid is involved in both photosynthetic and symbiotic pathways; while (2S)-2-Isopropylmalate and L-Glutamic acid take part in respiratory and symbiotic pathways.

CONCLUSIONS: Following inoculation with LL2, the levels of key metabolites associated with photosynthesis and respiration underwent systematic changes in the leaves, roots, and nodules of the plants. The enhanced symbiotic nitrogen fixation and plant growth were associated with synergistic changes in the host plant's photosynthetic carbon metabolism, respiratory energy metabolism, and nitrogen assimilation pathways. The findings of this study suggest potential strategies for enhancing nitrogen accumulation, possibly through modulating the energy balance of the symbiotic system, which could improve nitrogen fixation efficiency and ultimately increase legume yield and quality.},
}

@article {pmid42195307,
year = {2026},
author = {Mogoşanu, GD and Biţă, A and Scorei, IR and Pop, MI and Dinu, IR and Gheonea, DI},
title = {Boron as a Molecular Architect of Host-Microbiome Symbiosis: Implications for Dysbiosis and Aging-Related Pathologies.},
journal = {Life (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {16},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/life16050750},
pmid = {42195307},
issn = {2075-1729},
abstract = {Boron (B) is increasingly recognized as more than a trace dietary element, emerging as a context-dependent organizer of molecular interactions at the host-microbiome interface. B exhibits reversible covalent chemistry driven by Lewis' acidity and selective affinity for cis-diol-rich biomolecules, enabling dynamic complexation with polyols, glycans, and phenolic ligands that dominate the intestinal mucus environment and shape microbial ecology. We synthesize evidence supporting an architecture-based framework in which B modulates biological function by conditioning the physicochemical context of microbial communication rather than acting as a single-pathway effector. Central to this model is spatial bioavailability, distinguishing plasma-accessible boron from microbiota-accessible boron (MAB), species that persist in the lumen and mucus layer long enough to influence interface-level processes. We propose that insufficient or altered MAB availability may contribute to dysbiosis (DYS) by destabilizing quorum-associated coordination, signal persistence, and mucosal microstructure, thereby promoting barrier dysfunction and inflammaging. Particular attention is given to B-mediated symbiotaxis, a hypothesis-driven concept describing how B-containing molecular assemblies may bias microbial communities toward cooperative, barrier-supportive configurations and reduce ecological volatility. We identify key knowledge gaps and experimental priorities (speciation-aware measurements, signal-centric readouts) necessary to determine when, where, and how B-mediated molecular architecture may counteract DYS and support healthspan.},
}

@article {pmid42195367,
year = {2026},
author = {Yang, X and Tian, Q and Huang, Z and Ye, L and Long, W and Zhang, B and Liu, Y and Li, X},
title = {Targeted Metabolomics Resolves Amino Acid and Lipid Specialization Between Pileus and Stipe in Artificially Cultivated Termitomyces upsilocystidiatus.},
journal = {Life (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {16},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/life16050812},
pmid = {42195367},
issn = {2075-1729},
support = {YSCX2035-009//Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ ; 2024YFCY0009//Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province/ ; SCCXTD-2026-07//Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/ ; },
abstract = {This study presents the first tissue-resolved targeted metabolomic analysis of artificially cultivated Termitomyces upsilocystidiatus fruiting bodies using LC-MS/MS. We identified pronounced metabolic divergence between the pileus and stipe. The pileus was enriched in a nitrogen-recycling and antioxidant module, exemplified by L-citrulline (~13.5-fold higher than stipe, p < 0.01) and urea, while the stipe accumulates sulfur-derived and oxidized metabolites such as L-homocystine (~3.5-fold higher, p < 0.01) and methionine sulfoxide. Lipid profiles further distinguished the two tissues: the pileus featured high levels of linoleic acid-derived oxylipins, including 13(S)-HODE and 12(13)-DiHOME (~9.7-fold and ~303-fold enrichment, respectively, p < 0.01), suggesting a role in signaling and redox buffering. In contrast, the stipe preferentially accumulated oxidized eicosanoids (e.g., 5-oxoETE) and thromboxane B1, indicative of a stress-responsive lipid network. Together, these metabolite-level observations support a tentative "pileus-synthesis/stipe-defense" dual-hub model. This work provides a quantitative metabolic framework for understanding tissue specialization in a symbiotic fungus and offers practical entry points for cultivation optimization and quality control of Termitomyces.},
}

@article {pmid42195385,
year = {2026},
author = {Bastidas-Benalcazar, N and Calero-Apunte, JA and Almeida-Galarraga, D and Navas-Boada, P and Alvarado-Cando, O and Tirado-Espín, A and Villalba-Meneses, F and Carvajal Mora, H and Orozco Garzón, N},
title = {The Neuro-Cardiac Symbiotic Engine: A Multimodal Fusion Architecture for Cognitive State Decoding via High-Performance Computing.},
journal = {Life (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {16},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/life16050830},
pmid = {42195385},
issn = {2075-1729},
support = {577.A.XVII.25//Universidad de Las Américas/ ; 41991//Universidad San Francisco de Quito/ ; },
abstract = {Robust decoding of latent cognitive states from non-stationary physiological time series is a challenging high-dimensional signal processing problem. Traditional unimodal frameworks based only on electroencephalography often show covariate shift and weak cross-task generalization. This study presents the Neuro-Cardiac Symbiotic Engine, a multimodal fusion architecture that combines high-frequency cortical EEG dynamics with low-frequency autonomic regulation derived from heart rate variability within a unified discriminative feature space. The pipeline integrates spectral decomposition and autonomic quadratic descriptors through a memory-optimized high-performance computing workflow on the CEDIA supercomputer. To reduce domain discrepancy between memory and piloting tasks, we design a few-shot calibration strategy based on affine manifold alignment and probabilistic ensemble inference. Validation on 29 subjects reaches a mean classification accuracy of 99.13 percent, far above the zero-shot baseline near 38 percent. Topological analysis also indicates phase-space contraction under high workload, where fused vagal and frontal-parietal biomarkers concentrate system dynamics into a low-entropy attractor. The results establish a mathematically grounded framework for passive brain-computer interfaces and show that orthogonal neuro-visceral integration is critical for reliable cognitive state estimation.},
}

@article {pmid42196286,
year = {2026},
author = {Wongdee, J and Greetatorn, T and Piromyou, P and Songwattana, P and Pruksametanan, N and Teaumroong, N and Boonkerd, N and Boonchuen, P and Giraud, E and Tittabutr, P},
title = {Unveiling the Functions of Two RpoNs in Bradyrhizobium sp. DOA9 During Free-Living Conditions: A Comprehensive and Comparative Analysis.},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
volume = {27},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/ijms27104304},
pmid = {42196286},
issn = {1422-0067},
support = {204222//National Science, Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF) IS/ ; B16F640113//National Science, Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF) via the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development and Innovation/ ; },
mesh = {*Bradyrhizobium/genetics/metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; *Bacterial Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Nitrogen Fixation/genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Gene Expression Profiling ; *RNA Polymerase Sigma 54/genetics/metabolism ; },
abstract = {In this study, we investigate two RpoN homologs in Bradyrhizobium sp. DOA9-chromosomal RpoNc and megaplasmid-borne RpoNp-and their roles in free-living conditions and nitrogen fixation. Phylogenetic analysis showed that RpoNc clusters with RpoN proteins from symbiotic nitrogen-fixing strains, whereas RpoNp forms a distinct clade, consistent with a function in stress responses. RpoNc proved essential for free-living conditions: ΔrpoNc mutants displayed severe growth defects that RpoNp could not compensate for. Transcriptomic comparisons between wild type and mutant RpoN identified 541 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) grouped into three clusters: 100 downregulated, 175 upregulated, and 254 moderately downregulated (with a fold change > 2, and a q-value (FDR, padj) < 0.05). Affected pathways involved nitrogen metabolism, motility, and environmental adaptation. RpoNc controlled major nitrogen fixation genes (nif and fix) along with core growth and stress response functions, while RpoNp mainly influenced stress-adaptation pathways. Genome-wide promoter motif analysis predicted 68 putative RpoNc targets, mainly associated with nitrogen fixation and metabolism, compared with only 22 predicted RpoNp targets, indicating a more restricted regulon. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) further confirmed that both RpoN proteins directly bind σ[54]-dependent promoters identified from transcriptomic data, supporting their regulatory roles under free-living conditions. Two mutants (ΔrpoNc and ΔrpoNp::ΩrpoNc) showed broad transcriptional disruption across nitrogen fixation, metabolism, and stress responses, underscoring complementary regulation. Overall, RpoNc is the dominant regulator of nitrogen fixation and core metabolism during free-living conditions, whereas RpoNp fine-tunes stress responses, revealing new regulatory insights for DOA9 adaptation. These results clarify how RpoN systems optimize survival across fluctuating conditions.},
}

*Bradyrhizobium/genetics/metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
*Bacterial Proteins/genetics/metabolism
Phylogeny
Nitrogen Fixation/genetics
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Gene Expression Profiling
*RNA Polymerase Sigma 54/genetics/metabolism

@article {pmid42196462,
year = {2026},
author = {Wei, D and Zhang, M and Lei, T and Hu, Q},
title = {Lactylation in Colorectal Cancer: Regulatory Networks, Functional Mechanisms, and Clinical Translational Potential.},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
volume = {27},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/ijms27104480},
pmid = {42196462},
issn = {1422-0067},
mesh = {Humans ; *Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism/pathology/genetics/therapy ; *Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Tumor Microenvironment ; Metabolic Reprogramming ; Translational Research, Biomedical ; Animals ; },
abstract = {Protein lactylation, an emerging post-translational modification (PTM) driven by the metabolite lactate, has surfaced as an important regulatory layer contributing to the crosstalk between metabolic reprogramming and cellular functional plasticity in colorectal cancer (CRC). Within the unique "host-microbiota" symbiotic microenvironment of CRC, the Warburg effect-fueled jointly by oncogene activation and microbial metabolism-provides abundant substrates for lactylation. This modification is dynamically regulated by a complex enzymatic system comprising "Writers" (e.g., p300/CREB-binding protein [p300/CBP], alanyl-tRNA synthetase 1/2 [AARS1/2]) and "Erasers" (e.g., histone deacetylases [HDACs] and Sirtuins). Through intricate crosstalk with other PTMs, such as acetylation and ubiquitination, lactylation exerts critical regulatory effects on both the histone epigenetic landscape and non-histone protein functions. Functionally, lactylation not only drives malignant proliferation, invasion, and metastasis but also systematically remodels the immunosuppressive "cold" tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, it confers broad-spectrum resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy by orchestrating a ferroptosis defense network, enhancing DNA damage repair (DDR), and activating protective autophagy. This review systematically synthesizes the regulatory networks and biological functions of lactylation in CRC, deeply elucidating the core mechanisms underlying therapy resistance. Finally, we discuss the clinical translational potential of lactylation as a novel diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, aiming to provide new theoretical foundations and strategic directions for overcoming current bottlenecks in CRC clinical treatment.},
}

Humans
*Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism/pathology/genetics/therapy
*Protein Processing, Post-Translational
Tumor Microenvironment
Metabolic Reprogramming
Translational Research, Biomedical
Animals

@article {pmid42196983,
year = {2026},
author = {Biliński, K and Wiśniewski, K and Rafner, L and Witko, P and Gaweł-Dąbrowska, D},
title = {Travel-Induced Circadian and Microbiota Disturbances: Implications for Athlete Health and Performance: A Narrative Review.},
journal = {Nutrients},
volume = {18},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/nu18101523},
pmid = {42196983},
issn = {2072-6643},
support = {Not applicable//Wroclaw Medical University/ ; },
mesh = {Humans ; *Circadian Rhythm/physiology ; *Athletic Performance/physiology ; *Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology ; Jet Lag Syndrome/etiology/physiopathology ; *Travel ; *Athletes ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism ; Dysbiosis/etiology ; },
abstract = {High-performance athletes are increasingly exposed to frequent trans-meridian travel, leading to profound circadian desynchronization and gastrointestinal distress. This review examines the complex interplay between the host's central circadian system and the gut microbiota (GM), both of which exhibit synchronised daily oscillations essential for homeostasis. Rapid time-zone transitions, such as those anticipated for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, induce a state of "gut jet lag," characterised by the loss of rhythmic microbial functions and impaired intestinal barrier integrity. Circadian misalignment is associated with increased systemic inflammation and disrupted metabolic regulation, which may contribute to impairments in cognitive performance, sleep quality, and muscle recovery. Critically, travel-induced dysbiosis may reduce the production of microbial metabolites, specifically short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate. These SCFAs serve as energy substrates that may enhance glucose uptake, lipid oxidation, and glycogen storage in skeletal muscle. Evidence suggests that travel-related stressors-including dehydration, psychological stress, and shifts toward highly processed diets-further exacerbate the loss of beneficial taxa. To mitigate these effects, this article proposes evidence-informed strategies: timed light exposure to reset the master clock, chronobiotic meal timing to entrain peripheral tissues, and targeted symbiotic supplementation to restore SCFA-producing populations. Integrating these personalised, evidence-informed protocols may support the optimisation of physiological resilience and performance.},
}

Humans
*Circadian Rhythm/physiology
*Athletic Performance/physiology
*Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology
Jet Lag Syndrome/etiology/physiopathology
*Travel
*Athletes
Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism
Dysbiosis/etiology

@article {pmid42197317,
year = {2026},
author = {Song, J and Xu, P and Wei, Z and Yao, H and Wang, A and Xu, C and Zhu, Y and Wang, R and Yuan, X},
title = {Synergistic Nitrogen Removal and Community Interaction Mechanism of Immobilized Bacteria Algae Symbiosis System.},
journal = {Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {31},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/molecules31101764},
pmid = {42197317},
issn = {1420-3049},
support = {252300421933//Natural Science Foundation Project of Henan Province/ ; 252102321038//Scientific and Technological Projects of Henan Province/ ; 262102320101//Scientific and Technological Projects of Henan Province/ ; 262102320075//Scientific and Technological Projects of Henan Province/ ; 24B610010//Key Scientific Research Project Plan of Henan Province's Higher Education Institutions/ ; 23KJGG245//Scientific and Technological Projects of Nanyang/ ; 24KJGG066//Scientific and Technological Projects of Nanyang City/ ; },
mesh = {*Nitrogen/metabolism/isolation & purification ; *Symbiosis ; *Microalgae/metabolism ; *Bacteria/metabolism ; Denitrification ; Wastewater/chemistry/microbiology ; Cells, Immobilized/metabolism ; Nitrification ; },
abstract = {Ammonium nitrogen pollution presents a significant challenge in wastewater treatment. Traditional activated sludge processes often suffer from limitations such as low efficiency and high energy consumption when treating high-ammonium nitrogen wastewater. This study utilized previously screened high-efficiency heterotrophic nitrification aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) bacterial strains (Pseudomonas alcaliphila and Paracoccus versutus) synergistically with microalgae to construct an immobilized bacteria algae symbiotic system (IBAS). The nitrogen removal performance and microbial community response of the system were investigated under different nitrogen sources, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios, and light intensities. Results demonstrated that the system achieved a removal rate of over 95% for nitrite and nitrate. Under conditions of C/N = 15 and high light intensity (335.36 μmol/(m[2] · s)), the removal rates of NH4[+]-N, TN, and COD exceeded 90% without nitrite accumulation. Microbial community analysis revealed that high C/N conditions significantly enriched HN-AD functional bacteria (such as Acinetobacter) in the Pseudomonadota phylum and Gammaproteobacteria class. High light intensity promoted the proliferation of microalgae (Chlorella and Halochlorella), enhanced algal bacterial interaction, and improved system stability. This study elucidated the nitrogen removal mechanism of the IBAS under multi-factor regulation, providing a theoretical foundation and demonstrating application potential for low-carbon and high-efficiency wastewater treatment technologies.},
}

*Nitrogen/metabolism/isolation & purification
*Symbiosis
*Microalgae/metabolism
*Bacteria/metabolism
Denitrification
Wastewater/chemistry/microbiology
Cells, Immobilized/metabolism
Nitrification

@article {pmid42197339,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, S and Pan, F and Liang, Y and Wang, K and Liu, Z and Zhang, W},
title = {Plant-Derived Organic Acids Are Linked to Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and phoD-Harboring Bacteria Associated with Improved Soil Phosphorus Availability Across Plant Functional Groups in Karst Ecosystems.},
journal = {Microorganisms},
volume = {14},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/microorganisms14050952},
pmid = {42197339},
issn = {2076-2607},
abstract = {Phosphorus (P) limitation is prevalent in terrestrial ecosystems. Plants can improve soil P availability through the exudation of organic acids and symbiotic interactions with microorganisms. However, associations between different plant functional groups and phosphorus cycling in P limited karst ecosystems remain poorly understood. To investigate this, the exudation rates of oxalic, citric and acetic acids from fine roots, the contents of carbon, nitrogen, and P in leaves and fine roots, and the contents of oxalic, citric and acetic acids, total P, available P (AP), and microbial biomass P in rhizosphere soils were measured across different plant functional groups in a karst ecosystem in southwestern China. Additionally, the activities of acid and alkaline phosphatases were also analyzed, as well as the relative abundance, community structure, diversity, and co-occurrence network patterns of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and alkaline phosphatase-encoding (phoD) gene-harboring bacteria. The results showed that both the exudation rates and the contents of organic acids and AP were highest in the tree group, followed by the shrub and grass groups. The AP content of the legume group was significantly higher than that of the non-legume group. The exudation rates of oxalic acid were significantly greater than those of citric and acetic acids. AMF diversities were highest in the shrub and legume groups. The diversities of phoD-harboring bacteria decreased from the tree group to the shrub group and then to the grass group, yet there were no significant differences between the legume and non-legume groups. The communities of both AMF and phoD-harboring bacteria exhibited significant differences among these plant functional groups. The prevalent genera of phoD-harboring bacteria across all groups were Pseudomonas and Halomonas, with Halomonas being particularly prevalent in the legume group. The AMF community was dominated by Glomus, which attained its highest relative abundance in the tree and legume groups. Furthermore, the increased exudation rate and content of oxalic acid were associated with higher relative abundances of Glomus in AMF and Pseudomonas and Bacillus among phoD-harboring bacteria. Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis demonstrated that plant-exuded organic acids, especially oxalic acid, were positively associated with P availability indirectly through their linkages with the diversity and abundance of AMF and phoD-harboring bacteria. The crucial role of oxalic acid was particularly prominent in the tree and legume groups. Our findings suggest that screening AMF and phoD-harboring bacteria with highly efficient P transformation activity and inoculating them into the rhizosphere of plants with high oxalic acid exudation could help improve plant resilience to P limitation and support sustainable restoration in karst ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid42197612,
year = {2026},
author = {Msiza, LJ and Ngmenzuma, TY and Mohammed, M and Dakora, FD},
title = {Water-Use Efficiency and Mineral Nutrition of Diverse Legume Species Nodulated by Different Native Rhizobial Isolates: Do Rhizobia Have a Say in the Mineral Nutrition of Their Host Plants?.},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/plants15101478},
pmid = {42197612},
issn = {2223-7747},
abstract = {The benefits of legume-nitrogen-fixing bacteria symbioses are vital in agricultural systems globally. Cross-infectivity studies are important for identifying rhizobial strains with potential for use as inoculants. The native rhizobial isolates inoculated on different legume species are the first step to determining host range and ecological adaptive traits. This study reports on the water-use efficiency and mineral nutrition of diverse legume species cross-inoculated by native rhizobial isolates from Eswatini, Ghana and South Africa under glasshouse conditions. A portable infrared red gas analyzer was used for water use efficiency. Data from a gas exchange study shows that rhizobial strains can significantly influence the photosynthetic functioning of their host plants. As a result, photosynthetic rates differed depending on bacterial compatibility with the host plant, as well as its symbiotic efficacy. Isolate TUTGmGH2 induced greater accumulation of P, K, Mg, Zn, Cu and Mn in soybean and Winged bean, clearly suggesting that rhizobia do have an influence on the mineral nutrition of their host plants. Therefore, these findings further show that native rhizobial isolates can be manipulated to enhance mineral nutrient uptake, promote growth and development and also produce nutrient-dense food with a low environmental impact globally since rhizobia do have an influence on the mineral nutrition of their host plants.},
}

@article {pmid42197706,
year = {2026},
author = {Niu, B and Cheng, M and Lu, X and Sun, L and Lu, S and Guo, J and Zhu, H and Wang, L},
title = {Triacontanol Boosts Soybean Nodulation via GmHSP26-Mediated Antioxidant Enhancement.},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/plants15101572},
pmid = {42197706},
issn = {2223-7747},
support = {2021YFD1600600//National Key Research and Development Program of China/ ; 202101140601027, 202501140602016Z//The Major Special Science and Technology Projects in Shanxi Province/ ; No.2025xczx03//Shanxi Breeding Innovation Joint research and development projects/ ; 2021xG003, 2022xG0014//Scientific research fund for talents of Shanxi Agricultural University/ ; },
abstract = {Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is a globally crucial food crop and a model plant for studying symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes. Triacontanol (TRIA) is a natural plant growth regulator that enhances photosynthetic efficiency, stress tolerance, antioxidant enzyme activities and yield in crops. However, its regulatory role in nodulation and nitrogen fixation in legumes remains unclear. In this study, soybean seedlings inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain USDA110 were treated with different concentrations of TRIA (0, 0.33, 0.5, 1 and 2 μg/mL). Then, oxidative stress indicators and comparative transcriptomic analysis were performed to check the oxidative status and screen the candidate genes under TRIA treatment. Our results showed that the 0.5 μg/mL TRIA treatment produced the greatest nodule number. TRIA treatment significantly induced antioxidant responses in soybean roots. Comparative transcriptome identified 867 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses of DEGs revealed that a large number of genes were enriched in pathways related to oxidative activity. Combined with the expression pattern, we identified a Glutathione S-Transferase family gene, GmHSP26 (Glyma.07G139700), whose expression was induced by both TRIA and rhizobial infection, with its promoter activity was activated throughout the entire process of nodule development. Further function study using overexpression and gene editing proved that GmHSP26 was a positive regulator of soybean nodulation. Collectively, this study identifies the optimal TRIA concentration for promoting soybean nodulation, reveals the function and mechanism of GmHSP26 in response to TRIA-regulated nodulation, and provides a theoretical basis and genetic resource for enhancing nodulation and nitrogen fixation in leguminous crops through exogenous growth regulators.},
}

@article {pmid42199123,
year = {2026},
author = {Li, J and Liu, JK and Zaikin, A and Wang, M and Chen, S},
title = {Modulation of the excitation/inhibition balance by astrocytes in a tripartite synapse model of Alzheimer's disease.},
journal = {Neural regeneration research},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-25-00307},
pmid = {42199123},
issn = {1673-5374},
abstract = {Alzheimer's disease is a formidable health challenge due to lack of effective therapeutic modalities. The excitation/inhibition imbalance in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease can be potentially considered as a central link between structural brain pathology and cognitive dysfunction. However, the role and effects of reactive astrocytes in the neuronal excitability in early Alzheimer's disease remain unclear. Here, we present a tripartite synaptic model integrating the interactions between neurons and astrocytes than can clarify the role of astrocytes in the regulation of excitation/inhibition. Our model integrates the cation channel transient receptor potential ankyrin 1, whose activation triggers calcium influx, thereby enhancing the fidelity of astrocyte calcium dynamics. Constrained by physiological data, we demonstrate that amyloid-β can activate astrocytes to release glial neurotransmitters, thereby mediating the hyperexcitability of nearby neurons. We also investigate the astrocyte-mediated symbiosis of two neurotransmitters, glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid, at the glutamatergic synapse in the context of Alzheimer's disease, to predict the inhibitory compensatory response to excitotoxicity. During excitotoxicity, astrocytes can use the coupling of the excitatory amino acid transporter and gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter to control the concentration ratio of glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid in the synaptic cleft, and may convert both through the intracellular gamma-aminobutyric acid synthesis pathway. Our findings reveal that the coding efficiency of neurons diminished as the effects of amyloid-β deepened, establishing a direct link between the pathological features of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive dysfunction. These simulations suggest that astrocytes play a critical role in regulating the neuronal excitation/inhibition balance in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease, thereby influencing the subsequent processes of information transmission, learning, and memory. The pathways characterized by our model present potential therapeutic targets for Alzheimer's disease.},
}

@article {pmid42200258,
year = {2026},
author = {Stoisman, A and Ciocca, G},
title = {A possible psychogenesis of the paraphilic behavior based on an interpretation of the film "La Pianiste".},
journal = {Rivista di psichiatria},
volume = {61},
number = {2},
pages = {87-92},
doi = {10.1708/4685.47002},
pmid = {42200258},
issn = {2038-2502},
mesh = {Humans ; *Paraphilic Disorders/psychology ; *Masochism/psychology ; *Motion Pictures ; },
abstract = {This article aims to explore, through a psychological-narrative reading of the film "La Pianiste" (Haneke, 2001), specific dynamics that underpin paraphilic behavior. The focus is specifically placed on masochism and on the ambiguities surrounding the concept of consent within BDSM practices. The protagonist, Erika Kohut, is here described through the psychodynamic perspective together to the attachment theory. At the core of the analysis lies Erika's symbiotic and deeply oppressive relationship with her mother, which finds expression in self-harming rituals and submission fantasies. The erotic relationship and the sexual life of the protagonist, characterizing the film, poses a crucial question: how free is a "yes" in reality? While consent is often framed as a conscious and voluntary act, Erika's story reveals it to be a dangerously ambivalent terrain, shaped by unresolved psychic wounds. This work does not aim to stigmatize or pathologize BDSM practices, but rather to interrogate their "shadow zones": when do these practices become a space for reconstructing the Self, and when do they risk turning into a stage where unprocessed suffering is compulsively replayed?},
}

Humans
*Paraphilic Disorders/psychology
*Masochism/psychology
*Motion Pictures

@article {pmid42200417,
year = {2026},
author = {Lin, L and Gao, G and Sun, S and Wu, X and Fan, S and Wang, H and Zhou, F and Zhang, X},
title = {Host-independent metagenomics reveal gut bacteria contribution to Delia antiqua growth by vitamin B6 provision.},
journal = {Insect molecular biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/imb.70046},
pmid = {42200417},
issn = {1365-2583},
support = {2024KJI002//Young Innovation Team Project of Higher Education in Shandong Province/ ; 2024ZDZX10//QLU Major Innovation Projects of Education-Industry Integration Pilot/ ; SDAIT-31-04//Shandong Province Key Agricultural Project for Application Technology Innovation/ ; 32272530//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
abstract = {Insect guts host a diverse and abundant array of microorganisms. These microbes improve host fitness by extensively involving in a range of crucial physiological processes, which have mainly been revealed by high-throughput sequencing, particularly metagenomics. However, it is almost impossible to make an accurate and complete distinction between the genetic functions of microbial symbionts and insect hosts without host genome data. By comparing metagenomic data from gut germ-free and nonaxenic larvae, we accurately identified the data belonging to the gut microbiome of the onion maggot Delia antiqua (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Besides, a correlation between bacteria of the genus Wohlfahrtiimonas (Gammaproteobacteria: Pseudomonadaceae) and vitamin B6 metabolism was detected through collinearity analysis. Furthermore, in vitro tests confirmed that the gut bacterium Wohlfahrtiimonas larvae contributed to the growth of D. antiqua larvae via the independent synthesis of vitamin B6. This study provides a comprehensive view of the gut bacterial diversity in D. antiqua and reveals a functional profile that is strictly specific to the gut microbiota of this species. It has preliminarily revealed the functional differentiation between insect hosts and their symbiotic microorganisms. This study also offers a technical reference for the study of microbial symbiotic functions in other insect-microbe symbioses without host genomic data.},
}

@article {pmid42200648,
year = {2026},
author = {Gomez, A and Tisa, LS},
title = {A longitudinal roadside study of the New Hampshire alder root nodule microbiome.},
journal = {Applied and environmental microbiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0044626},
doi = {10.1128/aem.00446-26},
pmid = {42200648},
issn = {1098-5336},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Actinorhizal plants are pioneer plants that colonize harsh environments and have been used for land reclamation. Their ability to thrive under these harsh conditions is due to their symbiotic association with the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Frankia and forming a root nodule structure. Although the plant root nodule primarily contains the symbiont Frankia, other members of the nodule community have been identified. This study represents an investigation of the effects of different environments on the nodule microbiome of Alnus rugosa, a shrub actinorhizal tree found at different locations within New Hampshire over a 3-year period. We utilized 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing to map the seasonal bacterial and fungal communities in the A. rugosa root nodule microbiome compared to rhizosphere and bulk soil communities. The relative abundance of Frankiaceae in root nodules fluctuated seasonally and by site. Sites with lower relative abundance of Frankiaceae in nodules had higher relative abundances of fungal nodule occupants. The roadside bacterial communities were distinct from those at the rural site, with Chitinophagaceae and Nitrosomonadaceae being characteristic members of the roadside rhizospheres and bulk soils, respectively. Soil zinc significantly affected all microbial communities. Our results indicate that the A. rugosa root nodule and soil microbiomes are responsive to different environmental variables like roadways and other microorganisms, and these responses need to be further elucidated for the optimization of future in situ actinorhizal projects.

IMPORTANCE: Actinorhizal plants like alders are important ecologically and economically as pioneering plants. The symbiotic association with Frankia greatly accelerates the growth of the host plant and indirectly does the same for neighboring plants. Actinorhizal trees provide an excellent mechanism to restore disrupted environmental sites and have been used to reclaim land that has been used for strip-mines, gravel pits, and soil stabilization of other landscapes disturbed by the effects of erosion and water runoff. Actinorhizal plants are found on coastal lands around the estuaries, and some are proven to be salt tolerant. Elucidating the dynamics of microbial community structure of the alder root nodules will help our understanding of the ability of these pioneering plants to reclaim degraded lands and to survive in diverse harsh environments. The role that other members of actinorhizal plant root nodule plays may be important to that survival ability. This field study reports on the influence of soil variables, habitats, and seasons on the dynamics of the actinorhizal microbiome.},
}

@article {pmid42200660,
year = {2026},
author = {Guo, C and Yang, A and Zhang, X and Bai, W and Zhang, W-H},
title = {Leaf- and root-associated bacterial communities differ in their resistance and resilience to N disturbance in a temperate steppe.},
journal = {Applied and environmental microbiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0033226},
doi = {10.1128/aem.00332-26},
pmid = {42200660},
issn = {1098-5336},
abstract = {Enhanced deposition of nitrogen (N) has great impacts on grassland ecosystems. A decline in N deposition has occurred in many regions across the globe. Changes in N deposition alter the structure and functions of grassland ecosystems and bacterial community of soil and rhizosphere. However, the responses of plant microbiomes to N deposition and cessation of N input in terms of resistance and resilience have not been systematically evaluated. We examined the effects of N addition and cessation of N addition on leaf- and root-associated bacterial communities through a consecutive N addition and cessation of N addition experiment in a temperate grassland. We found that leaf-associated bacterial community exhibited lower resistance to N enrichment than root-associated bacterial community, which was mainly steered by leaf soluble sugars and leaf morphology via regulating functional taxa. In contrast, the root-associated bacterial community showed stronger resilience to cessation of N addition than leaf-associated bacterial community, which may be explained by the high N accumulation in roots and root morphology via regulating functional taxa. The greater resistance and resilience in the root-associated bacterial community may be attributed to the presence of host-related factors. Additionally, N enrichment-induced suppression of beneficial symbiotic microbes associated with the N cycle in the leaf-associated bacterial community was not readily recovered after cessation of N input. Conversely, microbes involved in carbon cycle and ecological restoration in the root-associated bacterial community showed a quick recovery after cessation of N enrichment. Our results offer valuable insights into the mechanisms by which changes in N input influence the plant microbial community.IMPORTANCEAs an integral component of ecosystems, the plant microbiome plays an important role in the response of grassland ecosystems to enhanced N deposition. Changes in N deposition influence bacterial communities of soil and rhizosphere of grassland ecosystems. However, whether and how the N deposition and cessation of N input impact microbiomes of plant species of temperate grasslands remain unexplored. Based on a long-term N-addition experiment in a temperate steppe, we discover that leaf- and root-associated bacterial communities respond differently to N addition and subsequent cessation of N addition. The leaf-associated bacterial community exhibits lower resistance to N enrichment than the root-associated bacterial community due to the unique environment of the phyllosphere, whereas the root-associated bacterial community shows stronger resilience to cessation of N addition than the leaf-associated bacterial community due mainly to the higher root N accumulation and morphology. These findings offer valuable insights into the impact and mechanism of N interference on the plant microbial community.},
}

@article {pmid42201143,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, W and Eleftherianos, I and Mohamed, A and Smagghe, G and Chakkalakkal, G and Al-Akeel, R and Toprak, U and Tettamanti, G and Keyhani, N and Renault, D},
title = {Evolution, multifunctionality, and agricultural potential of insect microbiomes and the holobiont concept.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wrag137},
pmid = {42201143},
issn = {1751-7370},
abstract = {Insect-associated microbiomes, as co-evolved members of the holobiont, play pivotal roles in host physiology, ecological resilience, and evolutionary innovation. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding microbial symbionts' contributions to metabolic adaptation, insecticide detoxification, and immune modulation. Framed within hologenome theory-which posits host-microbe assemblages as units of natural selection-we explore co-evolutionary dynamics driving mutualistic specialization and adaptive plasticity. Cutting-edge tools like genome editing and metagenomics reveal how gut microbiota mediate cross-kingdom interactions, insecticide resistance, and reproductive fitness. Intriguingly, microbial symbionts can enhance host resistance through detoxification while sensitizing hosts to specific toxins, highlighting context-dependent trade-offs. Targeted manipulation of microbial consortia-via detoxification disruption or symbiont engineering-offers new avenues for sustainable pest control, though ecological risks demand rigorous biosafety protocols. A paradigm shift toward holobiont-centered models promises unified strategies for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation in the Anthropocene.},
}

@article {pmid42202780,
year = {2026},
author = {Montoya, AP and Jensen, KT and Griffitts, JS and Porter, SS},
title = {The evolutionary genomics of novel endosymbiosis in wild rhizobia bacteria.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2026.04.071},
pmid = {42202780},
issn = {1879-0445},
abstract = {The advent of endosymbiosis underlies evolutionary innovation and ecosystem function. However, whether free-living partners tend to benefit or exploit each other during the early stages of novel endosymbiosis remains a dilemma. Rhizobia soil bacteria can initiate root nodules and fix nitrogen for host plants as endosymbionts due to genes carried on mobile genetic elements such as the symbiosis island (SI). We conjugated marked SIs into the genomes of non-nodulating strains, which was sufficient to generate de novo root nodule-forming endosymbionts. Most novel endosymbionts originated as commensals that incurred no detectable costs to host plants, in contrast to predictions of exploitation. In fact, a third of novel endosymbionts originated as nitrogen-fixing mutualists. Consistent with phylogenetic limits to transfer of mobile genetic element function, novel endosymbionts derived from more closely related SI donor and recipient strains showed greater nitrogen fixation. However, consistent with selection on the SI for broad horizontal transfer, we did not detect phylogenetic limits to SI transmission, and the SI was able to displace other genomic elements residing at its characteristic tRNA gene insertion site. We thus provide genetic, genomic, and functional evidence of how mobile genetic elements can potentiate and constrain major evolutionary transitions to expand bacterial niches, with cascading impacts on the fitness of host organisms.},
}

@article {pmid42203074,
year = {2026},
author = {Dial, D and Mora, JAT and Husnik, F},
title = {The spatial cell biology of host control in bacteriocyte-associated symbioses.},
journal = {Current opinion in insect science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {101540},
doi = {10.1016/j.cois.2026.101540},
pmid = {42203074},
issn = {2214-5753},
abstract = {Bacteriocytes are specialized eukaryotic cells that house bacterial symbionts. In insects, they are essential for host nutrition, development, and reproduction. Over the past two decades, bulk transcriptomics and genomics have built a strong molecular framework for how hosts support and control intracellular symbionts, highlighting nutrient exchange, immune modulation, and cellular homeostasis within bacteriocytes. However, these approaches provide limited insight into where these processes occur. Organs made of bacteriocytes (bacteriomes) vary widely in architecture and origin across insects, may contain multiple symbiont-bearing cell types and non-bacteriocyte support cells, and likely implement distinct host support programs for different symbionts. Inspired by recent single-cell and spatial studies in non-insect bacteriocyte systems, we argue that spatially resolved approaches are the natural next step for insect symbiosis research. We organize these recurring functions as "host-control modules," including compensation for symbiont gene loss, regulation of host-symbiont exchange, and control of symbiont abundance or localization. We show how single-cell, spatial and volumetric imaging approaches can localize these modules to specific cell states, tissue zones, membranes and organelle contact sites. Finally, we outline a practical hypothesis-driven roadmap for adopting spatial omics and 3D microscopy in insect bacteriomes.},
}

@article {pmid42203372,
year = {2026},
author = {McCann, P and Megaw, J and Gobert, GN},
title = {Parasite-associated microbiomes: An unseen microenvironment.},
journal = {Advances in parasitology},
volume = {131},
number = {},
pages = {31-70},
doi = {10.1016/bs.apar.2026.03.001},
pmid = {42203372},
issn = {2163-6079},
mesh = {Animals ; Humans ; *Microbiota ; *Host-Parasite Interactions ; *Parasites/microbiology/physiology ; Symbiosis ; },
abstract = {Parasites harbor diverse microbial ecosystems that include not only bacteria but also archaea, fungi, viruses and microbial eukaryotes. These parasite-associated microbiomes, long overlooked, are now recognized as important determinants of parasite development, fitness, virulence and interactions with hosts across medical, veterinary, agricultural and ecological systems. However, current understanding of parasite-associated microbiomes remains fragmented, with most studies focusing on a narrow set of human parasites, relying heavily on bacterial surveys and rarely capturing the full multi-kingdom diversity of microbial partners. Important challenges include expanding research to encompass neglected parasite groups and their non-bacterial associates, establishing causal links between microbiome members and parasite phenotypes, and overcoming the technical barriers posed by low-biomass, host-contaminated and/or experimentally intractable systems. Progress will also depend on developing robust reference genomes and analytical tools that can resolve multi-kingdom communities and integrate parasite and symbiont biology. This chapter synthesizes current knowledge across helminths, protozoa, ectoparasites and plant-infecting parasites. We consider how microbiome manipulation may contribute to parasite control while recognizing the evolutionary and ecological complexities involved in altering host-parasite-microbiome interactions. Embracing an explicitly multi-kingdom, holobiont-focused perspective promises to illuminate fundamental aspects of parasitism. Such knowledge may contribute to new avenues for mitigating the impact of parasitic diseases on human and animal health, food security and ecosystems.},
}

Animals
Humans
*Microbiota
*Host-Parasite Interactions
*Parasites/microbiology/physiology
Symbiosis

@article {pmid42203451,
year = {2026},
author = {Ichige, R and Urabe, J},
title = {Host Genetic Constraints on the Horizontal Transmission of Daphnia-associated Microbiota.},
journal = {Microbes and environments},
volume = {41},
number = {2},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1264/jsme2.ME26003},
pmid = {42203451},
issn = {1347-4405},
mesh = {Animals ; *Microbiota ; *Daphnia/microbiology/genetics ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Genotype ; Symbiosis ; *Host Microbial Interactions ; *Daphnia pulex/microbiology/genetics ; Gene Transfer, Horizontal ; },
abstract = {The taxonomic composition of Daphnia microbiota is affected not only by external environmental conditions, but also by the host's internal physiological state, which is partly governed by genetic factors. However, the extent to which host genetics constrain the composition of associated bacterial communities remains unclear. In the present study, we conducted mixed-culture experiments using obligately parthenogenetic Daphnia cf. pulex individuals from genetically distinct lineages. The results obtained showed that the taxonomic composition of host-associated microbiota significantly differed between genotypes, both within and across lineages, with certain bacterial taxa being exclusive to specific genotypes. When genetically distinct hosts were co-cultured, some bacterial taxa initially exclusive to one genotype appeared in the microbiota of another, indicating the horizontal transmission of microbiota between hosts. Nevertheless, the overall taxonomic composition of microbiota was largely unaffected by the presence of genetically different hosts. These results suggest that although the horizontal transfer of microbiota occurs between different Daphnia genotypes, it is not extensive enough to override genotype-specific microbiota compositions. Therefore, in D. cf. pulex, host genetics play a major role in shaping the composition of the associated microbiota.},
}

Animals
*Microbiota
*Daphnia/microbiology/genetics
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Genotype
Symbiosis
*Host Microbial Interactions
*Daphnia pulex/microbiology/genetics
Gene Transfer, Horizontal

@article {pmid41981603,
year = {2026},
author = {Liu, Y and Chen, C and Liu, H and Wang, W and Zhou, X and Guo, M and Zhao, J and Zeng, Z and Xu, L},
title = {Decoding the gut microbiota-immune dialogue: from bidirectional axis to therapeutic applications.},
journal = {Journal of nanobiotechnology},
volume = {24},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {41981603},
issn = {1477-3155},
support = {82160503, 82272812//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; QKHZC-2020-4Y156, QKH-JC-2018-1428, QKHJC-ZK-2022-624//Project of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Science and Technology/ ; },
abstract = {UNLABELLED: The gut microbiota (GM), a highly complex micro-ecosystem residing within the host’s gastrointestinal tract, works in conjunction with the gut immune system to form a precise bidirectional regulatory network, that maintains symbiotic homeostasis and overall host health. Cumulative evidence has demonstrated that the critical impact of the bidirectional causal relationship between the GM and the gut immune system on host development and the dynamic progression of disease. However, many challenges remain in this research field, including the mechanism complexity, therapeutic effect differences due to individual heterogeneity, long-term safety, and clinical transformation bottlenecks) that need to be urgently broken through. Therefore, the in-depth analysis of these issues is of great theoretical and practical significance for clarifying the intrinsic connection between the GM and gut immunity, particularly in elucidating the pathogenesis of related clinical diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), tumors, and autoimmune diseases (AD). We systematically outline the interaction mechanisms between the microbiota and the immune system, including compositional structure (microbiota diversity and immune system composition), development and maturation processes (early microbiota colonization and immune system establishment), and functional regulation (immune cell differentiation and maintenance of mucosal barrier integrity), as well as their associations with clinical diseases. Finally, we discuss some key considerations for the developing of innovative treatment strategies, such as microbial-targeted interventions, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and synergistic use of immunomodulatory drugs, with the aim of providing a new paradigm for the precise intervention of related diseases.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text]},
}

@article {pmid42185948,
year = {2026},
author = {Michalik, A and Majewska, E and Andriienko, V and Nowak, KH and Stroiński, A and Łukasik, P},
title = {Stable nutritional endosymbiosis across cryptic diversity of a leafhopper species complex.},
journal = {BMC genomics},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1186/s12864-026-12986-3},
pmid = {42185948},
issn = {1471-2164},
support = {2021/41/B/NZ8/04526//Narodowe Centrum Nauki/ ; 2018/31/B/NZ8/01158//Narodowe Centrum Nauki/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Ancient nutritional symbioses underpin the ecological success of many sap-feeding insects. In 'true hoppers' - the hemipteran suborder Auchenorrhyncha, obligate bacterial partners provide essential amino acids lacking in plant phloem diets. However, the stability and persistence of such associations across the diversity of hoppers are poorly understood, and investigations are often complicated by insufficiently resolved host identity.

RESULTS: Here, we combined multitarget amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, and microscopy to assess the compositional and functional diversity of the microbiota across Polish, Swedish, and Austrian populations of leafhoppers morphologically identified as Verdanus abdominalis. Host COI data revealed pronounced cryptic genetic diversity, indicating several deeply divergent lineages within the characterized collection, but limited microbiota variation among populations. 16S rRNA amplicon data confirmed the consistent presence of the ancient bacterial endosymbionts Candidatus Sulcia muelleri and Candidatus Nasuia deltocephalinicola, and metagenomics showed that their reduced but complementary genomes jointly encode the complete set of essential amino acid biosynthesis pathways required by the host. Other microbes were uncommon in these symbioses. Microscopy corroborated these findings, revealing conserved bacteriome organization and spatial separation of Sulcia and Nasuia within distinct bacteriocytes.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that the Sulcia-Nasuia dual symbiosis remains evolutionarily stable across cryptic Verdanus diversity, underscoring the robustness of ancient nutritional partnerships despite ongoing host diversification.},
}

@article {pmid42185977,
year = {2026},
author = {Carlew, TS and Atherton Puri, AP and Shim, A and Rojas, CP and Buchanan, RA and Chang, JH and Sachs, JL and Belin, BJ},
title = {Aeschynomene americana induces terminal bacteroid differentiation in Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA3516, a novel model for dalbergioid-rhizobium symbiosis.},
journal = {BMC plant biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1186/s12870-026-08893-0},
pmid = {42185977},
issn = {1471-2229},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The paradigms of legume-rhizobium symbiosis are derived primarily from conserved features of Inverted-Repeat Lacking Clade (IRLC) legumes and closely related species. The Dalbergioids diverged from the IRLC early in legume evolution and possess unique symbiotic features but few genetically tractable models. The small, diploid dalbergioid Aeschynomene americana (American jointvetch) has promise as a genetic model for Dalbergioid-rhizobia symbiosis, yet only a few studies have examined its symbiotic properties.

RESULTS: We examined the symbiont range of A. americana from central Florida and characterized a native A. americana nodule isolate, Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA3516. We find that A. americana forms effective symbioses with Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA3516, which is closely related to Thai A. americana symbiont Bradyrhizobium sp DOA9, and with symbionts from the dalbergioids stylo and peanut. Interestingly, several strains that effectively nodulated A. americana exhibited branched bacteroid morphologies, but we found that branching was neither necessary nor sufficient for effective symbiosis.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study contradicts the prevailing view that bacteroid shape is a major determinant of symbiotic efficiency and presents the A. americana-Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA3516 interaction as an optimal model of A. americana symbiosis.},
}

@article {pmid42185992,
year = {2026},
author = {Reyes-Prieto, M and Martínez-Cano, DJ and Llabrés, M and Palmer-Rodríguez, P and Vargas-Chávez, C and Delaye, L and Gil, R and Moya, A},
title = {Evolutionary signals in metabolic networks of insect endosymbionts revealed through comparative topological modeling.},
journal = {BMC genomics},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1186/s12864-026-12869-7},
pmid = {42185992},
issn = {1471-2164},
support = {PGC2018-096956-B-C43//FEDER/MICINN/AEI/ ; PID2019-105969GB-I00//FEDER/MICINN/AEI/ ; PID2021-126114NB-C44//MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by "ERDF/EU"/ ; CIPROM/2021/042//Conselleria de Cultura, Educación y Ciencia, Generalitat Valenciana/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Understanding the organization and evolution of metabolic networks is essential for uncovering how organisms adapt to changing environments. Whereas free-living bacteria typically maintain robust and redundant metabolic systems, endosymbiotic bacteria undergo extreme genome reduction during their adaptation to intracellular life. This process results in highly streamlined and interconnected metabolic networks, in some cases smaller than the theoretical minimum required for sustaining independent cellular function.

RESULTS: Using a large-scale comparative framework, we analyzed 101 genomes of insect endosymbiotic bacteria by computing two metabolic network models: metabolite- and reaction-based. We found strong correlations between genome size and key topological properties, including clustering coefficient, network diameter, and number of nodes, indicating that genome reduction directly constrains metabolic network architecture. Despite extensive gene loss, endosymbiotic metabolic networks retain scale-free organization, suggesting the preservation of essential connectivity and robustness. Furthermore, clustering analyses revealed that network topology reflects phylogenetic relationships across bacterial taxa, demonstrating that metabolic organization retains evolutionary signals even in the most reduced genomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that the metabolic networks of insect endosymbiotic bacteria preserve clear evolutionary imprints, revealing a deep connection between genomic reduction, network structure, and phylogenetic history. The complementary use of metabolite- and reaction-based models provide a powerful framework for exploring how symbiotic evolution reshapes metabolic systems while maintaining essential biological organization.},
}

@article {pmid42186551,
year = {2026},
author = {Koštířová, K and Rotterová, J and Bourland, WA and Čepička, I},
title = {Capturing the extensive diversity of marine anaerobic scuticociliates (Oligohymenophorea, Ciliophora) through cultivation.},
journal = {Marine life science & technology},
volume = {8},
number = {2},
pages = {256-275},
pmid = {42186551},
issn = {2662-1746},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Marine anoxic sediments are expansive ecosystems, effectively devoid of oxygen, where eukaryotic life is predominantly represented by protists. In this study, we surveyed a range of such habitats and uncovered novel diversity within ciliated protists from the subclass Scuticociliatia (class Oligohymenophorea). We establish three new genera of marine anaerobic scuticociliates within the family Anaerocyclidiidae that were previously detected exclusively through cultivation-independent environmental surveys. Our results show that marine Anaerocyclidiidae have a global distribution and occur frequently in anoxic sediments. Notably, all studied marine Anaerocyclidiidae host prokaryotic ectosymbionts of varying sizes and shapes, potentially representing distinct prokaryotic lineages. Through broad geographic sampling and the establishment of the largest culture collection of marine anaerobic scuticociliates to date, we investigated the diversity, morphology, behavior, and symbiotic associations within this significant ciliate lineage. These findings highlight the importance of cultivation approaches to uncover novel protistan taxa and their symbiotic relationships, expanding our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in oxygen-depleted habitats.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00350-5.},
}

@article {pmid42186555,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, T and Vďačný, P},
title = {Morpho-molecular characterization of Trichodina chlorophora Richards, 1948 (Protista: Ciliophora), a central component in the 'snail‒ciliate‒zoochlorellae' hyper-symbiotic system.},
journal = {Marine life science & technology},
volume = {8},
number = {2},
pages = {371-386},
pmid = {42186555},
issn = {2662-1746},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: In the mantle cavity of the heterobranch snail Physella acuta, collected from a lake in Slovakia (Central Europe), we identified the peritrich ciliate Trichodina chlorophora harboring endosymbiotic green algae. To elucidate the evolutionary origins of this tripartite consortium, we determined the phylogenetic affiliations of all three partners and conducted a detailed morpho-molecular characterization of the ciliate, a central component of this hyper-symbiotic system. The European population of T. chlorophora closely matched North American populations previously described from physinine snails. The diagnostic features of T. chlorophora include: body diameter of 41-83 μm after dry silver nitrate impregnation; denticle ring 23-39 μm wide, with 23-30 denticles and 9-11 radial pins per denticle; denticles 5.7-7.8 μm long; adoral ciliary spiral performing ~ 1.13 turns (390°-409°) around peristomial disc; and a horseshoe-shaped macronucleus. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that: (1) the host snails are closely related to North American conspecifics, reflecting the human-mediated introduction of this invasive gastropod to Europe; (2) trichodinids colonized aquatic snails multiple times independently from poikilothermic vertebrate hosts, with T. chlorophora clustering with freshwater congeners from frogs, snails, and planarians; and (3) the endosymbiotic green algae comprise two species: Chlorella sp., closely related to endosymbionts of heliozoans and cnidarians, and Jaagichlorella geometrica, which clusters with epiphytic congeners. While the algae exhibit low host specificity, snail-dwelling Trichodina species show high phylogenetic host specificity. The parallel emergence of green algae-bearing trichodinids in physinine and planorbid snails suggests co-evolutionary processes that independently gave rise to interdependent associations among aquatic snails, ciliates, and zoochlorellae.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-026-00359-4.},
}

@article {pmid42187701,
year = {2026},
author = {Lin, Y and Yang, J and Keyhani, NO and Wang, L and Yao, Y and Wei, X and Song, F and Qiu, Z and Cai, S and Guan, X and Zhao, L and Qiu, J},
title = {Molecular Phylogeny, Divergence Time Estimation, and Biogeography of Moelleriella (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales) with Taxonomic Insights.},
journal = {Biology},
volume = {15},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/biology15100739},
pmid = {42187701},
issn = {2079-7737},
abstract = {The Clavicipitaceae family, including saprobes and insect and myco-pathogens, are widely distributed in nature across various trophic regions, and play important roles in insect population control, plant interactions, and symbiotic evolution. Members of the genus Moelleriella within this family primarily specialize in infecting scale insects and whiteflies. Using five genomic loci (SSU, LSU, tef1-α, rpb1, and rpb2), we report on the inferred divergence times among members of Clavicipitaceae using molecular dating analyses. Molecular clock estimates revealed that the ancestor of Moelleriella likely emerged in the Late Cretaceous (91.60 Mya; 95% highest posterior density of 79.29-100.13 Mya). Historical biogeographic reconstruction of Moelleriella, performed using the Bayesian Binary Markov chain Monte Carlo (BBM) method, indicates that it most likely originated in Asia. Moreover, based on taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, we describe three species within the genus Moelleriella, including one new species (Moelleriella microstroma) and two new records for China (Moelleriella chiangmaiensis and Moelleriella phukhiaoensis).},
}

@article {pmid42187767,
year = {2026},
author = {Sun, Z and Chen, P and Ge, X and Zhang, W and Liu, H},
title = {Synergistic Integration of Enzyme and Microbial Platforms for Sustainable Management of Pharmaceutical Pollutants: Towards a Greener Pharmaceutical Lifecycle.},
journal = {Biology},
volume = {15},
number = {10},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/biology15100804},
pmid = {42187767},
issn = {2079-7737},
abstract = {Purpose: This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and scientific reference for constructing environmentally friendly and economically feasible sustainable management systems for pharmaceutical pollution. Methods: This review discusses three synergistic mechanisms-"cascade degradation", "symbiotic protection", and "functional complementarity"-along with construction strategies including co-immobilization technology, engineered biofilms, and engineered bacteria modified via synthetic biology. Result: Synergistic platforms have achieved significant progress in treating various types of pharmaceutical pollutants, including antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and hormones, antiviral drugs and pesticides. Conclusions: The synergistic integration of enzymes and microorganisms achieves the unification of efficient catalysis and deep mineralization, opening up a new pathway for the remediation of pharmaceutical pollution. It also transforms theoretically existing concepts into operable treatment technologies.},
}

@article {pmid42187790,
year = {2026},
author = {Dan, L and Liu, S and Qiang, Z and Ye, X and Zhang, J},
title = {Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms Underlying Reversible Adaptive Responses in Fungi.},
journal = {Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {12},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/jof12050309},
pmid = {42187790},
issn = {2309-608X},
support = {32400477//the National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
abstract = {The remarkable ecological success of fungi is supported by their capacity for rapid and often reversible molecular responses to fluctuating environments. While conventional evolutionary theory has largely emphasized mutation and selection as central drivers of adaptation, many environmentally responsive fungal traits are also shaped by molecular processes that generate reversible phenotypic variation on ecological or developmental timescales. This review synthesizes current knowledge on reversible genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying fungal phenotypic plasticity by integrating insights from programmed genetic rearrangements such as mating-type switching, transposable element activity, variation in tandem repeats and the behavior of accessory chromosomes, together with dynamic epigenetic processes including histone modifications, DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling and RNA mediated regulation. Together, these mechanisms form an interconnected framework that enables rapid and, in many cases, reversible phenotypic diversification, although their consequences range from transient regulatory shifts to partially or fully irreversible sequence-level changes. We highlight the molecular machinery that governs reversibility and its evolutionary implications for fungal pathogenesis, symbiosis, and biotechnology. By uniting genetic and epigenetic perspectives, this review advances a holistic framework in which reversibility is treated as a key property of fungal phenotypic plasticity, helping fungi balance stability with flexibility under environmental challenge. Understanding these mechanisms provides new insights into fungal evolution, and opens new avenues for antifungal intervention and the rational design of industrially valuable fungal strains.},
}

@article {pmid42187814,
year = {2026},
author = {Qu, Y and Li, K and Wang, Z and Dong, H and Hategekimana, A and Wang, X and Yin, J},
title = {Genomic Insights and Antifungal Efficacy of Xenorhabdus budapestensis XH-4 in Combating Soybean Root Rot.},
journal = {Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {12},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/jof12050332},
pmid = {42187814},
issn = {2309-608X},
support = {2023YFE0125800//National Key R&D Program of China/ ; },
abstract = {Soybean root rot, primarily caused by Fusarium oxysporum, leads to severe root decay and substantial yield losses in Glycine max. This study screened ten entomopathogenic nematode-associated symbiotic bacteria for antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum. Among them, Xenorhabdus budapestensis XH-4 exhibited the strongest in vitro inhibition, suppressing mycelial growth by more than 73%. Antifungal activity was primarily attributed to extracellular metabolites, as both fermentation broth and cell-free culture supernatant were effective, whereas bacterial cell suspensions showed no significant inhibition. In greenhouse experiments, 40% (v/v) XH-4 reduced the disease index by 75-80%, comparable to the chemical fungicide metalaxyl-hymexazol. Genome mining revealed 20 biosynthetic gene clusters encoding diverse secondary metabolites, including fabclavine, fabclavine pyrrolizixenamide A, and putrebactin/avaroferrin, which likely underpin the strain antifungal efficacy. Additionally, XH-4 enhanced soybean antioxidant capacity and activated the phenylpropanoid pathway, indicating a dual mechanism involving direct antagonism and induced systemic resistance. These findings support the development of XH-4 as an environmentally friendly biofungicide for sustainable management of soybean root rot.},
}

@article {pmid42187816,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, Q and Yang, W and Zhang, C and Ren, L and Bai, N and Zhang, L and He, C and Gong, M},
title = {Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Exogenous Calcium Synergistically Alleviate Arsenic Stress in Cotton Seedlings.},
journal = {Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {12},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/jof12050335},
pmid = {42187816},
issn = {2309-608X},
support = {No.31870093 and No.31800096//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; No.242300420144//Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province, China/ ; No.252102110192 and No.252102110148//Henan Province Science and Technology Research/ ; },
abstract = {Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a promising candidate for an Arsenic (As)-tolerant plant due to its low As accumulation in fibers. The individual arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation or exogenous calcium (Ca[2+]) application is known to enhance heavy metal tolerance in higher plants; however, their synergistic mechanisms in alleviating As stress in cotton remain poorly understood. A three-factor pot experiment was conducted, including two levels of AMF (Funneliformis mosseae C.Walker & A.Schüßler) inoculation (non-inoculated/inoculated), As stress (0/100 mgAs[5+]·kg[-1]soil), and exogenous Ca[2+] (CaCl2) application (0/20 mmol·L[-1] CaCl2). AMF inoculation and Ca[2+] application were investigated for their effects on cotton growth, root morphology, photosynthetic characteristics, osmotic regulators, antioxidant enzyme activities, and ion homeostasis under As stress. Results showed As stress significantly disrupted cotton growth (decreased plant height, shoot and root dry weight) and root morphology (reduced total root length, root area, and root fork number), photosynthetic capacity (reduced Pn, Ci, Fv/Fm, and ΦPSII), osmotic adjustment (decreased proline, soluble sugar and protein), antioxidant defense (inhibited SOD, POD, CAT activities), and K[+]/Ca[2+] homeostasis (reduced concentration of K[+] and Ca[2+], and K[+]/Ca[2+] ratio). Both AMF inoculation and Ca[2+] application independently alleviated these adverse effects of As stress. At the same time, AMF symbiosis combined with exogenous Ca[2+] was better than AMF inoculation or Ca[2+] application alone in optimizing root architecture, improving stomatal function and photosynthetic efficiency, enhancing osmotic regulator accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities, and restoring ion balance under As stress. Three-way ANOVA confirmed significant As×AMF×Ca[2+] interactions on key parameters such as Pn and ΦPSII. In summary, both AMF inoculation and Ca[2+] application synergistically enhanced cotton As tolerance through regulating growth, root morphology, photosynthetic characteristics, osmotic regulators, antioxidant enzyme activities, and ion homeostasis, demonstrating its potential for sustainable cotton cultivation in As-contaminated soils.},
}

@article {pmid42188181,
year = {2026},
author = {Bianchi, T and Mastore, M and Banfi, D and Loulou, A and Quadroni, S and Brivio, MF},
title = {When Small Meets Smaller: Immune Modulation and Virulence Strategies in Insect-Bacteria Interactions.},
journal = {Insects},
volume = {17},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/insects17050515},
pmid = {42188181},
issn = {2075-4450},
abstract = {Insects represent powerful experimental systems for investigating host-microorganism interactions, providing valuable insights into bacterial pathogenicity, immune regulation, symbiosis, and antimicrobial discovery. This review examines the complex relationships between insects and bacteria, focusing on the mechanisms that control infection, immune activation, and microbial adaptation. Particular attention is given to the routes of pathogen entry and to the conserved innate immune pathways that coordinate host defenses, including the Toll, Imd, Duox, and Jak/Stat signaling cascades. The review illustrates how bacterial pathogens exploit toxins, immune evasion strategies, and metabolic adaptation to overcome host defenses, while insects rely on tightly regulated cellular and humoral responses, antimicrobial peptides, melanization, and microbiota-mediated homeostasis. Interactions between pathogenic and commensal bacteria in the insect gut are discussed in the context of immune tolerance, dysbiosis, and ecological adaptation. The dual role of bacterial virulence factors in both pathogenesis and symbiosis is highlighted through examples involving entomopathogenic bacteria such as Photorhabdus spp., Xenorhabdus spp., and Bacillus thuringiensis. In addition, the review summarizes the use of insect models, including Drosophila melanogaster, Galleria mellonella, Bombyx mori, and Apis mellifera, in experimental infections aimed at studying virulence mechanisms, host immune responses, and antimicrobial efficacy. Finally, multi-omic approaches, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and single-cell technologies are discussed as transformative tools for dissecting host-microbe interactions at molecular and systems levels. Overall, insect-bacteria interactions emerge as dynamic and evolutionarily shaped systems in which immunity, metabolism, microbiota composition, and environmental factors are closely interconnected, offering important perspectives for both basic research and the development of sustainable biocontrol and antimicrobial strategies.},
}

@article {pmid42188272,
year = {2026},
author = {Chick, JC and Morello, LT},
title = {Developing Talent with Artificial Intelligence: Human-AI Symbiotic Theory (HAIST) as a Framework for AI-Mediated Learning and Talent Development.},
journal = {Journal of Intelligence},
volume = {14},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/jintelligence14050086},
pmid = {42188272},
issn = {2079-3200},
abstract = {Traditional talent development models were designed before the AI revolution and do not consider artificial agents as possible sources of development. artificial intelligence is quickly infiltrating education spaces-but our thinking about learning has not caught up with how we can productively pair learners with both human and artificial intelligence. Addressing this gap, we introduce Human-AI Symbiotic Theory (HAIST), a novel theoretical framework designed for AI-facilitated environments, which posits how learners can productively leverage both humans and AI as "development partners" across the entire talent development process. We begin with a comprehensive integration of ideas and theory from the literature on talent development, AI for learning, and human-AI collaboration and use these insights to build HAIST for the specific context of talent development. HAIST comprises three mechanisms-Complementary Intelligence Activation (CIA), Dynamic Adaptive Co-Regulation (DACR), and Agency-Preserving Scaffolding (APS)-that are grounded in prior theory and research on topics like sociocultural theory, self-regulated learning, and distributed cognition. We then demonstrate how HAIST can be applied throughout all phases of talent development while highlighting implications for traditionally underserved learners like adult learners, student veterans, multilingual learners, and first-generation learners. We provide an applied example of how the three mechanisms work in tandem to support talent development and discuss points of tension that must be navigated when applying HAIST (e.g., between adaptation and optimization vs. agency). Lastly, we highlight how considerations of ethics and learner rights (algorithmic bias, learner voice, etc.) should be considered when operationalizing HAIST. Overall, HAIST can serve as a foundational theory to not only understand how talent development should occur between learners and both humans and AI, but also to consider the process of instruction design in AI-mediated learning environments.},
}

@article {pmid42189139,
year = {2026},
author = {Wodowski, G and Izraeli, Y and Mozes-Daube, N and Carmi, G and Chiel, E and Zchori-Fein, E},
title = {AnvRV virus in the parasitoid wasp Anagyrus vladimiri: localization, effect on gene expression, and prevalence.},
journal = {Microbiology spectrum},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0163625},
doi = {10.1128/spectrum.01636-25},
pmid = {42189139},
issn = {2165-0497},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Insect-virus associations have been studied extensively in the context of pathogenic viruses transmitted by insects, whereas research on nonpathogenic viruses remains relatively scarce. Recently, we discovered three nonpathogenic RNA viruses in the parasitoid wasp Anagyrus vladimiri: AnvRV, AnvDV, and AnvIfV. Here, using transmission electron microscopy, we detected AnvRV in the wasp oocytes and in a distinct group of cells in the ovaries, which we termed "satellite cells," but not in the venom gland or venom reservoir, indicating that AnvRV is transmitted transovarially. Next, we analyzed gene expression in AnvRV-infected and uninfected wasps and found that AnvRV modulates the immune response and alters venom composition. Notably, the NF-κB inhibitor gene was upregulated in the wasp ovaries, where AnvRV is localized, suggesting that AnvRV locally suppresses the immune response of A. vladimiri to facilitate its transmission. Next, we studied the prevalence of the three viruses in field populations of A. vladimiri and its hosts, Planococcus citri and Planococcus ficus. AnvRV was absent from both mealybug species and detected at low prevalence in A. vladimiri, whereas AnvDV and AnvIfV were consistently present in P. citri. Lastly, by datamining of public RNAseq data sets, we investigated the prevalence of these viruses in other parasitoid species and revealed only a few related viruses. Taken together, we postulate that AnvRV is an active symbiont of A. vladimiri, influencing host gene regulation. These findings provide new insights into the diversity of insect-virus interactions and their potential roles in shaping parasitoid biology.

IMPORTANCE: Viruses likely represent the majority of insect symbiotic microorganisms. Yet, viral symbionts and their interactions with insect hosts were less studied, mostly due to technical difficulties stemming from their small size and lack of universal markers. Although viral symbionts are usually perceived as pathogens, there are clear instances in which they are beneficial to their hosts, providing functions that are essential in some cases and conditionally beneficial in others, shaping insect ecology and evolution. This study provides several pieces of the puzzle on the road to understanding the complex interactions within the multi-trophic system consisting of a parasitoid wasp, its mealybug host, and a double-stranded RNA virus. This system may serve as a case study of viruses' effect on insects and broaden our understanding of the possible effects of viruses on other arthropods.},
}

@article {pmid42189972,
year = {2026},
author = {Tang, X and Feng, T and Yu, C and Ni, M and Zhang, Y and Ma, X and Wang, X and Chen, J and Shi, W and St Leger, RJ and Huang, J and Fang, W},
title = {Volatile signaling in plant-Metarhizium-insect interactions: Implications for nitrogen cycling.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {123},
number = {22},
pages = {e2603282123},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2603282123},
pmid = {42189972},
issn = {1091-6490},
support = {U24A20347 and 32172470//MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)/ ; 32325044//MOST | National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Metarhizium/metabolism/physiology ; Symbiosis ; *Nitrogen Cycle/physiology ; *Drosophila melanogaster/microbiology/metabolism ; Nitrogen/metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Larva/microbiology ; },
abstract = {Nitrogen exchange between plants and insects is a major component of ecosystem nitrogen cycling. Endophytic insect pathogenic fungi transfer insect-derived nitrogen to plants through symbiotic associations mediated by fungal mycelia, enabling plants to thrive even after losing nitrogen to insects. However, the mechanisms underlying this process remain unexplored. Here, we show that the widespread endophytic entomopathogen Metarhizium robertsii degrades the common root-derived antifungal compound caulilexin C to produce the volatile 1-methoxyindole. This compound is recognized by the Or74a olfactory receptor in Drosophila melanogaster larvae and attracts multiple Dipteran species to the plant-Metarhizium consortium. The recruited insects are subsequently infected and consumed, resulting in enhanced insect-derived nitrogen transfer to the plants. This self-reinforcing mechanism strengthens the plant-fungus symbiosis and reveals a pathway contributing to ecosystem nitrogen flux.},
}

Animals
*Metarhizium/metabolism/physiology
Symbiosis
*Nitrogen Cycle/physiology
*Drosophila melanogaster/microbiology/metabolism
Nitrogen/metabolism
Signal Transduction
Larva/microbiology

@article {pmid42191239,
year = {2026},
author = {Moriyama, T and Endo, C and Isagi, Y and Tanaka, C and Ohkuma, M and Hashimoto, A},
title = {Rediscovery of "Gloeocystis-Halbflechte" after 84 years revealed an independent lineage of ascomycetes harboured in gelatinous algal biofilms.},
journal = {Fungal biology},
volume = {130},
number = {4},
pages = {101757},
doi = {10.1016/j.funbio.2026.101757},
pmid = {42191239},
issn = {1878-6146},
mesh = {Phylogeny ; *Biofilms/growth & development ; *Ascomycota/classification/genetics/isolation & purification/physiology ; *Chlorophyta/microbiology/physiology ; DNA, Fungal/genetics/chemistry ; Japan ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Molecular Sequence Data ; DNA, Ribosomal/genetics/chemistry ; Cluster Analysis ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics/chemistry ; },
abstract = {Gloeocystis-Halbflechte refers to a variant of the interactive structure between fungi and terrestrial unicellular green algae in which fungi form haustoria in algal cells within gelatinous algal colonies and occasionally form monilioid hyphal outgrowth. It was first recognized in 1941; however, the identity of the fungal and algal components of this interaction has not been clarified. In this study, the interactive structure between fungi and algae resembling Gloeocystis-Halbflechte and the adjacent pycnidia formed within terrestrial gelatinous algal biofilms were collected in Japan. Fungal isolates from monilioid pigmented hyphae around haustoria and pycnidial wall were found to be genetically homogenous. Phylogenetic analysis of the fungal isolates suggested their affinity with the order of freshwater saprobic fungi Natipusillales, and formation of chlamydospore-like body under pure culture was shared with this family. Based on the genetic, ecological, and morphological independency, a new family, Tschermakiaceae, is proposed to accommodate a new genus and species, Tschermakia inclusa. It is highly possible that the fungi-algae interaction in Tschermakia has been acquired independently from other lichenized lineages as this order is independent from any other lichenized lineage. The algal isolate from the biofilm was grouped with the ex-type strain of Radiococcus signiensis (Prasiolales incertae sedis), and the morphology of the algae associated with the fungal hyphae in natural conditions was consistent with that of R. signiensis. Furthermore, the fungal isolate formed haustoria in the algal isolate in co-cultural experimental conditions. The evolutionary background and phylogenetic diversity of algae-symbiotic fungi are probably still underestimated.},
}

Phylogeny
*Biofilms/growth & development
*Ascomycota/classification/genetics/isolation & purification/physiology
*Chlorophyta/microbiology/physiology
DNA, Fungal/genetics/chemistry
Japan
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Molecular Sequence Data
DNA, Ribosomal/genetics/chemistry
Cluster Analysis
DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics/chemistry

@article {pmid42191244,
year = {2026},
author = {Richardson, JA and Higuita-Aguirre, MI and Rose, BD and Garcia, K},
title = {Phosphorus availability influences potassium chemistries in the ectomycorrhizal fungi Pisolithus tinctorius and Paxillus ammoniavirescens.},
journal = {Fungal biology},
volume = {130},
number = {4},
pages = {101776},
doi = {10.1016/j.funbio.2026.101776},
pmid = {42191244},
issn = {1878-6146},
mesh = {*Phosphorus/metabolism/analysis ; *Mycorrhizae/metabolism/chemistry/growth & development ; *Potassium/metabolism/analysis/chemistry ; *Basidiomycota/metabolism/chemistry ; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission ; X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy ; },
abstract = {Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi play essential roles in tree nutrition and soil biogeochemical cycling by mediating the acquisition and storage of mineral nutrients. While phosphorus and nitrogen exchange between host plants and ECM fungi are well documented, potassium (K) dynamics remain poorly understood. Using synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (XRF) imaging and K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, we compared the spatial distribution and chemical speciation of K and P in two Boletales fungi - Pisolithus tinctorius and Paxillus ammoniavirescens - grown under P-sufficient and P-limited conditions. Both species exhibited reduced K and P abundance under low P, but P. ammoniavirescens maintained higher and more spatially variable concentrations of both elements. K XANES analyses revealed distinct species-specific chemical fingerprints: P. tinctorius displayed a reduced diversity of K species under P limitation, dominated by humic- and tartrate-bound forms, whereas P. ammoniavirescens preserved a broader suite of organic and inorganic K compounds, including persistent KH2PO4. These results indicate that ECM fungi employ divergent strategies for K and P management, reflecting their ecological specialization. P. tinctorius adopts a conservative nutrient-retention strategy, while P. ammoniavirescens exhibits greater physiological plasticity. Together, these findings provide new insight into the functional and evolutionary diversity of nutrient regulation among ECM symbionts.},
}

*Phosphorus/metabolism/analysis
*Mycorrhizae/metabolism/chemistry/growth & development
*Potassium/metabolism/analysis/chemistry
*Basidiomycota/metabolism/chemistry
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy

@article {pmid42191249,
year = {2026},
author = {Klein, M and Oyarte Gálvez, L and van der Lugt, D and Bisot, C and van Staalduine, S and West, SA and Kokkoris, V and Dong, L and Bouwmeester, H and Shimizu, TS and Weedon, JT and Kiers, ET},
title = {Cytoplasmic flow dynamics in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are intrinsic and independent of plant hosts.},
journal = {Fungal biology},
volume = {130},
number = {4},
pages = {101775},
doi = {10.1016/j.funbio.2026.101775},
pmid = {42191249},
issn = {1878-6146},
mesh = {*Mycorrhizae/physiology/metabolism/growth & development ; *Cytoplasm/metabolism/physiology ; Hyphae/growth & development/metabolism/physiology ; Symbiosis ; Myristic Acid/metabolism ; Plant Roots/microbiology ; *Plants/microbiology ; Fungi ; },
abstract = {Despite the ecological importance of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, it is unclear to what extent these symbionts can act autonomously from plant hosts, especially in their ability to control internal nutrient flows. We studied flows in AM fungal networks grown without plant hosts by providing myristic acid as a carbon source. Using a custom-built imaging platform, we tracked network formation of two Rhizophagus irregularis strains with and without myristic acid. We collected 5000 cytoplasmic flow videos in hyphae, and fluorescently tagged lipids to measure their speeds. We measured ∼25,000 flow trajectories and calculated flow speeds by kymograph analysis. In the presence of myristic acid but lacking a host root, AM fungi produced networks 10-times longer, covered up to 4 times more area, and showed a 50% increase in mean flow speed. Flow speeds varied drastically over time and space, with rare bursts of fast flows between 10 and 30 μm/s. Flows of fluorescently tagged lipids averaged 3 μm/s and were unaffected by myristic acid. Even one year after application, we could detect cytoplasmic flows in asymbiotic fungal hyphae close to parental spores when grown with myristic acid. Our findings suggest that cytoplasmic flows can be decoupled from hosts and challenge our current understanding of AM fungal autonomy.},
}

*Mycorrhizae/physiology/metabolism/growth & development
*Cytoplasm/metabolism/physiology
Hyphae/growth & development/metabolism/physiology
Symbiosis
Myristic Acid/metabolism
Plant Roots/microbiology
*Plants/microbiology
Fungi

@article {pmid42191788,
year = {2026},
author = {Wei, Y and Liu, J and Wang, Y and Gao, F},
title = {Driving mechanisms of tourist environmentally friendly behavior in cultural heritage destinations from an embodied cognition perspective.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-50493-3},
pmid = {42191788},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {In cultural heritage tourism destinations, the tension between "protection" and "utilization" is becoming increasingly prominent, making the effective stimulation of tourists' Environmentally Friendly Behavior (EFB) a key issue. Based on Embodied Cognition Theory (ECT), this study develops an "ECT-Natural Connection (NC) and Tourism Satisfaction (TS)-EFB" theoretical model from three dimensions: Subjective Participation in Cognition (SPC), Emotional Cognition (EC), and Environmental Awareness (EA). An empirical study was conducted in Chengkan Village, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, and questionnaire data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results show that: (1) the Richness of Folk Activities (RI) and Participation in Folk Activities (PA) both have significant positive effects on NC and TS, confirming the fundamental role of SPC in activating tourists' environmentally friendly tendencies; (2) Ecological Reverence (ER), Cultural Resonance (CR), and Human-Earth Symbiosis Awareness (HES) all significantly promote the formation of NC, whereas the direct effect of HES on TS is not significant; (3) Natural Affinity (NA) and Environmental Risk Perception (ERP) both exert significant positive effects on NC and TS; and (4) NC and TS both significantly and positively influence EFB, while the direct effect of NC on TS is not significant. From the perspective of embodied cognition, this study systematically reveals the driving mechanisms of tourists' EFB in cultural heritage tourism destinations, enriches theoretical research at the intersection of cultural heritage tourism behavior and environmental psychology, and provides practical implications for heritage site managers to stimulate tourists' EFB and promote the coordinated development of heritage conservation and tourism development.},
}

@article {pmid42178707,
year = {2026},
author = {Huang, XY and Ge, ST and Chen, JQ and Zhong, YW and Shen, CC and Wu, YH and Cheng, H},
title = {Complete genome sequence of a urea-degrading Microbacterium sp. HM-570 reveals its deep-sea symbiotic lifestyle within sponge from the Western Pacific.},
journal = {Marine genomics},
volume = {86},
number = {},
pages = {101234},
doi = {10.1016/j.margen.2026.101234},
pmid = {42178707},
issn = {1876-7478},
mesh = {*Genome, Bacterial ; *Porifera/microbiology/physiology ; Animals ; *Symbiosis ; Pacific Ocean ; *Urea/metabolism ; *Microbacterium/genetics/physiology/metabolism ; Whole Genome Sequencing ; },
abstract = {Microbacterium sp. HM-570 (16S rDNA sequence similarity 99.03% with the closest species Microbacterium lacus A5E-52[T]) is a sponge-associated bacterium isolated from deep-sea sponge, collected at the Hakugan seamount in Western Pacific. Here we report the complete genome sequence of strain HM-570, which consists of a single circular chromosome without no detectable plasmids. Genomic annotations revealed genetic features consistent with deep-sea stress tolerance and host-associated lifestyle, including genes putatively involved in stress responses and heavy-metal resistance, as well as multiple secondary-metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. The genome also encodes several vitamin-biosynthesis pathways (e.g., riboflavin and folate) which may support the sponge host by supplementing essential vitamins and a set of eukaryotic-like repeat proteins that may be involved in host association, such as attachment and immune modulation. In addition, HM-570 carries genes associated with urea degradation (ureABC, ureDFG, urtABCDE, uca and atzF), and growth-based experiment confirmed urea degradation in vitro. Together, these data suggest that strain HM-570 represents a genomically distinct Microbacterium lineage with potential functional roles in nutrient cycling and stress tolerance within deep-sea sponge-associated microbial communities.},
}

*Genome, Bacterial
*Porifera/microbiology/physiology
Animals
*Symbiosis
Pacific Ocean
*Urea/metabolism
*Microbacterium/genetics/physiology/metabolism
Whole Genome Sequencing

@article {pmid42179498,
year = {2026},
author = {Ma, R and Dai, B and Li, C and Wu, S and Li, Z and Li, R and Nian, F and Zhao, L and Liu, Y and Xie, Y and Dong, J and Liao, X and Deng, X and Liu, D},
title = {Integrated physiological and molecular insights into photosynthetic responses of maize following relay-cropping of tobacco.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1787851},
pmid = {42179498},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: In the relay cropping system where maize growth overlaps with the tobacco harvesting period, clarifying light competition during the co-growth stage and its effects on maize photosynthesis is essential for optimizing cropping spatial configuration. This study aimed to reveal the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the photosynthetic response of silage maize (Huidan No. 4) to relay intercropping with flue-cured tobacco (K326).

METHODS: A field experiment was established with two treatments: maize relay-cropped after tobacco harvest and maize monoculture. At 15, 25, and 35 days after the formation of the intercropping competitive system, photosynthetic indices, chlorophyll content, and the activities of photosynthesis-related enzymes were determined in maize functional leaves (the third leaf from the top). Transcriptome sequencing was also performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which tobacco shading affects maize photosynthesis.

RESULTS: The solar radiation intercepted by relay-cropped maize was significantly lower than that of monoculture maize. Correspondingly, relay-cropped maize exhibited declined photosynthetic performance, with significant reductions in photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll content, and activities of photosynthesis-related enzymes. Transcriptome analysis of maize functional leaves during the co-growth period identified a total of 3200 differentially expressed genes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in photosynthesis-related pathways. Key genes involved in C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways, including *PPC*, *PPDK*, *RBCL*, and *PRK*, were significantly downregulated in relay-cropped maize. Analysis of maize photosynthetic indices across tobacco-maize co-growth durations of 0-35 days indicated that the suitable symbiotic period was 0-25 days.

DISCUSSION: In the tobacco-maize relay intercropping system, the combined effects of severe shading and shading duration downregulate photosynthesis-related genes, inhibit the activities of key carbon fixation enzymes in maize, reduce carbon dioxide fixation capacity, and restrict the accumulation of organic matter in maize plants. This study systematically illustrates the regulatory mechanism of tobacco shading on maize photosynthetic characteristics at both physiological and molecular levels, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing the spatiotemporal layout of planting systems combining grain and economic crops.},
}