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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Healthcare Access and Safety Training Gaps Among H-2 A Visa Agricultural Workers in Georgia.

The H-2 A Temporary Agricultural Workers Program, which supplies seasonal labor essential to U.S. food security, has grown over 230% in the past decade but is excluded from the National Agricultural Workers Survey. Although safety training is federally mandated and H-2 A workers are eligible for Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace coverage, compliance and healthcare access among these workers remain poorly documented. The aim of this pilot study was to assess workplace safety training, heat acclimatization practices, health insurance awareness and enrollment, and healthcare utilization among H-2 A workers in Georgia. In summer 2024, bilingual research assistants orally administered a cross-sectional Spanish-language survey to 51 H-2 A workers at a South Georgia laundromat, in partnership with the Latino Community Fund Georgia. The survey assessed demographics, occupational characteristics, safety training, heat acclimatization, health insurance awareness and enrollment, and healthcare utilization. Findings are self-reported. Among participants, 41% reported not receiving federally mandated pesticide safety training, and 59% received heat illness prevention training. Heat acclimatization was inadequate for 53% (29% received none). Additionally, 53% did not know the nearest hospital, 43% reported having health insurance, and 25% were unsure of their health insurance status. Overall, 71% had never visited a doctor's office, and of 22 insured workers, only 1 (2%) had used benefits this season. Substantial gaps in workplace safety training, heat acclimatization, and healthcare access were observed in this pilot study, consistent with prior evidence of persistent disparities in this population. Community-based outreach, bilingual health navigation, and market-based labor accountability models warrant further investigation to improve protections for H-2 A workers.

Agricultural workers↗

PubMed2026

High-altitude hypoxia alters the visual control of standing balance in lowlanders and Tibetan highlanders.

High-altitude hypoxia affects both visual function and postural control, yet the influence of optic-flow perturbations on standing balance under hypoxic stress remains unclear. Tibetan highlanders (TH) exhibit adaptations to chronic hypoxia, but whether their visually driven postural responses differ from those of lowlanders (LL) has not been investigated. We examined how high-altitude exposure and acclimatization influence static and dynamic visual contributions to balance by delivering sinusoidal optic-flow perturbations in virtual reality at low altitude (1,400 m) and after incremental ascent to high altitude (4,300 m) in acclimatizing LL (n = 15) and TH (n = 14). Anteroposterior center of pressure (AP CoP) velocity and mean power frequency (MPF) were measured during three visual-field conditions (full-, central-, and peripheral-vision) and two optic-flow velocities (peak 1 m/s and 8 m/s at 0.25 Hz). At high altitude, both groups showed attenuated responses to optic flow compared with 1,400 m, reflected by reduced AP CoP velocity and lower MPF across visual-field conditions, consistent with reduced responsiveness to dynamic visual-motion cues under high altitude hypoxia. In contrast, during eyes-open quiet stance [no virtual reality (VR)], TH but not LL exhibited increased AP CoP velocity and MPF at 4,300 m, and no altitude effect was observed with eyes-closed in either group. This finding indicates that TH adopt a visually dependent postural strategy at altitude, whereas LL show minimal changes in static visual balance control but reduced responsiveness to fast dynamic motion. Together, these findings demonstrate that high-altitude hypoxia disrupts dynamic visual processing for balance control in both groups, while revealing group differences in the use of static visual cues during quiet stance.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to investigate how high-altitude hypoxia alters visually driven postural control using virtual reality (VR) optic-flow perturbations. We show that hypoxia attenuates sway responses to optic-flow in both lowlanders and Tibetan highlanders, and that visual weighting differs between these groups. These findings reveal altitude- and population-related changes in sensory weighting during standing balance, advancing sensorimotor understanding of postural control in hypoxia.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Identifying causal genetic variants for high-altitude adaptation through blood eQTL analysis in plateau populations.

A substantial number of genetic variants have been associated with high-altitude adaptation (HAA), yet most of them are located in non-coding genomic regions, leaving their specific functions and underlying mechanisms largely unknown. In this study, we analyze whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing data from a self-established cohort comprising 61 native highlanders (NHs) and 164 acclimatized newcomers (ANs), identifying 6,586 cis- and 34,203 trans-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), along with 130 cell type-specific eQTLs. By further combining these data with a large East Asia (~30% Tibetan) genome-wide association study (GWAS) cohort, we employ colocalization and causal inference analyses to prioritize 85 cis-eQTLs associated with HAA and identify several novel candidate causal genes, including EXOC8, which is experimentally confirmed to regulate erythroid differentiation. Additionally, network analysis of these causal genes uncovers multiple regulatory pathways, mainly involving energy metabolism, autophagy, ubiquitination and inflammation. Our study offers a comprehensive eQTL map and reveals causal chains of "variant-gene-phenotype" for HAA-related traits, which provides new insights into potential regulatory mechanisms and targets for prevention and treatment of altitude sickness.

Quantitative Trait Loci↗

PubMed2026

The Multiple Roles of Genetics on Freshwater Macrophyte Functional Traits in the Interplay With the Environment: A Review.

The study of functional trait variation is increasingly used to understand macrophyte adaptation, as traits reflect organismal performance under different ecosystem conditions. Phenotypic expression results from the interplay of genetic and environmental factors: genetics provides the molecular basis for heritable traits and constrains potential phenotypes, while the environment acts as a selective and modulatory force. However, the genetic insight into traits has rarely been addressed in freshwater macrophyte studies. This review examines the different ways in which the DNA of macrophytes interplays with the environment and contributes to the variation in their functional traits, outlining main approaches, gaps, and future challenges. Only 21 studies explicitly combined genetics with functional traits and environment in the last fifteen years. The most common approach was the use of common garden experiments to explore acclimation and adaptation in a few model species. Current studies mainly focus on morphological and growth traits that best describe macrophytes' economic strategies, with limited attention to other trait categories, while the genetic and DNA traits studied are more variable. Across studies, environmental factors generally explained a larger proportion of functional trait variation, highlighting the dominant role of phenotypic plasticity for macrophyte acclimatation, whereas genetic contribution increased under experimentally manipulated conditions. Genome size and epigenetic variation influenced phenotypic plasticity; however, the effect was different and inconsistent on traits and depended on phylogenetic relationships and geographical environment variation. In field studies of natural populations, life history traits and hydrology had a strong effect on the geographic distribution of genetic diversity and the response to selection, as well as on our ability to distinguish selection from genetic drift. Future research should enhance molecular analyses, adopt multifactorial and long-term experimental designs, develop conceptual frameworks to address the relationships between genomics, environment and functional traits and integrate emerging tools to capture macrophyte adaptation better.

adaptation↗

PubMed2026

Bioprospecting Chromobacterium violaceum for bioremediation: an alternative to environmental lead pollution.

Lead pollution is a major environmental concern, but current decontamination technologies remain limited due to high costs. Therefore, alternative biotechnological processes have been successfully developed and applied due to their reduced cost and lower aggressiveness in the environment. The remarkable adaptive versatility of Chromobacterium violaceum in metal-contaminated environments makes this bacterium a promising candidate for Pb bioremediation. Therefore, the reference strain C. violaceum ATCC 12,472 and the environmental isolate C. violaceum SCV1, the first strain of this species isolated from a Brazilian area with natural Pb occurrence, were evaluated for Pb resistance under different Pb concentrations and exposure times. Pb biosorption was assessed by scanning electron microscopy, while strain-specific protein profiles were characterized using tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis. The results obtained revealed the potential of C. violaceum to perform lead bioremediation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis confirmed the biosorption of lead by C. violaceum strains. C. violaceum SCV1 was able to remove up to 40% more lead concentration when compared to ATCC 12,472 which suggested adaptation through natural selection process of C. violaceum SCV1. Proteome analysis revealed 1531 proteins, of which several are candidates for lead bioremediation. This is the first study on the resistance proteomics of C. violaceum against lead. The acclimatization of the bacteria linked to the identification of several proteins related to: biosorption; efflux and ionic uptake (bioaccumulation); biomolecule transport; and biomethylation, point out to this organism as a potential lead bioremediation agent.

Chromobacterium↗

PubMed2026

Development of an Efficient Regeneration and Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation Protocol for Hosta 'Light Star' Using the RUBY Reporter Gene.

Hosta plantaginea is a perennial shade-tolerant herb of the Liliaceae family, with high ornamental and urban greening value. Hosta 'Light Star' is a newly developed ornamental cultivar with yellow-margined leaves and lilac flowers, but no efficient in vitro regeneration or genetic transformation system has been established for this cultivar to date. In this study, we established a highly efficient in vitro regeneration system for Hosta 'Light Star,' and developed an Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation protocol using the RUBY visual reporter gene for non-invasive screening of positive transformants. The optimal callus induction medium was MS + 2 mg/L 6-BA + 0.3 mg/L NAA + 0.05 mg/L 2, 4-D, with a callus induction rate of 53.33% for leaf explants (the optimal explant for sterile seedlings). The optimal adventitious bud proliferation medium was MS + 2 mg/L 6-BA + 0.1 mg/L NAA, with a proliferation coefficient of 5.87. The optimal rooting medium was 1/2 MS + 0.5 mg/L NAA + 0.5 mg/L IBA, with a 100% rooting rate. The optimal transplant substrate was perlite:vermiculite = 2:1, with a 100% transplant survival rate after acclimatization. For Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, the optimal infection parameters were as follows: Agrobacterium suspension OD600 = 0.6, infection time of 10 min, and 200 μM acetosyringone; the optimal selection conditions were 300 mg/L cefotaxime for bacteriostasis and 30 mg/L hygromycin for transformant screening. The final stable transformation efficiency was 2.50% (95% CI 1.23-3.77%), with an escape rate of 16.13%. Transgenic plants showed distinct purplish-red coloration in roots, stems, and leaves, with significantly higher betacyanin accumulation than wild-type plants (p < 0.05). Stable integration and expression of the RUBY gene were confirmed by PCR, RT-PCR, and RT-qPCR. This study establishes the first efficient regeneration and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system for Hosta 'Light Star,' and validates the feasibility of the RUBY reporter gene as a visual marker for Hosta transformation. This system provides a solid technical platform for functional genomic studies, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, and molecular breeding of ornamental traits in Hosta.

Transformation, Genetic↗

PubMed2026

An effective method for isolation and regeneration of Solanum tuberosum mesophyll protoplasts for transgene-free genome editing.

An effective system for isolating and regenerating protoplasts is crucial for research in genome engineering. This study focused on refining a protocol for the isolation and regeneration of mesophyll protoplasts from the leaves of Solanum tuberosum cv. Kufri Jyoti. Key factors influencing protoplast yield and viability, such as dark pretreatment, pre-plasmolysis, enzyme concentrations, and osmoticum levels, were thoroughly assessed and optimized. The highest protoplast yield and viability were achieved with an enzyme mixture of 1.0% cellulase R-10 and 0.5% macerozyme R-10 after 16 h of incubation. Furthermore, culturing on a Murashige and Skoog-based medium (MSPI) without ammonium nitrate, enriched with an osmoticum concentration of 0.4 M and a carefully adjusted auxin-to-cytokinin ratio, successfully facilitated protoplast division, microcalli proliferation, and minicalli formation. Callus proliferation and shoot induction were accomplished on MS13K medium supplemented with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and zeatin riboside. Root initiation and elongation were promoted on MS basal medium supplemented with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at 1 mg/L. The regenerated plantlets were subsequently acclimatized and hardened under controlled greenhouse conditions. This robust protoplast-to-plant protocol serves as a crucial resource for the introduction of ribonucleoprotein complexes into plant cells, facilitating accurate, transgene-free genome editing.

Callus induction↗

PubMed2024

Extreme elevational migration spurred cryptic speciation in giant hummingbirds.

The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche expansion may be promoted by local adaptation or constrained by physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening of the climatic niche by expansion into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can be short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation and niche subdivision across climatic gradients. To illuminate niche breadth dynamics, we can ask how "outlier" species defy constraints. Of the 363 hummingbird species, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) has the broadest climatic niche by a large margin. To test the roles of migratory behavior, performance trade-offs, and genetic structure in maintaining its exceptional niche breadth, we studied its movements, respiratory traits, and population genomics. Satellite and light-level geolocator tracks revealed an >8,300-km loop migration over the Central Andean Plateau. This migration included a 3-wk, ~4,100-m ascent punctuated by upward bursts and pauses, resembling the acclimatization routines of human mountain climbers, and accompanied by surging blood-hemoglobin concentrations. Extreme migration was accompanied by deep genomic divergence from high-elevation resident populations, with decisive postzygotic barriers to gene flow. The two forms occur side-by-side but differ almost imperceptibly in size, plumage, and respiratory traits. The high-elevation resident taxon is the world's largest hummingbird, a previously undiscovered species that we describe and name here. The giant hummingbirds demonstrate evolutionary limits on niche breadth: when the ancestral niche expanded due to evolution (or loss) of an extreme migratory behavior, speciation followed.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Fungal and algal lichen symbionts show different transcriptional expression patterns in two climate zones.

In the lichen symbiosis, the fungal and algal partners constitute a closely integrated system. The combination of fungal and algal partners changes along climate gradients in many species, and is expected to be adaptive. However, the functional mechanisms behind this symbiosis-mediated environmental adaptation are unknown. We investigated which transcriptional profiles are associated with specific fungal-algal symbiont pairings found in lichens from high-elevation (Lower Supratemperate) and low-elevation (Lower Mesomediterranean) sites at two extremes of a climatic gradient on Mount Limbara, Sardinia. Using laboratory-acclimatized thalli, we found that lichen fungal and algal symbionts show variable expression profiles between high- and low-elevation individuals: circadian- and temperature-associated genes for fungi and light-responsive genes for algae show climate-specific patterns. High- and low-elevation individuals differentially express sugar transporters in both symbionts, pointing to symmetrical and climate-dependent sugar transport mechanisms between them. A light pulse treatment identified asymmetries between fungal and algal light responses, with high- and low-elevation fungal symbionts but only low-elevation algal symbionts showing a response. Together, these results tie previously observed genomic variation along climatic gradients in a lichen species to functional differences in transcription for the fungal and algal symbionts, contributing to our understanding of environmental specialization and niche-specific partner combinations in lichens.

Lichens↗

PubMed2026

Bedtime tetrahydrocannabinol ingestion reduces morning orthostatic cardiovascular reactivity in adults: An exploratory study.

Acute cannabis use and its primary psychoactive constituent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can induce postural dizziness, indicating increased risk of orthostatic instability. However, it is unknown if vulnerabilities persist the morning after bedtime THC consumption. This study investigated the influence of bedtime THC consumption on cardiovascular variables during an orthostatic challenge. Nine individuals with no cannabis use and eight individuals who regularly use cannabis participated in a tilt table test associated with a 3-day in-laboratory stay. Participants underwent an acclimatization day, followed by a placebo dosing day, and a 10 mg THC dosing day. Placebo and THC pills were given 1 h before a participant's habitual bedtime, and the tilt table test was performed ~1 h upon awakening. Participants were instrumented with an electrocardiogram and an automated sphygmomanometer. Fluid intake and output were measured throughout the study. The morning after THC administration, individuals with no cannabis use reported a higher frequency of dizziness and exhibited a significant reduction in both diastolic blood pressure and heart rate reactivity to tilt (reactivity = tilt - baseline) compared to the morning after placebo. Our results indicate a potential increased risk for orthostatic instability the morning after cannabis consumption in individuals with no cannabis use history.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Integrated Cytokine and Immune Cell Profiling Reveals a Distinct Immune Signature Associated with High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema.

High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a rapidly progressive, life-threatening disorder arising in otherwise healthy individuals upon ascent to high altitude, yet the mechanisms underlying maladaptive vascular leak remain poorly defined. Although elevated pulmonary arterial pressure and capillary stress failure are recognized as central hemodynamic drivers, accumulating evidence indicates that innate immune dysregulation is an equally critical, largely unexplored determinant of HAPE. To systematically delineate the immune and molecular programs that distinguish pathological responses to hypobaric hypoxia from acclimatization, peripheral blood along with clinical details was collected from low-altitude controls (LA-Cntrl, number of participants, (n = 19), healthy high-altitude sojourners (HA-Cntrl, n = 47), and HAPE patients (n = 90). Plasma proteomic markers were quantified using a targeted panel, while monocyte and dendritic cell subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were immunophenotyped by multicolor flow cytometry. HA-Cntrl subjects displayed an anti-inflammatory profile, marked by the suppression of CXC chemokine receptor 3 axis chemokines. HAPE patients, in contrast, exhibited a pro-inflammatory, vascular injury signature, with elevated levels of inflammatory interleukins and myeloid and chemotactic factors. This inflammatory signature was accompanied by the expansion of classical monocytes, implicating a myeloid vascular program associated with HAPE.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Plasticity of hepatic metabolism in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in response to cyclic hypoxia.

The emergence of cyclic hypoxia puts aquatic organisms' homeostasis under significant strain. Energetic metabolism as well as protein synthesis and folding are particularly altered during hypoxia, while reoxygenation imposes an oxidative challenge. Currently, little is known about how hypoxia-sensitive organisms respond to large oxygen fluctuations. Our previous work on Arctic char revealed that this salmonid, despite being strongly affected by acute hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R), can successfully reestablish homeostasis, notably through adjustments to hepatic mitochondrial metabolism. However, the mechanisms underlying this acclimation remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that Arctic char remodel their hepatic proteome to optimize energy metabolism, reorganize oxygen-demanding pathways, and maintain cellular homeostasis during repeated H/R cycles. By exposing Arctic char to two or fifteen days of diel cyclic hypoxia, we confirmed this species' limited capacity to respond to acute H/R. Nevertheless, after fifteen cycles, fish adjusted their energetic metabolism through coordinated regulation of carbohydrate and lipid pathways and upregulation of amino acid metabolism. Mitochondrial metabolism was strongly reorganized, particularly at the ubiquinone-Complex III interaction level, alongside adjustments in proline utilization and protein processing. Moreover, protein processing and folding pathways were stimulated in both mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum. However, chronic cyclic hypoxia may still promote non-mitochondrial ROS production, DNA replication stress, and impaired immune function. This study highlights how a hypoxia-sensitive fish progressively reorganizes its metabolism and oxygen-demanding pathways to establish a phenotype adapted to chronic cyclic hypoxia, while also revealing the physiological costs associated with this acclimation.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Genetically diverse populations hold the keys to climatic adaptation in the Western barn owl (Tyto alba).

Although local adaptation influences species distributions, its role in driving evolutionary resilience under climate change remains unclear. Current predictive models focus on genetic adaptation to present climates, providing limited insight into future adaptive capacity. We hypothesise that historical responses to climatic shifts can reveal candidate loci for local adaptation in the future. Combining ecological niche modelling and genomic analyses, we investigate spatiotemporal patterns and mechanisms of local adaptation of the Western Palearctic barn owl (Tyto alba). Ecological modelling reveals that barn owls now occupy a broader climatic niche than during the Last Glacial Maximum. Genomic analyses indicate ongoing adaptation, with regions under selection linked to environmental factors across all populations. We find that local adaptation drives evolutionary changes across populations, enabling colonisation of new habitats and shaping responses to climate change in resident populations. We show that standing genetic diversity plays a crucial role in adaptation to past, present, and future environmental shifts.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Integrative Genomic, Transcriptomic and Epigenomic Analysis Reveals cis-regulatory Contributions to High-altitude Adaptation in Tibetan Pigs.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, characterized by its extreme environmental conditions, presents significant challenges to life, making it an ideal region for studying adaptation and evolution. Tibetan pigs, known for their high genetic diversity and exceptional adaptability to high altitudes, serve as excellent models for investigating high-altitude adaptation. While previous studies have extensively identified genetic determinants associated with high-altitude adaptation, the molecular mechanisms, particularly cis-regulatory patterns, remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted a selective sweep analysis using 484 genomes from Chinese and Western pig breeds across various altitudes, revealing 38.56 Mb of genomic regions under selection in Tibetan pigs. Enrichment analysis identified the lung as the primary functional tissue involved in high-altitude adaptation, supported by tissue-specific transcriptional and regulatory patterns observed between Tibetan and Meishan pigs (low altitude). By integrating genomic, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and H3K27ac HiChIP data, we constructed comprehensive enhancer-promoter regulatory maps of candidate genes and pinpointed promising genetic determinants associated with high-altitude adaptation, including SNPs in EPAS1, KLF13, SPRED1, and CFD. These loci were predicted to influence chromatin accessibility and the interactions of regulatory elements, with altered binding strength of relevant transcription factors. Further in vitro experiments confirmed that these loci function as allele-specific enhancers, modulating the expression of target genes. Our findings elucidate the regulatory basis of high-altitude adaptation in Tibetan pigs and provide valuable insights for exploring hypoxia-related diseases in livestock and humans.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Adaptive Evolution for Freshwater Adaptation in Coilia nasus by Directional Selection on Osmoregulation Genes.

The molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptation to freshwater habitats in fish of marine origin remain unclear. Grenadier anchovies, such as Coilia nasus, originate from marine environments and include both anadromous and freshwater-resident conspecifics, making them ideal for studying adaptive evolution from marine to freshwater habitats. We conducted a comparative population genomic and transcriptome analysis of two distinct C. nasus lineages, one anadromous and the other freshwater-resident, collected from mainstream and estuarine regions of the Yangtze River, China. By genome-wide genotyping of the anadromous and the freshwater-resident populations, we observed significant divergence in osmoregulation, energy metabolism, and immune response pathways associated with ecological adaptation and energy expenditure for migration. Some ion transport genes such as CAMK1, ATP1α3, KCNJ1 and SLC30A2 were identified that may contribute to freshwater adaptation. Notably, numerous mineralocorticoid signalling genes (e.g., NR3C2, SGK1, ATP1α3, KCNJ1) exhibit dynamic change between the anadromous and freshwater populations, suggesting an important role for the hormone cortisol in regulating salinity acclimation in euryhaline fish. Among these genes, the ion channel ATP1α3 experienced adaptive amino acid substitutions (Val317Ile and Thr329Ser), which appear to be evolutionary hotspots across migratory species based on ortholog comparisons. These variants may facilitate sodium/potassium transport and highlight salinity tolerance as a key driver of divergence in anadromous fish transitioning to freshwater. These results enhance our understanding of the genetic basis underlying freshwater adaptation for an anadromous fish across osmotic boundaries.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Synthetic allopolyploidy unveils hybridization-driven transcriptional reprogramming underlying thermal adaptation in Cucumis.

Both heterosis (hybrid vigor) resulting from hybridization and genetic plasticity conferred by whole-genome duplication (WGD) are recognized as drivers of evolutionary success and ecological adaptation in plants. Allopolyploids, which combine both hybridization and WGD, are widespread in both natural and agricultural settings and often exhibit superior performance. However, the relative contributions of these two elements to the success of allopolyploids remain poorly understood. Here, we employed an experimentally reconstructed allotetraploid Cucumis species (C. × hytivus, 2n = 4x = 38) and its diploid interspecific hybrid progenitor (allodiploid, 2n = 2x = 19) to decouple and investigate the distinct and combined contributions of hybridization and whole-genome doubling to immediate genetic and phenotypic consequences of allopolyploid formation under environmental stress. Both C. × hytivus and the allodiploid exhibited superior heat tolerance compared with the parental species with significantly higher semi-lethal temperature and enhanced physiological acclimation capacity. While the allodiploid and allotetraploid retain transcriptomic features where differences persist (e.g., WGCNA modules), comparative analysis of the 15,680 homoeologous gene pairs in the allodiploid and allotetraploid under heat stress (45°C) versus control conditions (28°C) revealed conserved heat-responsive transcriptional plasticity, suggesting that enhanced thermotolerance in C. × hytivus is presented as consequences arising dominantly after interspecific hybridization. This study provides mechanistic insights into allopolyploid adaptation through experimental reconstruction of allopolyploid genomes, demonstrating that hybridization initiates key transcriptional and physiological advantages under stress, subsequent WGD stabilizes these adaptations and contributes to the full phenotypic realization. This work decouples the roles of interspecific hybridization and WGD and proposes a synthetic biology approach for developing climate-resilient crops.

Hybridization, Genetic↗

PubMed2026

The OsUVR8-OsNAC3-OsERF117 signaling module mediates metabolic acclimation and climate adaptation in rice.

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B; 280 to 315 nanometers) radiation increasingly threatens crop productivity, yet the genetic basis of plant adaptation remains poorly understood. We delineate a UV-B signaling module in rice that links photoreceptor activation to transcriptional reprogramming and metabolic acclimation. The AP2/ERF transcription factor OsERF117 acts as a central regulator, directly activating flavonoid and melatonin biosynthetic genes to drive photoprotective metabolite accumulation and enhance UV-B stress tolerance. Promoter variation in OsERF117 defines 10 haplotypes across 4093 rice accessions, with high-expression haplotypes enriched in high-UV-B regions and correlated with adaptive divergence. OsERF117 is transcriptionally activated by OsNAC3, with a cis-regulatory SNP at an OsNAC3-binding site modulating responsiveness and contributing to subspecies diversification. Genetic and biochemical evidence supports a model in which UV-B-activated OsUVR8 promotes OsNAC3 activity and antagonizes OsCOP1-mediated ubiquitination and degradation in rice. This OsUVR8-OsCOP1-OsNAC3-OsERF117 module reveals how UV-B perception drives regulatory and metabolic diversification, offering targets for breeding UV-B-resilient crops.

Oryza↗

PubMed2011

Adaptation to climate across the Arabidopsis thaliana genome.

Understanding the genetic bases and modes of adaptation to current climatic conditions is essential to accurately predict responses to future environmental change. We conducted a genome-wide scan to identify climate-adaptive genetic loci and pathways in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Amino acid-changing variants were significantly enriched among the loci strongly correlated with climate, suggesting that our scan effectively detects adaptive alleles. Moreover, from our results, we successfully predicted relative fitness among a set of geographically diverse A. thaliana accessions when grown together in a common environment. Our results provide a set of candidates for dissecting the molecular bases of climate adaptations, as well as insights about the prevalence of selective sweeps, which has implications for predicting the rate of adaptation.

Acclimatization↗