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Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi - Glomeromycota and Endogonomycetes - comprise multiple species and higher-level taxa that have remained undescribed. We propose a mixed morphology- and DNA-based classification framework to promote taxonomic communication and shed light into the phylogenetic structure of these ecologically essential fungi. Based on eDNA samples and long reads as type materials, we describe 15 new species and corresponding genera (Pseudoentrophosporakesseensis, Hoforsarebekkae, Kahvenarebeccae, Kelottijaerviashannonae, Kungsaengenashadiae, Langduoadianae, Lehetuaindrekii, Lokrumastenii, Moosteastephanieae, Nikkaluoktamahdiehiae, Parniguacraigii, Riederbergasylviae, Ruuacoralieae, Tammsaareavivikae and Unemaeeanathalieae), the genus Parvocarpum as well as 19 families (Pseudoentrophosporaceae, Hoforsaceae, Kahvenaceae, Kelottijaerviaceae, Kungsaengenaceae, Langduoaceae, Lehetuaceae, Lokrumaceae, Moosteaceae, Nikkaluoktaceae, Parniguaceae, Riederbergaceae, Ruuaceae, Tammsaareaceae, Unemaeeaceae, Bifigurataceae, Planticonsortiaceae, Jimgerdemanniaceae and Vinositunicaceae) and 17 orders (Hoforsales, Kahvenales, Kelottijaerviales, Kungsaengenales, Langduoales, Lehetuales, Lokrumales, Moosteales, Nikkaluoktales, Parniguales, Riederbergales, Ruuales, Tammsaareales, Unemaeeales, Bifiguratales and Densosporales), and propose six combinations (Diversisporabareae, Diversisporanevadensis, Fuscutatacerradensis, Fuscutatareticulata, Viscosporadeserticola and Parvocarpumbadium) based on phylogenetic evidence. We highlight further knowledge gaps in the phylogenetic structure of AM fungi and propose an alphanumeric coding system for preliminary communication and reference-based eDNA quality-filtering of the remaining undescribed genus- and family-level groups. Using AM fungi as examples, we hope to offer a sound, mixed framework for classification to boost research in the alpha taxonomy of fungi, especially the "dark matter fungi".

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Introduction: Worldwide, healthcare systems aim to achieve the best possible quality of care at an affordable cost while ensuring broad access for all populations. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare holds promise to address these challenges through the integration of real-world data-driven insights into patient care processes. This study aims to assess nurses' awareness and attitudes toward AI-integrated tools used in clinical practice. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design captured nurses' responses at three governmental hospitals in Saudi Arabia by using an online questionnaire administered over 4 months. The study involved 220 registered nurses with a minimum of one year of clinical experience, selected through a convenience sampling method. The online survey consisted of three sections: demographic information, an assessment of nurses' AI knowledge, and the general attitudes toward the AI scale. Results: Nurses displayed "moderate" levels of awareness toward AI technology, with 70.9% having basic information about AI and only 58.2% (128 nurses) were considered "aware" of AI as they dealt with one of its healthcare applications. Nurses expressed openness to AI integration (M = 3.51) on one side, but also had some concerns about AI. Nurses expressed conservative attitudes toward AI, with significant differences observed based on gender (χ² = 4.67, p < 0.05). Female nurses exhibited a higher proportion of negative attitudes compared to male nurses. Significant differences were also found based on age (χ² = 9.31, p < 0.05), with younger nurses demonstrating more positive attitudes toward AI compared to their older counterparts. Educational background yields significant differences (χ² = 6.70, p < 0.05), with nurses holding undergraduate degrees exhibiting the highest positive attitudes. However, years of nursing experience did not reveal significant variations in attitudes. Conclusion: Healthcare and nursing administrators need to work on increasing the nurses' awareness of AI applications and emphasize the importance of integrating such technology into the systems in use. Moreover, addressing nurses' concerns about AI's control and discomfort is crucial, especially considering generational differences, with younger nurses often having more positive attitudes toward technology. Change management strategies may help overcome any hindrances.

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Molecular identification of micro- and macroorganisms based on nuclear markers has revolutionized our understanding of their taxonomy, phylogeny and ecology. Today, research on the diversity of eukaryotes in global ecosystems heavily relies on nuclear ribosomal RNA (rRNA) markers. Here, we present the research community-curated reference database EUKARYOME for nuclear ribosomal 18S rRNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 28S rRNA markers for all eukaryotes, including metazoans (animals), protists, fungi and plants. It is particularly useful for the identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as it bridges the four commonly used molecular markers-ITS1, ITS2, 18S V4-V5 and 28S D1-D2 subregions. The key benefits of this database over other annotated reference sequence databases are that it is not restricted to certain taxonomic groups and it includes all rRNA markers. EUKARYOME also offers a number of reference long-read sequences that are derived from (meta)genomic and (meta)barcoding-a unique feature that can be used for taxonomic identification and chimera control of third-generation, long-read, high-throughput sequencing data. Taxonomic assignments of rRNA genes in the database are verified based on phylogenetic approaches. The reference datasets are available in multiple formats from the project homepage, http://www.eukaryome.org.

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Introduction: Previous publications have shown that STIM1, ORAI1, and KDM2B, are implicated in Ca2+ signaling and are highly expressed in various cancer subtypes including prostate cancer. They play multiple roles in cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. In the current study we investigated the expression of the above biomarkers in circulating tumor cells from patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Methods: Thirty-two patients were enrolled in this study and CTCs' isolation was performed with Ficoll density gradient. Two different triple immunofluorescence stainings were conducted with the following combination of antibodies: CK/KDM2B/CD45 and CK/STIM1/ORAI1. Slides were analyzed using VyCAP microscopy technology. Results: CTC-positive patients were detected in 41% for (CK/KDM2B/CD45) staining and in 56% for (CK/STIM1/ORAI1) staining. The (CK+/KDM2B+/CD45-) and the (CK+/STIM1+/ORAI1+) were the most frequent phenotypes as they were detected in 85% and 94% of the CTC-positive patients, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of ORAI1 and STIM1 in patients' PBMCs was very low exhibiting them as interesting specific biomarkers for CTC detection. The (CK+/STIM1+/ORAI1+) phenotype was correlated to bone metastasis (p = 0.034), while the (CK+/STIM1+/ORAI1-) to disease relapse (p = 0.049). Discussion: STIM1, ORAI1, and KDM2B were overexpressed in CTCs from patients with metastatic prostate cancer. STIM1 and ORAI1 expression was related to disease recurrence and bone metastasis. Further investigation of these biomarkers in a larger cohort of patients will clarify their clinical significance for prostate cancer patients.

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Tomato, the important vegetable crop, is severely affected by Orthotospovirus arachinecrosis which impacts heavy economic losses. The application of insecticide to manage viral diseases is not an environmentally safe approach. In view of these issues, we investigated the antiviral efficacy of 21 bacterial endophytes against GBNV in local lesion host (Cowpea-VBN3). Based on the reduction in lesion number and virus titer as estimated through both DAC ELISA and qPCR in cowpea, the bacterial endophytes viz., Bacillus licheniformis Soya1, Bacillus tequilensis NBL6, and Bacillus velezensis VB7 were selected and further tested in tomato. The study revealed the well-defined antiviral efficacy of these endophytes against GBNV. The percentage of disease incidence ranged from 16 to 24% in endophyte-treated tomato plants compared with untreated plants (88%). In addition, symptom severity was reduced, and the application of endophytes also in promotion of the growth compared with untreated control. DAC ELISA revealed that the tomato plants treated with bacterial endophytes challenged with GBNV showed reduction in the virus titer (0.26-0.39 @ OD 405 nm) at different days of interval after inoculation (0, 5, and 10 days) compared with untreated control (3.475 @ OD 405 nm). Additionally, reduction in the viral copy number in bacterial endophyte-treated plants was evident by real-time PCR. Furthermore, tomato plants bacterized with endophytes depicted significant correlation and reduction in viral load and disease incidence as revealed by the principal-component biplot analysis. Thus, the application of bacterial endophytes has a potential role in reducing the disease incidence, severity, and titer value of GBNV, which will be the promising management approach in future to mitigate the virus infection in tomato plants.

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KDM2B, a histone lysine demethylase, is expressed in a plethora of cancers. Earlier studies from our group, have showcased that overexpression of KDM2B in the human prostate cancer cell line DU-145 is associated with cell adhesion, actin reorganization, and improved cancer cell migration. In addition, we have previously examined changes of cytosolic Ca2+, regulated by the pore-forming proteins ORAI and the Ca2+ sensing stromal interaction molecules (STIM), via store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in wild-type DU-145. This study sought to evaluate the impact of KDM2B overexpression on the expression of key molecules (SGK1, Nhe1, Orai1, Stim1) and SOCE. Furthermore, this is the first study to evaluate KDM2B expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from patients with prostate cancer. mRNA levels for SGK1, Nhe1, Orai1, and Stim1 were quantified by RT-PCR. Calcium signals were measured in KDM2B-overexpressing DU-145 cells, loaded with Fura-2. Blood samples from 22 prostate cancer cases were scrutinized for KDM2B expression using immunofluorescence staining and the VyCAP system. KDM2B overexpression in DU-145 cells increased Orai1, Stim1, and Nhe1 mRNA levels and significantly decreased Ca2+ release. KDM2B expression was examined in 22 prostate cancer patients. CTCs were identified in 45 % of these patients. 80 % of the cytokeratin (CK)-positive patients and 63 % of the total examined CTCs exhibited the (CK + KDM2B + CD45-) phenotype. To conclude, this study is the first to report increased expression of KDM2B in CTCs from patients with prostate cancer, bridging in vitro and preclinical assessments on the potentially crucial role of KDM2B on migration, invasiveness, and ultimately metastasis in prostate cancer.

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Background: Tinea capitis (T. capitis), commonly known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection affecting the scalp and hair. Among the causative agents, Microsporum canis (M. canis) stands out, often transmitted from cats to humans (zoonotic disease). In this study, we investigated the efficacy of Carica papaya (C. papaya), fruit extract against dermatophytes, particularly M. canis, both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, we aimed to identify the active compounds responsible for suppressing fungal growth and assess the toxicity of C. papaya on human cells. Methodology: It conducted in two parts. First, In Vitro Study include the preparation of C. papaya fruit extract using methanol as the solvent, Phytochemical analysis of the plant extract including Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was conducted, Cytotoxicity assays were performed using HUH-7 cells, employing the MTT assay (1-(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide), Antimicrobial activity against M. canis was evaluated, including: Zone of inhibition (ZI), Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), M. canis cell alterations were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Second, In Vivo, Albino Wistar male rats were included. Results: The phytochemical analysis of the methanolic extract from papaya revealed several functional groups, including hydroxyl, ammonia, alkane, carbonate, and alcohol. Additionally, the GC-MS analysis identified 15 compounds, with xanthosine and decanoic acid being the predominant components. The methanolic extract of papaya fruits demonstrated potent antifungal activity: ZI = 37 mm, MIC = 1,000 µg/mL, MFC = 1900 µg/mL, MTT results indicated lower cytotoxicity of the fruit extract at concentrations of 20 µg/mL, 50 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL, 150 µg/mL, and 200 µg/mL, The IC50 revealed a significant decrease in cell viability with increasing extract concentration. Notably, papaya extract induced considerable alterations in the morphology of M. canis hyphae and spores. In animal tissue, improvements were observed among the group of rats which treated with Papaya extract. This study highlights the potential of C. papaya fruits as a natural antifungal agent, warranting further exploration for clinical applications.

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Cyclophosphamide (CPM) is a well-established antineoplastic drug with marked clinical outcomes in various types of cancers. Despite being a promising drug, its use is associated with significant renal toxicity and often limits its use, leading to compromised clinical outcomes. Therefore, this study explored the renal protective effect of bergapten (BGP), a natural bioactive compound that showed marked antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. Till now, BGP has not been studied for its renal protective effect in an in vivo model. Animals were divided into control, toxic, BGP-3, BGP-10, and BGP Per se. The control group was treated with normal saline for 2 weeks. To the toxic group, CPM 200 mg/kg was given on day 7 as i.p. To BGP-3, 10, and Per se, BGP-3 and 10 mg/kg, ip was given 2 weeks with a single shot of CPM 200 day 7. To the Per se group, only BGP 10 mg/kg, ip was given from day 1 to day 14. After 14 days, animals were sacrificed, and kidneys were removed and studied for the markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, renal injury, renal fibrosis, and renal damage using biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical studies. We found that BGP-10 effectively reversed the damage toward normal, whereas BGP-3 failed to exhibit a significant renal protective effect. We conclude that bergapten could be a potential renal protective drug, and hence, more detailed cellular molecular-based studies are needed to bring this drug from the bench to the bedside.

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A new nanocomposite consisting of lanthanum ferrite nanoparticles (LaFeO3 NPs) integrated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was fabricated via facile sonochemical approach. The engineered nanocomposite was applied to simultaneously determine acetaminophen (ACP) and dopamine (DA) in a binary mixture. The LaFeO3 NPs@CNT probe possesses several advantages such as superior conductivity, large surface area, and more active sites, improving its electrocatalytic activity towards ACP and DA. Under optimized conditions, the anodic peak currents (Ipa) linearly increased with increasing concentration of ACP and DA in the range 0.069-210 µM and 0.15-210 µM, respectively. The sensitivity of LaFeO3 NPs@CNTs/glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for detecting ACP and DA is 7.456 and 5.980 µA·µM-1·cm-2, respectively. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for ACP and DA are 0.02 µM and 0.05 µM, respectively. Advantages of LaFeO3 NPs@CNTs/GCE for the detection of ACP and DA include wide linear ranges, low-detection limits, good selectivity, and long-term stability. The as-fabricated electrode was applied to determine ACP and DA in pharmaceutical formulations and human serum samples with recoveries ranging from 97.7 to 103.3% and an RSD that did not exceed 3.7%, confirming the suitability of the proposed sensor for the determination of ACP and DA in real samples. This study not only presents promising opportunities for enhancing the sensitivity and stability of electrochemical sensors used in the detection of bioanalytes but also significantly contributes to the progress of unique and comprehensive biochemical detection methodologies.

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Nanoparticles are widely used in the pharmaceutical, agriculture, and food processing industries. In this study, we have synthesized green lead nanoparticles (gPbNPs) by using an extract of Ziziphus spina-christi leaves and determined their cytotoxic and apoptotic effect on the human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line. gPbNPs were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The toxicity of gPbNPs was determined on the MDA-MB-231 cell line using MTT and NRU assays and as a result cell viability was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner. MDA-MB-231 cells were more sensitive at the highest concentration of gPbNPs exposure. In this experiment, we observed the production of intracellular ROS in cells, and induction of caspase 3/7 was higher in cells at 42 µg/ml of gPbNPs. Moreover, the Bax gene was upregulated and the Bcl-2 gene was downregulated and increased caspase 3/7 activity confirmed the apoptotic effect of gPbNPs in cells. Our observation showed that gPbNPs induced cell toxicity, increased generation of intracellular ROS, and gene expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that gPbNPs executed toxic effects on the MDA-MB-231 cell line through activating caspase 3/7 activity.

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Nanoparticles have shown promising potential for efficient drug delivery, circumventing biological interferences like immunological and renal clearance and mechanical and enzymatic destruction. However, a handful of research papers have questioned the biomedical use of metal-based nanoparticles like cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe-QDs) for their cytotoxic, genotoxic, and carcinogenic potential. Herein, we examined the effects of CdTe-QD NPs on gene expression profile of hepatocellular carcinoma (Huh-7) cell line. Huh-7 cells were treated with CdTe-QD NPs (10 µg/ml for 6, 12, and 24 hours, and 25 µg/ml for 6 and 12 hours), and transcriptomic analysis was performed using microarray to evaluate the global gene expression profile. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) were observed for both the doses (10 and 25 µg/ml) of CdTe-QD NPs at different time points. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that genes involved in molecular function of cell cycle, organizational injury and abnormalities, cell death and survival, gene expression, cancer, organismal survival, and cellular development were differentially expressed. Overall, we have demonstrated differential expression of several genes, involved in maintaining cell survival, metabolism, and genome integrity. These findings were confirmed by RT-qPCR study for some canonical pathway genes signifying possible implication in NP toxicity-mediated cell survival and inhibition of cell death.

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Background: The purpose of this study is to analyzed the involvement of chorein in microtubules organization of three types of malignant; rhabdomyosarcoma tumor cells (ZF), rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RH30), and rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RD). ZF are expressing high chorein levels. Previous studies revealed that chorein protein silencing in ZF tumor cells persuaded apoptotic response followed by cell death. In addition, in numerous malignant and non-malignant cells this protein regulates actin cytoskeleton structure and cellular signaling. However, the function of chorein protein in microtubular organization is yet to be established. Methods: In a current research study, we analyzed the involvement of chorein in microtubules organization by using three types of malignant rhabdomyosarcoma cells. We have applied confocal laser-scanning microscopy to analyze microtubules structure and RT-PCR to examine cytoskeletal gene transcription. Results: We report here that in rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RH30), chorein silencing induced disarrangement of microtubular network. This was documented by laser scanning microscopy and further quantified by FACS analysis. Interestingly and in agreement with previous reports, tubulin gene transcription in RH cells was unchanged upon silencing of chorein protein. Equally, confocal analysis showed minor disordered microtubules organization with evidently weakened staining in rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RD and ZF) after silencing of chorein protein. Conclusion: These results disclose that chorein silencing induces considerable structural disorganization of tubulin network in RH30 human rhabdomyosarcoma tumor cells. Additional studies are now needed to establish the role of chorein in regulating cytoskeleton architecture in tumor cells.

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The current study was designed to evaluate the protective role of chrysoeriol against polyethylene microplastics (PE-MP) induced testicular damage. Forty eight male rats were distributed into 4 equal groups: vehicle control, PE-MP administrated, PE-MP + chrysoeriol co-administrated and only chrysoeriol supplemented group. The administration of PE-MP significantly reduced the activities of anti-oxidant enzymes, i.e., glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase, whereas the levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde were increased. PE-MP exposure increased the levels of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, 1L-1ß, NF-κß, IL-6 & COX-2). Additionally, a considerable increase was observed in dead sperms number, abnormality of sperms (tail, midpiece and head), while a potential decrease was noticed in sperm motility in PE-MP treated rats. The expressions of steroidogenic enzymes were also decreased in PE-MP administrated group. The levels of plasma testosterone, luteinizing & follicle stimulating hormone were decreased in PE-MP treated group. Moreover, Bax and Caspase-3 expressions were increased, whereas Bcl-2 expressions were reduced. Furthermore, histopathological analysis showed that PE-MP exposure considerably damaged the testicular tissues. However, chrysoeriol supplementation potentially decreased all the adverse effects induced by PE-MP. Taken together, our findings indicate that chrysoeriol holds significant potential to avert PE-MP-induced testicular damage due to its androgenic, anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nature.

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A simple fluorescence method is described for measuring rutin dependent on the nitogen-doped carbon dots (NCDs) prepared via simple pyrolysis method from chicken feet biowaste. The as-fabricated NCDs have unique advantages including cost-effectiveness and high quantum yield (42.9 %). The as-prepared NCDs explore an optimal emission band at 430 nm following exciting NCDs at 330 nm. Addition of rutin to blue-emissive NCDs quenched their fluorescence emission by inner-filtration effect (IFE) and static quenching. Under optimized conditions, the fluorescence responses increased as the rutin amount was raised from 100 to 1000 nmol/L with 5.3 nmol/L as a detection limit (S/N = 3). The probe selectivity was improved by adding bovine serum albumin (BSA), which binds other structurally-related compounds (other flavonoids). The as-synthesized NCDs exhibited some advantages towards rutin detection such as: lower LOD value, satisfactorily reproducibility, simplicity, rapidity, selectivity, and stability. The sensing probe was efficiently utilized for determining rutin in different real samples with acceptable results. The sensor offers an efficient biowaste-based approach for the determination of (bio) molecules.

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The cell-traversal protein for ookinetes and sporozoites (CelTOS), expressed on the surface of ookinetes and sporozoitesin Plasmodium species, is a promising malaria vaccine candidate. CelTOS is essential for parasite invasion into mosquito midgut and human hepatocytes, thereby contributing to malaria transmission and disease pathogenesis. This study explores the genetic diversity, polymorphisms, haplotypes, natural selection, phylogenetic analysis, and epitope prediction in the full-length Plasmodium knowlesi CelTOS gene in clinical samples from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, and long-term laboratory strains from Peninsular Malaysia and the Philippines. Our analysis revealed a high level of genetic variation in the PkCelTOS gene, with a nucleotide diversity of π ~ 0.021, which was skewed towards the 3' end of the gene. This level of diversity is double that observed in PfCelTOS and 20 times that observed in PvCelTOS from worldwide clinical samples. Tests of natural selection revealed evidence for positive selection within clinical samples. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence of PkCelTOS revealed the presence of two distinct groups, although no geographical clustering was observed. Epitope prediction analysis identified two potential epitopes (96AQLKATA102 and 124TIKPPRIKED133) using the IEDB server and one epitope (125IKPPRIKED133) by Bcepred server on the C' terminal region of PkCelTOS protein. Both the servers predicted a common epitope region of nine amino acid length (IKPPRIKED) peptide, which can be studied in the future as a potential candidate for vaccine development. These findings shed light on the genetic diversity, polymorphism, haplotypes, and natural selection within PkCelTOS in clinical samples and provide insights about its future prospects as a potential candidate for P. knowlesi malaria vaccine development.

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Microplastics (MP), tiny plastic particles, can be ingested by fish through their habitat or contaminated food sources. When combined with a high-fat diet (HFD), MP exposure may lead to increased MP accumulation in fish and negative impacts on their health. However, the underlying mechanisms of how MP and HFD interact to promote fat accumulation in fish remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the combined effect of HFD and polyethylene MP (PE-MP) in the zebrafish model (Danio rerio) and decipher its molecular mechanisms. Adult zebrafish exposed to the combined HFD and PE-MP showed elevated lipid accumulation, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and abnormal swimming behavior compared to HFD-fed fish. Histological and gene expression analysis revealed severe hepatic inflammation and injury, resembling nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the HFD + PE-MP exposed zebrafish. Moreover, HFD and PE-MP exposure upregulated genes related to lipogenesis (SREBP1, FAS, and C/EBPα) and inflammation (tnfα, il1ß, and il-6) in the liver. These findings underscore the interactive effect of environmental pollutants and fish diet, emphasizing the importance of improving fish culture practices to safeguard fish health and human consumers from microplastic contamination through the food chain. This research sheds light on the complex interactions between microplastics and diet, providing valuable insights into the potential risks of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems and the implications for human health. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms will contribute to international research efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of microplastics on both environmental and public health.

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Malaria is often characterized by a complicated disease course due to multifaceted intrinsic genetic factors of the host and the parasite. This study aimed to investigate the role of interleukin-27 (IL-27) gene polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection in a Saudi Arabian cohort. This case-control study obtained blood samples from 250 malaria patients with P. falciparum and 200 randomly identified healthy control subjects from the Malaria Center in the Jazan area. Malaria patients were grouped into three cohorts as follow: low (<500 parasites/µl of blood), moderate (500-1000 parasites/µl of blood), and high (>1000 parasites/µl of blood) parasitemia. The results show that the IL-27 variant rs181209 was significantly associated with malaria patients (P = 0.026). Similarly, the homozygous GG genotype of rs26528 was also associated with risk of developing P. falciparum malaria (P = 0.032). The minor allele C of variant rs181206 exhibited an association with low to moderate parasitemia (P = 0.046). Furthermore, the rs181209 AA genotype was statistically significant in age group 1-5 years (P = 0.049). In conclusion, this study suggests that variant rs181209 and rs26528 could be associated with the risk of malaria infection by P. falciparum in the population studied.

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Vigna is a unique genus that consist of multiple crop species that are domesticated in parallel fashion between 7-10 thousand years ago. Here we studied the evolution of nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat receptor (NLR) genes across five crop species of genus Vigna. In total identified 286, 350, 234, 250, 108 and 161 NLR genes were from Phaseolous vulgaris, Vigna. unguiculata, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, Vigna angularis and Vigna umbellata respectively. Comprehensive phylogenetic and clusterization analysis reveals the presence of seven subgroups of Coiled coil like NLRs (CC-NLR) genes and four distinct lineages of Toll interleukin receptor like NLRs (TIR-NLR). Subgroup CCG10-NLR shows large scale diversification among Vigna species suggesting genus specific distinct duplication pattern in Vigna species. Mainly birth of new NLR gene families and higher rate of terminal duplication is the major determinants for expansion of NLRome in genus Vigna. Recent expansion of NLRome in V. anguiculata and V. radiata was also observed which might suggest that domestication have supported their duplication of lineage specific NLR genes. In short, large scale difference in the architecture of NLRome were observed in diploid plant species. Our findings allowed us to hypothesized that independent parallel domestication is the major drivers of highly divergent evolution of NLRome in genus Vigna.

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Arachis hypogaea is an allotetraploid crop widely grown in the world. Wild relatives of genus Arachis are the rich source of genetic diversity and high levels of resistance to combat pathogens and climate change. The accurate identification and characterization of plant resistance gene, nucleotide binding site leucine rich repeat receptor (NLRs) substantially contribute to the repertoire of resistances and improve production. In the current study, we have studied the evolution of NLR genes in genus Arachis and performed their comparative genomics among four diploids (A. duranensis, A. ipaensis, A. cardenasii, A. stenosperma) and two tetraploid (wild: A. monticola and domesticated: A. hypogaea) species. In total 521, 354, 284, 794, 654, 290 NLR genes were identified from A. cardenasii, A. stenosperma and A. duranensis, A. hypogaea, A. monticola and A. ipaensis respectively. Phylogenetic analysis and classification of NLRs revealed that they belong to 7 subgroups and specific subgroups have expanded in each genome leading towards divergent evolution. Gene gain and loss, duplication assay reveals that wild and domesticated tetraploids species have shown asymmetric expansion of NLRome in both sub-genome (AA and BB). A-subgenome of A. monticola exhibited significant contraction of NLRome while B-subgenome shows expansion and vice versa in case of A. hypogaea probably due to distinct natural and artificial selection pressure. In addition, diploid species A. cardenasii revealed the largest repertoire of NLR genes due to higher frequency of gene duplication and selection pressure. A. cardenasii and A. monticola can be regarded as putative resistance resources for peanut breeding program for introgression of novel resistance genes. Findings of this study also emphasize the application neo-diploids and polyploids due to higher quantitative expression of NLR genes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that studied the effect of domestication and polyploidy on the evolution of NLR genes in genus Arachis to identify genomic resources for improving resistance of polyploid crop with global importance on economy and food security.

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Background and Objectives: Colon cancer (CC) is the second most common cancer in Saudi Arabia, and the number of new cases is expected to increase by 40% by 2040. Sixty percent of patients with CC are diagnosed in the late stage, causing a reduced survival rate. Thus, identifying a new biomarker could contribute to diagnosing CC in the early stages, leading to delivering better therapy and increasing the survival rate. Materials and Methods: HSPB6 expression was investigated in extracted RNA taken from 10 patients with CC and their adjacent normal tissues, as well as in DMH-induced CC and a colon treated with saline taken from a male Wistar rat. Additionally, the DNA of the LoVo and Caco-2 cell lines was collected, and bisulfite was converted to measure the DNA methylation level. This was followed by applying 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA) to the LoVo and Caco-2 cell lines for 72 h to see the effect of DNA methylation on HSPB6 expression. Finally, the GeneMANIA database was used to find the interacted genes at transcriptional and translational levels with HSPB6. Results: We found that the expression of HSPB6 was downregulated in 10 CC tissues compared to their adjacent normal colon tissues, as well as in the in vivo study, where its expression was lower in the colon treated with the DMH agent compared to the colon treated with saline. This suggests the possible role of HSPB6 in tumor progression. Moreover, HSPB6 was methylated in two CC cell lines (LoVo and Caco-2), and demethylation with AZA elevated its expression, implying a mechanistic association between DNA methylation and HSPB6 expression. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that HSPB6 is adversely expressed with tumor progression, and its expression may be controlled by DNA methylation. Thus, HSPB6 could be a good biomarker employed in the CC diagnostic process.

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