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Epigenetic modifications are long-lasting changes to the genome that influence a cell’s transcriptional potential, thereby altering its function. These modifications can trigger adaptive responses that impact protein expression and various cellular processes, including differentiation and growth. The primary epigenetic mechanisms identified to date include DNA and RNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression. The intricate crosstalk among these mechanisms makes epigenetics a compelling field for the development of novel control strategies, particularly through the use of epigenetic drugs targeting arthropod vectors such as ticks. In this study, we identified the Rhipicephalus microplus orthologs of canonical histone-modifying enzymes, along with components of the machinery responsible for m5C and 6mA-DNA, and m6A-RNA methylations. We further characterized their transcriptional profiles and enzymatic activities during embryonic development. To explore the functional consequences of epigenetic regulation in R. microplus, we evaluated the effects of various epigenetic inhibitors on the BME26 tick embryonic cell line. Molecular docking simulations were performed to predict the binding modes of these inhibitors to tick enzymes, followed by in vitro assessment of their effects on cell viability and morphology. Tick cells exposed to these inhibitors presented phenotypic and molecular alterations. Notably, we observed high levels of DNA methylation in the nuclear genome. Importantly, inhibition of DNA methylation using 5′-azacytidine (5′-AZA) was associated with increased activity of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and ATP synthesis but reduced cellular proliferation. Our findings highlight the importance of epigenetic regulation during tick embryogenesis and suggest that targeting these pathways may constitute a novel and promising strategy for tick control.

The genus Bacillus comprises Gram-positive, endospore-forming rods with a ubiquitous distribution across terrestrial, aquatic, and aerial environments, as well as associations with plants, animals, and food. To explore its diversity, we conducted an integrated phylogenomic and pangenome analysis using 10,839 publicly available RefSeq genomes (67 type strain genomes). Taxonomic delimitation combining genomic-distance metrics (Mash/ANI), network analyses, and a label-propagation algorithm assigned 10,276 genomes to operational communities, revealing novel complexes within B. cereus sensu lato and other clades. A robust phylogeny reconstructed from 103 representative genomes corroborated the ANI-based groupings. Forty-eight communities (≥10 genomes) were further analyzed for pangenome openness, showing a strong negative correlation between the saturation coefficient (α) and genomic fluidity (φ) (ρ = −0.636), indicating that open pangenomes exhibit high gene-content variability. Functional profiling revealed 135 antifungal genes and 15 secondary metabolite clusters, highlighting B. velezensis, B. amyloliquefaciens, and B. subtilis as rich reservoirs of hydrolytic enzymes, NRPS/PKS systems, and nutrient-competition traits. Additionally, 135 resistance determinants and 115 virulence factors were identified, mainly within B. cereus sensu lato. Biofertilization genes related to phosphorus, nitrogen, siderophore, potassium, and sulfur metabolism were broadly conserved, underscoring the genus biotechnological potential.

Epigenetic modifications are long-lasting changes to the genome that influence a cell's transcriptional potential, thereby altering its function. These modifications can trigger adaptive responses that impact protein expression and various cellular processes, including differentiation and growth. The primary epigenetic mechanisms identified to date include DNA and RNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression. The intricate crosstalk among these mechanisms makes epigenetics a compelling field for the development of novel control strategies, particularly through the use of epigenetic drugs targeting arthropod vectors such as ticks. In this study, we identified the orthologs of canonical histone-modifying enzymes, along with components of the machinery responsible for m C and mA-DNA, and m A-RNA methylations. We further characterized their transcriptional profiles and enzymatic activities during embryonic development. To explore the functional consequences of epigenetic regulation in , we evaluated the effects of various epigenetic inhibitors on the BME26 tick embryonic cell line. Molecular docking simulations were performed to predict the binding mode of these inhibitors to tick enzymes, followed by assessment of their effects on cell viability and morphology. Tick cells exposed to these inhibitors exhibited phenotypic and molecular alterations. Notably, we observed higher levels of DNA methylation in the mitochondrial genome compared to nuclear DNA. Inhibition of DNA methylation using 5'-azacytidine (5'-AZA) was associated with increased activity of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and ATP synthesis, but reduced cellular proliferation. Our findings highlight the importance of epigenetic regulation during tick embryogenesis and suggest that targeting these pathways may offer a novel and promising strategy for tick control.

Epigenetic modifications are long-lasting changes to the genome that influence a cell's transcriptional potential, thereby altering its function. These modifications can trigger adaptive responses that impact protein expression and various cellular processes, including differentiation and growth. The primary epigenetic mechanisms identified to date include DNA and RNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression. The intricate crosstalk among these mechanisms makes epigenetics a compelling field for the development of novel control strategies, particularly through the use of epigenetic drugs targeting arthropod vectors such as ticks. In this study, we identified the Rhipicephalus microplus orthologs of canonical histone-modifying enzymes, along with components of the machinery responsible for m5C and 6mA-DNA, and m6A-RNA methylations. We further characterized their transcriptional profiles and enzymatic activities during embryonic development. To explore the functional consequences of epigenetic regulation in R. microplus, we evaluated the effects of various epigenetic inhibitors on the BME26 tick embryonic cell line. Molecular docking simulations were performed to predict the binding mode of these inhibitors to tick enzymes, followed by in vitro assessment of their effects on cell viability and morphology. Tick cells exposed to these inhibitors exhibited phenotypic and molecular alterations. Notably, we observed higher levels of DNA methylation in the mitochondrial genome compared to nuclear DNA. Inhibition of DNA methylation using 5-azacytidine (5-AZA) was associated with increased activity of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and ATP synthesis, but reduced cellular proliferation. Our findings highlight the importance of epigenetic regulation during tick embryogenesis and suggest that targeting these pathways may offer a novel and promising strategy for tick control.Epigenetic modifications are long-lasting changes to the genome that influence a cell's transcriptional potential, thereby altering its function. These modifications can trigger adaptive responses that impact protein expression and various cellular processes, including differentiation and growth. The primary epigenetic mechanisms identified to date include DNA and RNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression. The intricate crosstalk among these mechanisms makes epigenetics a compelling field for the development of novel control strategies, particularly through the use of epigenetic drugs targeting arthropod vectors such as ticks. In this study, we identified the Rhipicephalus microplus orthologs of canonical histone-modifying enzymes, along with components of the machinery responsible for m5C and 6mA-DNA, and m6A-RNA methylations. We further characterized their transcriptional profiles and enzymatic activities during embryonic development. To explore the functional consequences of epigenetic regulation in R. microplus, we evaluated the effects of various epigenetic inhibitors on the BME26 tick embryonic cell line. Molecular docking simulations were performed to predict the binding mode of these inhibitors to tick enzymes, followed by in vitro assessment of their effects on cell viability and morphology. Tick cells exposed to these inhibitors exhibited phenotypic and molecular alterations. Notably, we observed higher levels of DNA methylation in the mitochondrial genome compared to nuclear DNA. Inhibition of DNA methylation using 5-azacytidine (5-AZA) was associated with increased activity of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and ATP synthesis, but reduced cellular proliferation. Our findings highlight the importance of epigenetic regulation during tick embryogenesis and suggest that targeting these pathways may offer a novel and promising strategy for tick control.

The plant seed-borne microbiome comprises microorganisms vertically inherited from the mother plant. This microbiome is often linked to early-life protection and seedling growth promotion. Here, we compare the seed-borne bacteriomes of a commercial hybrid and a landrace maize variety. The landrace variety displays a more diverse seed-borne microbiome, featuring a variety of taxa across samples. In contrast, the microbiome of the hybrid variety is less diverse and more uniform across samples. Although both microbiomes lack a functional nitrogen fixation apparatus, we found a remarkably distinct presence of genes associated with phytohormone production and phosphate solubilization, particularly in the landrace variety. In addition, we recovered 18 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), including four from potentially novel species. Collectively, our results allow a better understanding of the contrasting diversity between maize varieties and open important perspectives for designing synthetic microbial communities for agroecosystems.

Campylobacter is a bacterial genus associated with community outbreaks and gastrointestinal symptoms. Studies on Campylobacter generally focus on specific pathogenic species such as C. coli and C. jejuni. Currently, there are thousands of publicly available Campylobacter genomes, allowing a more complete assessment of the genus diversity. In this work, we report a network-based analysis of all available Campylobacter genomes to explore the genus structure and diversity, revealing potentially new species and elucidating genus features. We also hypothesize that the previously established clade III of C. coli is in fact novel species (referred here as Campylobacter spp12). Finally, we found a negative correlation between pangenome fluidity and saturation coefficient, with potential implications to the lifestyles of distinct Campylobacter species. Since pangenome analysis depend on the number of available genomes, this correlation could help estimate pangenome metrics of Campylobacter species with less sequenced genomes, helping understand their lifestyle and niche adaptation. Together, our results indicate that the Campylobacter genus should be re-evaluated, with particular attention to the interplay between genome structure and niche segregation. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

Extensive agriculture and the use of chemical fertilizers cause notable environmental impacts on multiple levels, from reducing soil microbiota diversity to groundwater contamination. In this context, the usage of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) presents a sustainable alternative to enhance crop production while mitigating these adverse effects. Azospirillum, a bacterial genus renowned for its beneficial capabilities, particularly phytohormone production, is a key component of many commercial inoculants. In this work, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of all publicly available Azospirillum genomes and four novel isolates belonging to our microbial collection. Our analysis identified a species complex within the genus, which we designate the A. brasilense species complex, comprising species already used in commercial bioconsortia. This complex is characterized by a core set of exclusive genes linked to chemotaxis and host-recognition capability. Furthermore, we also validated the biosafety of the A. brasilense species complex and confirmed the plant growth-promoting potential of our novel isolates, highlighting their suitability for developing new biofertilizers.