Biology subjects

Anjum, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Anjum, N..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

From APTs to advanced persistent biological threats (APBTs): a taxonomy and large-scale metadata audit of genomic surveillance infrastructure

Open genomic repositories have become critical infrastructure for pathogen surveillance, variant tracking, outbreak reconstruction, and public health decision making. However, many of these repositories were designed to support rapid scientific data sharing rather than adversarial verification, creating potential security gaps. This paper introduces Advanced Persistent Biological Threats (APBTs), as a framework for understanding how malicious cyber biological actors can gradually disrupt genomic surveillance without entering a laboratory or releasing a biological agent. Instead of altering biological material, an attacker targets the sequence data, metadata, reference datasets, and analytical models used by surveillance systems. We present, to our knowledge, the first integrated multilayer taxonomy of APBTs, structured around a four phase lifecycle, and investigate whether the metadata weaknesses identified by this framework are present in an operational genomic repository. To assess this, we audited 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 BioSample records obtained from the NCBI. A framework of 23 checks was applied across five metadata layers: temporal, geographic, host and specimen, provenance, and technical metadata. Every record triggered at least one APBT relevant metadata vulnerability indicator, with a mean of 7.34 indicators per record (SD = 1.34). Overall, 97.3% of records were classified in the High or Critical severity categories. Every record also contained at least one indicator in both the provenance and technical metadata layers. These results largely reflect the optional status of several fields in the current BioSample submission model rather than isolated errors by individual data contributors. Temporal and geographic information was comparatively complete, while fields needed for provenance reconstruction, chain of custody assessment, technical validation, and analytical interpretation were frequently missing. These findings do not indicate deliberate manipulation. However, the structural incompleteness of BioSample metadata creates vulnerabilities that an adversary can exploit to introduce poisoned, misleading, or weakly traceable metadata into genomic repositories. As a result, maliciously altered metadata can appear plausible, remain undetected, and influence downstream genomic analysis and surveillance. The findings therefore show that widely used pathogen genomic repositories already contain structural weaknesses that can support metadata poisoning as part of an APBT operation.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2024

Plant-Pollinator Interactions along the Altitudinal Gradient in Berberis lycium Royle: An Endangered Medicinal Plant Species of the Himalayan Region

Mountain ecosystems influence species distribution by offering climatic variables intertwined with rising altitude. These climatic factors determine species phenology and niche width. Although the distributional patterns of some prominent insect groups in relation to altitude have been determined, the environmental preferences along the altitudinal range that differentially influence the pollination of specific plant species are unknown. Here we assess how the composition and abundance of pollinator fauna of the important medicinal plant Berberis lycium Royle (Berberidaceae) differ across five distinct altitudinal gradients (800-2200 m) in the Pir-Panjal mountain range in the northwestern part of the Indian Himalayas. We monitored insect pollinators of major groups (bees, butterflies, wasps, flies) over two consecutive flowering seasons during 2022-2023. In total, 39 insect species belonging to five orders and 17 families were observed visiting the plant species during the flowering period across the altitudinal gradient. The results of the linear regression model depict that all four pollination indices show a negative correlation with increasing altitude in foraging activities when all the data are pooled together. However, only foraging speed (FS) and index of visiting rate (IVR) were statistically significant. In the case of individual orders, only Lepidoptera exhibited a notable relation to altitude. However, asynchrony in foraging activities among other pollinator groups has been reported along altitudinal gradients. The reproductive output (fruit and seed production) shows a significant negative correlation with increasing altitude. We concluded that while altitude influences species distribution, it also differentially shapes plant-pollinator interactions, pollinator activities, and reproductive output. This work is of great significance in order to monitor plant-pollinator interactions, which are essential component of biodiversity rich but fragile mountain ecosystem.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

Karyological diversity among six medicinally important species of Acanthaceae in Bangladesh

Six medicinally important species of Acanthaceae family namely, Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anderson, Barleria cristata L., Braleria prionitis L., Ruellia simplex C. Wright, Thunbergia erecta (Benth.) T. Anderson and Thunbergia mysorensis (Wright) T. Anderson were cytogenetically investigated to evaluate the karyotype diversity and chromosomal relationship. The somatic chromosome numbers and the centromeric formulas of these species were 2n = 2x = 24 (22m + 2sm) for A. gangetica, 2n = 4x = 40 (38m + 2sm) for B. cristata, 2n = 4x = 40 (36m + 4sm) for B. prionitis, 2n = 2x = 36 (34m + 2sm) for R. simplex, 2n = 4x+6 = 62 (56m + 6sm) for T. erecta and 2n = 2x = 34 (34m) for T. mysorensis. Considering the karyotype assessment parameters, T. erecta, R. simplex, B. cristata and B. prionitis were shown to be cytogenetially more advanced than A. gangetica and T. mysorensis. Three categories of karyotypes were observed such as 1B type in B. cristata, B. prionitis, R. simplex and T. mysorensis, whereas the most primitive one 1A in A. gangetica and the most advanced karyotype 2B in T. erecta. Three new reports of somatic chromosome count yielded in case of A. gangetica, R. simplex and T. mysorensis which might have been resulted from aneuploidy or allopolyploidy. The cytological data presented for six species of the Acanthaceae family demonstrated significant variation and distinctiveness from one another, assisting in the evaluation of the karyological diversity that aided in the understanding of evolutionary changes.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Analyzing hCov genome sequences: Applying Machine Intelligence and beyond

BackgroundCovid-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence of coronavirus, has affected millions of people all over the world and taken thousands of lives. It is of utmost importance that the character of this deadly virus be studied and its nature be analyzed. MethodsWe present here an analysis pipeline comprising a classification exercise to identify the virulence of the genome sequences and extraction of important features from its genetic material that are used subsequently to predict mutation at those interesting sites using deep learning techniques. ResultsWe have classified the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences with high accuracy and predicted the mutations in the sites of Interest. ConclusionsIn a nutshell, we have prepared an analysis pipeline for hCov genome sequences leveraging the power of machine intelligence and uncovered what remained apparently shrouded by raw data.

bioinformatics↗