Biology subjects

Bo, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Bo, D..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

N6-Methyladenine DNA modification regulates pathogen virulence in nematodes

Understanding the global regulatory mechanisms that control pathogen virulence gene expression is essential for elucidating the molecular basis of pathogenicity. N6-methyladenine (6mA) plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression in response to various environmental stresses; however, its role in pathogen virulence remains largely unexplored. Here, we report the widespread occurrence of 6mA across 17 nematode isolates and map its genomic landscape in six notorious agriculturally important pathogen root-knot nematodes (RKNs). We demonstrated that 6mA is characterized by a conserved GAG motif across nematodes, but exhibits species-specific distribution patterns and distinct effects on gene expression. In particular, its enrichment in transposable elements differs between polyploid and diploid nematodes, suggesting lineage-specific epigenetic regulation potentially associated with polyploidy. We further identified two functional 6mA demethylases, MiNMAD-1 and MiNMAD-2, and confirmed their catalytic activity and active sites. Host-induced gene silencing of minmad-1 significantly increased plant resistance to three polyploid RKN species. A detailed functional analysis revealed that minmad-1 knockdown disrupted virulence gene expression during the parasitic stage, thereby reducing nematode infectivity. Together, our findings suggest 6mA demethylase as a key epigenetic regulator of RKNs virulence, providing new insights into nematode biology and offering promising targets for the development of sustainable control strategies. Significance Statement6mA methyltransferase regulates the expression of virulence genes in certain pathogenic bacteria and plays a critical role in their infectivity. However, the regulation of virulence gene expression in eukaryotic pathogens, particularly plant pathogens, remains poorly understood. Most studies on pathogen virulence have focused on individual effectors, with little insight into global regulatory mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that 6mA broadly shapes virulence gene expression patterns in polyploid RKNs. Moreover, transgenic tobacco, tomato, and rice plants expressing dsRNA against nematode demethylases showed significantly enhanced resistance to RKNs. These findings establish 6mA demethylase as a promising epigenetic target for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Developmental dynamic transcriptomics reveals multiple effectors and transcription factors critical for Ditylenchus destructor parasitism

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) pose a major threat to global agricultural production, yet fundamental research on their biology remains limited. The origin and evolutionary trajectory of PPNs remain elusive, largely due to the scarcity of chromosome-level genomic data. Among them, migratory PPNs are considered a key transitional form between free-living and obligate parasitic lifestyles, as they exhibit both plant parasitism and fungal feeding behaviors. In this study, we assembled a chromosome-level genome of the sweet potato rot nematode Ditylenchus destructor and confirmed the presence of four chromosomes through Hi-C scaffolding and karyotype analysis. Comparative genomic analysis with two other migratory PPNs, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Aphelenchoides besseyi, revealed that the Nigon elements in B. xylophilus are largely conserved with those of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, while D. destructor and A. besseyi exhibit extensive Nigon element rearrangements. These rearrangements were strongly correlated with patterns of protein sequence collinearity. Moreover, transcriptomic profiling across five developmental stages of D. destructor identified numerous stage-specific effectors and transcription factors. Functional analysis via RNA interference demonstrated that many of these genes play essential roles in embryogenesis and parasitic activity. Together, our results provide valuable genomic and transcriptomic resources for studying PPNs, uncovering critical insights into their genome evolution and parasitism-related gene functions, and laying a crucial foundation for advancing the understanding of PPN biology and their impact on agricultural systems.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

mmu-miR-1291 Alleviates Oxidative Damage in Myocytes by Modulating the Process of Gene-Mediated Ubiquitination

BS exhibited a significant restorative effect on PA-induced oxidative damage in C2C12 cells. And a set of miRNAs that were significantly differentially expressed under oxidative stress conditions was identified. Through target gene prediction, a key miRNA potentially involved in oxidative stress regulation was selected. Additionally, differential expression and enrichment analyses led to the identification of a series of mRNAs affected by oxidative stress. Based on miRNA target prediction, the Wsb1 gene was selected for further investigation. A dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that this miRNA directly regulates Wsb1. This suggests that the identified miRNA may influence the oxidative stress process by regulating Wsb1 expression and potentially be involved in modulating the NF-{kappa}B signaling pathway.

molecular biology↗