BMC Biology最新文献

{"title":"Diet change reveals asymmetric response in gene expression and microbial composition across the digestive tract of two closely related herbivores.","authors":"Danny P Nielsen, Matthew L Holding, Robert E Del Carlo, Kathryn M Everson, Kaitlin Ochsenrider, W Brian Simison, Jim Henderson, M Denise Dearing, Jack P Hayes, Steven A Frese, Lora A Richards, Bradley S Ferguson, Jennifer S Forbey, Marjorie D Matocq","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02658-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02658-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Understanding what shapes variation in organisms' capacity to utilize novel resources is essential to predicting how species will respond to environmental change. For herbivores, exposure to toxic phytochemicals in novel plants may limit persistence in new habitats. We investigated the behavioral, physiological, genetic, and microbial consequences of diet switching in two closely related species of rodent herbivores that each consume differentially toxic plants in their native habitat, and that maintain different dietary strategies (i.e., relative dietary specialist versus relative generalist).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In reciprocal laboratory feeding trials, we exposed wild-caught woodrats (genus Neotoma) to toxins characteristic of either familiar or novel plant secondary compounds. We measured changes in food and water intake, locomotor activity, gut microbial composition, and gene expression across the digestive tract following feeding trials. The dietary generalist responded minimally, but the specialist responded strongly when exposed to the novel diet. This response included behavioral and genetic components including increased water intake, reduction in locomotor activity, increased differential expression of detoxification genes, and a greater shift in gut microbial composition.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The dietary specialist exhibited a strong response to diet switching that corresponded with ecologically relevant shifts in behavior and physiology that would have negative fitness consequences. Although the dietary specialist had a strong genetic and microbial response to novel plant secondary compounds, this response would likely be insufficient to overcome the immediate challenge of exposure to novel dietary toxins in the wild. Our results underscore the link between feeding strategy and the capacity to shift to novel dietary resources in response to environmental change.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13555915/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148283354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Skeletal porosity of a cold-water coral increases with decreasing aragonite saturation state along a depth gradient in the Mediterranean Sea.","authors":"Fiorella Prada, Chiara Marchini, Paolo Montagna, Marco Taviani, Giorgia Maestrini, Arianna Mancuso, Valentina Di Fazio, Christian Ghiroldi, Andrea Simoni, Iryna Polishchuk, Boaz Pokroy, Raffaele Gattelli, Giuseppe Falini, Stefano Goffredo","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02654-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02654-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cold-water corals (CWCs) are key ecosystem engineers that create complex three-dimensional habitats much like tropical reefs, but in deep, cold seas. However, like other reef-building systems, they are increasingly threatened by climate change and ocean acidification. CWC communities in the Mediterranean Sea may be especially vulnerable because these waters absorb more atmospheric CO₂ than the global ocean, making it a mesocosm that mirrors broader global trends affecting marine life. Since calcification is energetically costly and likely becomes even more demanding as pH and carbonate ion availability decline, understanding how the decrease in aragonite saturation state (Ω_arag) affects biomineralization is essential for predicting the future of these corals.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Here, we investigated skeletal structural and compositional changes of the scleractinian CWC Desmophyllum dianthus along an Ω_arag gradient in the Mediterranean Sea using specimens collected between 400 and 1200 m depth. Our findings indicate that skeletal porosity increases at the macro-scale with decreasing Ω_arag, while micro- and nano-scale structural and compositional features remained unaffected.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The persistence of micro- and nano-scale skeletal features across an 800 m depth gradient suggests that D. dianthus maintains tight biological control over mineralization at these scales, even as Ω_arag declines. This control does not extend to the macro-scale, where increasing porosity alters the skeleton's overall architecture under lower Ω_arag. D. dianthus thus appears to preserve the fundamental \"building blocks\" of its skeleton while changing its larger-scale structure, a decoupling that may make macro-scale porosity an early marker of acidification stress in CWCs.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13508289/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148283318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immunomodulatory role and therapeutic potential of thrombospondin-1 during infectious diseases and autoimmunity.","authors":"Francisca Román, Aillairlyn Jara, Agnes Jara-Collao, Felipe Novoa, Cynthia Moreno-Quidecoy, Valentina Chavez, Fernanda Urzúa, Daniel Moreno, Susan M Bueno, Pablo A González, Alexis M Kalergis, Hernán F Peñaloza","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02657-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02657-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infectious diseases and autoimmunity are leading causes of mortality worldwide. The lack of vaccines and resistance to current treatments by microbes highlight the importance of developing novel therapeutics. Similarly, treatments for autoimmune diseases are limited and require improved approaches. Identifying relevant proteins involved in host defense and tolerance to self-antigens is key to designing novel therapeutic strategies. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a host glycoprotein involved in host defense and inflammation. Here, we analyze how TSP-1 interacts with different ligands involved in immunity. Then, we discuss the roles of TSP-1 in infection and autoimmunity to finally examine the therapeutic potential of TSP-1.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13339868/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148283371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolutionary conservation and adaptability of cholecystokinin neuropeptide signaling in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.","authors":"Huachen Liu, Hongliang Yang, Xiang Tian, Maurice R Elphick, Muyan Chen","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02660-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02660-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Food ingestion is fundamental for animal survival and growth, with the cessation of feeding upon nutrient fulfillment being tightly regulated by a variety of satiety factors. Notably, sulfakinin/cholecystokinin (SK/CCK)-type neuropeptide signaling has been identified as an inhibitory regulator of food intake across the animal kingdom. However, its regulatory mechanism in feeding in deuterostome invertebrates remains unclear. Here, we characterized SK/CCK-type signaling in a deuterostome invertebrate, the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (phylum Echinodermata).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A single SK/CCK-type precursor in A. japonicus generates two mature peptides (AjSK/CCK1, AjSK/CCK2) that activate a shared receptor (AjSK/CCKR), triggering Ca²⁺ mobilization via the Gαq-dependent pathway and extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Both peptides induce dose-dependent contraction of longitudinal muscles, while AjSK/CCK2 additionally elicits sustained contraction of the posterior intestine, an effect absent in other gut regions. Long-term injection of both peptides reduces food intake and significantly downregulates orexin-type neuropeptide genes (AjOrexin1P, AjOrexin2P) in the circumoral nerve ring (CNR) and intestine.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Unlike mammals, where CCK inhibits feeding by contracting the pyloric sphincter to delay gastric emptying, SK/CCK-type peptides in sea cucumbers exert their anorexic effect in part by selectively contracting the posterior intestine, thereby inhibiting intestinal emptying. This divergence in action sites highlights the evolutionary adaptability of SK/CCK-type signaling as a conserved inhibitory regulator of feeding across bilaterian animals. Elucidating these mechanisms in the economically important A. japonicus may inform development of appetite-promoting agents for sustainable aquaculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13548532/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148276014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Uterine microbiome signatures associated with endometriosis.","authors":"Libo Zhu, Jiaying He, Xiaochun Xu, Shen Lu, Yanqin Yu, Wing Hing Wong, Farideh Z Bischoff, Xinmei Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02659-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02659-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting ~ 10% of reproductive-age women, often causing pelvic pain and infertility. Despite its prevalence, diagnosis remains delayed due to non-specific symptoms and lack of reliable non-invasive biomarkers. Emerging evidence implicates the microbiome in disease pathogenesis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We analyzed uterine microbiomes from 266 tissue samples collected during either the proliferative or secretory phase, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Genus-level analysis revealed variable Lactobacillus abundance among all individuals. Prevotella showed borderline enrichment in proliferative-phase patients. Sub-genus analyses identified a small number of differentially abundant taxa, though none remained significant after FDR correction. To capture subtle microbial shifts, we developed a feature set combining weakly differential taxa, algorithmically selected taxa via machine learning, and a functional dysbiosis score. A supervised classifier trained on proliferative-phase data achieved moderate predictive performance (AUC = 0.70), while secretory-phase models performed more poorly (AUC = 0.58).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The uterine microbiome shows phase-dependent differences in its potential to inform endometriosis status. Although no robust individual microbial biomarkers were identified, machine learning models incorporating subtle community features from the proliferative phase yielded modest diagnostic potential. These results highlight the importance of menstrual cycle-aware sampling and support further development of microbiome-informed diagnostic tools for endometriosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13540929/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148257592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evidence for dual pathways of Tc1/mariner domestication in Drosophila.","authors":"Iuliia O Guseva, Alexander P Rezvykh, Elena S Zelentsova, Dina A Kulikova, Michael B Evgen'ev, Sergei Y Funikov","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02655-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02655-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The domestication of transposable elements is a key source of evolutionary innovation, yet the pathways by which their functional modules are repurposed by the host remain poorly understood. The Tc1/mariner superfamily is a widespread group of DNA transposons, but the prevalence and patterns of their domestication are underexplored.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We performed a systematic genomic screen across 43 drosophilid species using stringent criteria for molecular domestication. This analysis identified five high-confidence, evolutionarily conserved genes derived from Tc1/mariner transposases. Phylogenetic and structural analyses suggest domestication via two distinct molecular pathways: co-option of the DNA-binding module and co-option of the catalytic domain. The DNA-binding module pathway includes CG4570, the previously known genes cag and toy (the latter fused with a homeodomain), and a lineage-restricted gene in the Drosophila obscura group that exhibits signatures of recent domestication. In contrast, the catalytic domain pathway is represented solely by CG14478. Structural modeling reveals that CG14478 protein preserves a canonical DDE endonuclease fold. Co-expression network analysis suggests potential cellular roles of these genes: CG14478 is linked to RNA/chromatin-related processes, CG4570 to cell cycle/chromosome functions, cag to ciliary and nuclear functions, and toy to neuronal development.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study establishes a stringent framework for identifying domesticated TEs, demonstrating that Tc1/mariner elements are co-opted via two distinct pathways: retention of either catalytic or DNA-binding modules. Our findings suggest that domestication is a dynamic continuum, ranging from recent, lineage-specific events to ancient, conserved genes, and underscore how genomic conflict with TEs can drive eukaryotic evolution and regulatory complexity.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13548663/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148257615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineered targeted enhancement of translation in mammalian cell.","authors":"Junzhe Liu, Yonghui Lv, Zhihong Zhou, Linzhen Huang, Kunjian Lei, Zewei Tu, Chuandong Gong, Zhansheng Fang, Chong Wang, Juan Wang, Xingen Zhu, Minhua Ye, Shigang Lv, Kai Huang","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02653-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02653-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While the central dogma outlines DNA-to-protein information flow, existing gene regulators mainly target transcription. Here, we developed the λN-Guided RNA Targeting System (λGRTS), a CRISPR-independent platform enhancing mammalian mRNA translation via specific translation-guiding RNAs (tgRNAs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>λGRTS integrates λN (high-affinity BoxB binder), mutated eIF4E1 (ablated non-specific 5' cap binding, retains TIC recruitment), and auxiliary factors (HuR for dsRNA stabilization, PABP and RRM2-RRM3 for mRNA closed loops). Optimized 22-nt tgRNAs (targeting 58 bp upstream of mRNA ATG in 5' UTR) and NES-tagged proteins maximized efficacy. λGRTS outperformed dCasRX (smaller ~ 50 kDa vs. ~ 150 kDa, single tgRNA vs. crRNA-tracrRNA), boosting functional proteins (e.g., GFP). It activated P53/PTEN, suppressing GBM cell proliferation, inducing G1 arrest, and reducing invasion in vitro. In vivo, lentiviral λGRTS inhibited orthotopic GBM in nude mice, extended survival by approximately 35-40 days, with IHC confirming P53/PTEN upregulation. Mass spectrometry showed no off-target effects. Cross-species tests (human, mouse, bovine cells) validated broad applicability via conserved eIF4E1.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>λGRTS offers a specific, safe translation-centric tool for gene regulation and oncology research.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13540907/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148238945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Satellitome analysis of the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens reveals genome organization, interstocks dynamics, and insights into centromeric and telomeric repeat composition.","authors":"Rhavenna Thais Alves-Gomes, Pablo Mora, José Manuel Rico-Porras, Teresa Palomeque, Pedro Lorite, Diogo C Cabral-de-Mello","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02647-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02647-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), commonly known as the black soldier fly (BSF), is a species of growing industrial interest due to its efficiency in organic waste conversion and protein-rich biomass production. Despite the availability of extensive genomic resources, chromosomal-level information on repetitive DNA remains scarce. Here, we present the first comprehensive cytogenomic characterization of satellite DNAs (satDNAs) in H. illucens, integrating cytogenetic mapping with genome data to elucidate their organization and potential structural roles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The karyotype (2n = 14, XY) was confirmed, showing concordance with the assembled pseudochromosomes and revealing heterochromatin polymorphisms between stocks from Brazil and Spain. We identified eleven satDNA families representing approximately 3-4% of the genome in both males and females, with monomer lengths ranging from 7 to 4,166 bp and A + T contents between 43 and 73%. Chromosomal mapping uncovered diverse distribution patterns, ranging from chromosome-specific to broadly dispersed repeats. HillSat03-160 localized to chromosome termini, suggesting a telomere-associated role, whereas HillSat04-7 was enriched in centromeric regions, likely contributing to centromere organization. Other satDNA families, such as HillSat01-162 and HillSat02-4166, showed broad autosomal distributions, whereas HillSat05-196 and HillSat06-109 exhibited stock-specific variation, indicating dynamic repeat evolution. Comparisons between in silico genome assemblies and FISH mapping revealed inconsistencies attributable to the collapse of repetitive regions during assembly.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, our results demonstrate the dynamic and functional significance of satDNAs in the H. illucens genome, highlighting their contribution to genome organization, telomere evolution, and chromosomal diversification, and providing a foundation for future pangenomic and evolutionary studies in this species.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13520365/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148238918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial communication in saline environments: quorum sensing and the future of anaerobic wastewater treatment.","authors":"Yuxin Pan, Xue-Ting Wang, Yanxue Li, Wei Wang, Christian Sonne, Yen Wah Tong, Nanqi Ren, Yong Sik Ok","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02651-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02651-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Anaerobic treatment of industrial wastewater offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach to reducing environmental contamination while recovering biogas. High-salinity wastewater poses ecological risks and remains difficult to treat due to salt-induced sludge disintegration, volatile fatty acid accumulation, and reduced methane production. Quorum sensing is emerging as a key regulator of microbial activity and system stability under salt stress. This review summarizes salinity-stress inhibition mechanisms, evaluates quorum sensing-based mitigation strategies, and proposes a stage- and performance-based framework for quorum sensing application to advance resilient and efficient anaerobic treatment systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13483398/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148223314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The first chromosome-scale genome assembly for Dermacentor reticulatus: a key vector of tick-borne pathogens of public and veterinary health importance in Europe.","authors":"Nina Billows, Mia L White, Joseph Thorpe, Matthew Higgins, Emma Collins, Myrela Santos de Jesus, Mojca Kristan, Steven Pullan, Sarah M Biddlecombe, Faye V Brown, Taane G Clark, Kayleigh M Hansford, Jolyon M Medlock, Susana Campino","doi":"10.1186/s12915-026-02646-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12915-026-02646-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dermacentor reticulatus is a key tick species across Europe and an established vector of multiple pathogens affecting both human and animal health. Despite its significant role in disease transmission and its expanding distribution, genomic data for this species remain limited. Here, we present the first chromosome-scale genome assembly of D. reticulatus, constructed using Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This chromosome-scale genome assembly revealed a repeat-rich genome, with approximately 63.6% of the total sequence consisting of repetitive elements. BUSCO analysis demonstrated strong genome completeness, with guided assembly achieving a score of 97.9%, comparable to related Dermacentor species. Gene annotation predicted 21,592 genes with a BUSCO completeness score of 98%. Functional characterisation, including Pfam domain assignment and gene ontology analysis, highlighted enrichment of molecular functions associated with detoxification, protease regulation, antimicrobial defence, and cholesterol metabolism. Additionally, the mitochondrial genome (15,103 bp), comprising 38 genes, was assembled, providing further insight into D. reticulatus phylogenetic placement in the Dermacentor genus.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This genomic resource establishes a foundation for studying tick biology, evolution, and host-pathogen interactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":9339,"journal":{"name":"BMC Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13495156/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148223304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}