Varidnaviruses in the Human Gut: A Major Expansion of the Order .

Bacteriophages play key roles in the dynamics of the human microbiome. By far the most abundant components of the human gut virome are tailed bacteriophages of the realm , in particular, crAss-like phages. However, apart from duplodnaviruses, the gut virome has not been dissected in detail.

Phylogenetic and Expression Analysis of and Genes in Sexual and Apomictic Species.

Apomictic plants (reproducing via asexual seeds), unlike sexual individuals, avoid meiosis and egg cell fertilization. Consequently, apomixis is very important for fixing maternal genotypes in the next plant generations. Despite the progress in the study of apomixis, molecular and genetic regulation of the latter remains poorly understood.

Analysis of metagenome-assembled viral genomes from the human gut reveals diverse putative CrAss-like phages with unique genomic features.

CrAssphage is the most abundant human-associated virus and the founding member of a large group of bacteriophages, discovered in animal-associated and environmental metagenomes, that infect bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes. We analyze 4907 Circular Metagenome Assembled Genomes (cMAGs) of putative viruses from human gut microbiomes and identify nearly 600 genomes of crAss-like phages that account for nearly 87% of the DNA reads mapped to these cMAGs. Phylogenetic analysis of conserved genes demonstrates the monophyly of crAss-like phages, a putative virus order, and of 5 branches, potential families within that order, two of which have not been identified previously.

White shark genome reveals ancient elasmobranch adaptations associated with wound healing and the maintenance of genome stability.

The white shark (; Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii) is one of the most publicly recognized marine animals. Here we report the genome sequence of the white shark and comparative evolutionary genomic analyses to the chondrichthyans, whale shark (Elasmobranchii) and elephant shark (Holocephali), as well as various vertebrates. The 4.

Assembly of the Boechera retrofracta Genome and Evolutionary Analysis of Apomixis-Associated Genes.

Closely related to the model plant , the genus is known to contain both sexual and apomictic species or accessions. is a diploid sexually reproducing species and is thought to be an ancestral parent species of apomictic species. Here we report the de novo assembly of the genome using short Illumina and Roche reads from 1 paired-end and 3 mate pair libraries.

PGD: a pangolin genome hub for the research community.

Pangolins (order Pholidota) are the only mammals covered by scales. We have recently sequenced and analyzed the genomes of two critically endangered Asian pangolin species, namely the Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) and the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). These complete genome sequences will serve as reference sequences for future research to address issues of species conservation and to advance knowledge in mammalian biology and evolution.

Pangolin genomes and the evolution of mammalian scales and immunity.

Pangolins, unique mammals with scales over most of their body, no teeth, poor vision, and an acute olfactory system, comprise the only placental order (Pholidota) without a whole-genome map. To investigate pangolin biology and evolution, we developed genome assemblies of the Malayan (Manis javanica) and Chinese (M. pentadactyla) pangolins.