Honeybee gut microbiome diversity challenges co-evolution theory

🔬 New study - Parasite biodiversity meets eDNA 🌊🧬 Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is revolutionizing biodiversity research – but parasite diversity has often been overlooked. In our study from a ParasiteBlitz in coastal South Carolina (USA), we show that eDNA can uncover a hidden world of parasite diversity in aquatic ecosystems. …we detected more than 1,000 parasite amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), representing around 600 OTUs across six major parasite groups – including microsporidians, nematodes, platyhelminths and myxozoans. 💡 Key insights: Actively filtered water captured parasite diversity across all groups Sediment yielded 3× more ASVs but fewer groups Sampling strategy matters – no single method captures everything We even found potentially invasive parasite species 🛑 A major bottleneck? Incomplete reference databases – better genomic resources are urgently needed! 💬 This study demonstrates how eDNA metabarcoding can transform parasite monitoring, support ecological risk assessment, and strengthen One Health surveillance. 🙏 Huge thanks to an amazing international team involved in this ParasiteBlitz project! Isaure de Buron Dakeishla (Daki) Díaz Morales Kristina Hill-Spanik Maarten Vanhove Simona Georgieva Robin Schütz N. Kmentová E.W. Davis, S.D. Atkinson 🔗 Link to the paper: https://lnkd.in/e6m9Tv7r #AquaticParasitology #ParasiteEcology #eDNA #Biodiversity #EcosystemHealth #OneHealth #AquaticResearch #Metabarcoding #InvasionBiology #MicrobialEcology #Parasitology #Research

Collaboration is the bedrock of science. Published today in PLOS Biology, 129 scientists from 82 institutions, including universities, zoos, and sanctuaries around the world, united their expertise to investigate neophobia across the avian clade. This global collaboration, part of the ManyBirds Project, brought together data from more than 1,400 birds representing 136 species to ask: how does ecology shape fear of novelty in birds? Our findings show that - Species with specialist diets tend to be more neophobic than generalists, supporting the Neophobia Threshold Hypothesis. - Migratory species are also more neophobic than non-migrants, consistent with the Dangerous Niche Hypothesis. Beyond its insights into the evolution of avian behaviour, this study highlights the power of collaborative research, showing what can be achieved when researchers across disciplines and institutions work together towards a shared question. Thrilled to have contributed to this collaborative effort and I look forward to seeing what else we can accomplish moving forward. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gaaxSGDu

- VERY INTERESTING and IMPORTANT ! RT: Earth BioGenome Project 💚🧬🔬💻👨🎓💚📤 📈 🧑🌾💚🌳🐞🦌 "The #ERGA - European Reference Genome Atlas Pilot Project reports its success in uniting researchers from across Europe to produce high-quality reference genomes for 98 species. This continental effort is setting the stage for a new, inclusive and equitable model for #biodiversitygenomics. The Pilot flagship paper - along with three other Pilot-related articles were released ... Check out the collection at: https://lnkd.in/gn8VjiUs **** 🧬🔬👨🎓💻💚🧩🌲🌳🐞🦌💚🐦⬛🌳💚 "Science needs genomes to understand biodiversity, biodiversity needs to be understood to be protected." #nature #Europe #DNA #RNA #NGTs #Genomics #populations #Biology #Botany #LifeScience #biodiversity #ecology #environment #OneHealth #ecosystems #ClimateChange

🌿 The Invisible Sculptor of Plant Disease: Microsphaera 🧫🔬 Ever wondered how a microscopic fungus can shape the fate of global crops? Meet Microsphaera — a remarkable member of the Erysiphaceae family, infamous for causing powdery mildew, one of the most widespread and costly plant diseases worldwide. Under the microscope, Microsphaera reveals a world of biological architecture: reddish perithecia (fruiting bodies) that contain asci (spore sacs) and branching appendages that define its identity. Molecular phylogenetic studies (401 ITS + 28S rDNA sequences) have shown that the Microsphaera lineage has been evolving for nearly 20 million years, co-adapting alongside flowering plants (Takamatsu et al., 2015, Mycologia). 🌍 A Silent Global Threat: The Erysiphaceae family encompasses around 900 species infecting more than 9,800 flowering plants across 196 families — a scale that makes it one of the most diverse groups of plant pathogens (Amano, 2021). Powdery mildew leads to heavy economic losses globally: 🍇 Grapevines — up to 30% yield loss if uncontrolled 🌾 Barley — typically 10–15%, rising to 40% in severe epidemics 🌱 Soybeans — yield loss of up to 10 bushels per acre (Kendon, 2023; Bayer, 2024; PlantwisePlus, 2024). Biodiversity studies reveal striking regional concentrations: 🌏 Northeast Asia — 318 species across hundreds of host plants, nearly 40% of global diversity (Biodiversity Science, 2023) 🇮🇷 Iran — 154 species infecting 673 host species in 339 genera (MIJ, 2024) 🧬 An Ancient Evolutionary Arms Race: The Microsphaera lineage offers an extraordinary glimpse into plant–pathogen co-evolution. Genetic studies show it originated on woody plants before shifting to herbaceous hosts, revealing multiple host-shift events across millions of years (Takamatsu et al., 2018). The Erysiphaceae family itself dates back ~76 million years, aligning with the diversification of flowering plants. This long evolutionary history explains its vast host range and adaptability — traits that make powdery mildew a recurring global challenge. 🌾 Why It Matters Now: With changing climate patterns and increased humidity, powdery mildew outbreaks are becoming more frequent and widespread. In 2025, researchers in Taiwan identified 29 new host plants for Erysiphaceae, signaling that its reach is still expanding (Springer, 2025). Understanding the evolution, genetics, and host range of Microsphaera is more than academic — it’s vital for crop protection, disease monitoring, and global food security. 🌱 Tiny spores. Giant consequences. #PlantPathology #Mycology #Microsphaera #PowderyMildew 👨🔬 Curated by Dip Ghosh ♻️ Repost this if you learned something new. 📚 References: Takamatsu et al. (2015, 2018) | Amano (2021) | Kendon (2023) | Bayer (2024) | PlantwisePlus (2024) | Biodiversity Science (2023) | MIJ (2024) | Springer (2025) 👉 Follow Dip Ghosh for more insights on Microbiology, Molecular Genetics & Food Science.

The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative 💚🫎🐞🦌🐦⬛🦉💚🦅🐝🐞🐛🐌💚🧬🔬👨🎓💻 RT: https://lnkd.in/dWheXaYA "#ERGA is a pan-European scientific response to current threats to biodiversity. Reference genomes provide the most complete insight into the genetic basis that forms each species and represent a powerful resource in understanding how biodiversity functions. With approximately one fifth of the ~200,000 European species at risk of extinction, we need to act fast and together to generate high-quality complete genome resources in large scale." 🧬🔬👨🎓💻💚🧩🌲🌳🐞🦌💚🐦⬛🌳💚 "Science needs genomes to understand biodiversity, biodiversity needs to be understood to be protected." #nature #Europe #DNA #RNA #NGTs #Genomics #populations #Biology #Botany #LifeScience #biodiversity #ecology #environment #OneHealth #ecosystems #ClimateChange

So happy to be part of this giant paper! This paper is huge, this paper is giant but this paper will be a gold standard in fungal identification and will bring the chaos to tranquility only if you follow the recommendations on the paper! 🥇 Our latest study updates the taxonomy of some of the most important fungi in industry, medicine, and agriculture: #Aspergillus, #Penicillium, and #Talaromyces. A key outcome is the release of a curated DNA sequence dataset with 18,837 sequences from 5,325 strains, designed to capture intraspecies variation and make species identification more accurate. 👉 So if you are describing a new species in Aspergillus, Penicillium or Talaromyces, don’t just compare against type strains. Check this dataset and include multiple isolates to capture the variation: https://lnkd.in/dmbxUJJk Not every branch is a new species, do not ignore the infraspecies variation. And keep tuned for the other important fungal genera updates. Cobus Visagie František Sklenář Vit Hubka Jens Frisvad Giancarlo Perrone Nicole van Vuuren FABI University of Pretoria University of Pretoria Charles University Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/ Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute DTU - Technical University of Denmark PS: Special thanks to @Mycobiomics project granted by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions This paper is truly the fruit of Cobus's Prague visits, where he and František Sklenář worked 24/7 on the STACEY analyses to make this possible.

🍂 October is here -  it's almost time for the Genomics for Biodiversity Conference!  (29–31 October, fully online & free of charge) 👉More info, including the programme: https://lnkd.in/eU9udscW ✉️ Sign up to receive updates: https://lnkd.in/eesxZapd A big part of the conference programme will feature 25+ case studies showcasing the applied use of #BiodiversityGenomics across Europe and across diverse eukaryotic species with support from Biodiversity Genomics Europe. Today, we spotlight 2 projects supporting the conservation of #bird species: 🦉 A team of researchers led by Hernan Morales (Globe Institute) is studying historical #DNA to help protect the Little Owl (Athene noctua). They are integrating #genomic and demographic data to inform effective conservation strategies for the species: https://lnkd.in/eeqZX7Gc #LittleOwl University of Copenhagen (Københavns Universitet) European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Aalborg Zoo 🌾 The #threatened aquatic warbler relies on fragmented European wetlands to survive. Researchers from @Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS are using #genomic data from two populations to guide management and help restore an extinct population: https://lnkd.in/e_trwN_y Baltic Environmental Forum Deutschland e. V. Baltic Environmental Forum Lithuania Generalna Dyrekcja Ochrony Środowiska Regionalna Izba Gospodarcza w Katowicach Regionalna Dyrekcja Ochrony Środowiska w Białymstoku — #GenomicsforBiodiversity #conference #genomics Earth BioGenome Project Tree of Life Programme ATLASea: atlas of marine genomes Biodiversity Genomics Europe Wellcome Sanger Institute iBOL Europe 1000 Genomas Evomics workshops

I am pleased to share with you this Special Issue: "Microbial Diversity and Ecology in Different Environments", co-edited with my colleague Maria Carolina Quecine "This Special Issue focuses on the comprehensive characterization of microbial diversity and ecology across various environments, including terrestrial ecosystems (soil, rhizosphere, plant-associated microbiomes), aquatic systems (marine, freshwater, sediments), extreme environments (hypersaline, acidic, high-temperature, polar regions), and host-associated microbiomes (animals, plants, humans). We encourage submissions that employ cutting-edge approaches, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and culturomics , to explore microbial community structure, function, and dynamics. Other omics to understand the molecular mechanisms related to microbial characteristics are welcome." Please visit the website for more information https://lnkd.in/dEmCr3Y4 Looking forward to receiving your contributions! #microbiology #microorganisms #UAlg #USP #Metagenomics #mdpi #diversity #microbiome #genomics #ecossystems #environment

🌍📈Countrywide 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝐿. core collection shows an adaptive potential for future climate in Benin. Understanding the genome-wide variation pattern in crop germplasm is required in profiling breeding products and defining conservation units. Yet, such knowledge was missing for the large germplasm collection of 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝐿. in Benin at #CalaviGen (the Université d'Abomey-Calavi genebank), the world’s largest holder of the crop germplasm with 1,566 accessions conserved. Using 1,114 high-quality SNPs, this study: i) investigated the spatial variation of the genetic structure of 305 accessions sampled along the South North ecological gradient of Benin, ii) derived a core collection from the batch of accessions and iii) gauged the extent of (mal)adaptation of this core set. Overall, we detected a moderate diversity with a total gene diversity of 0.28 and an expected heterozygosity estimate of 0.27. The spatial variation of the genomic diversity painted an increasing trend following the South-North ecological gradient, giving rise to four optimal genetic groups based on STRUCTURE analysis while the neighbour-joining analysis revealed three clusters. The ShinyCore algorithm application yielded a core set of 54 accessions that echoed a good geographical representativeness and encompassed a level of diversity comparable to that of the whole collection. Nearly 88% of this core set accessions were characterized by a low genomic offset score, which suggests a strong adaptation potential to future climate. This SNP-based core collection represents a unique and viable working asset for accelerated traits-discovery, in the species and should play a pivotal role in international collaborative initiatives dedicated to promoting C. olitorius use and conservation. 🔗For more details:  https://lnkd.in/e7Ni6VSR #Geneticdiversity #corecollection #germplasmconservation #jutemallow #SNP With Université d'Abomey-Calavi, World Vegetable Center, Wageningen University & Research, Université Nationale d'Agriculture du Bénin, Dedeou A. Tchokponhoue, Enoch Gbenato Achigan-Dako, Sognigbe N'Danikou, Vodjo Nicodème Fassinou Hotegni, Charlotte Adje, Aristide Carlos Houdegbe, Emmanuel Omondi Otunga, Eric Schranz, Belchrist Eliel SOSSOU, Maarten van Zonneveld and many more.