Science China Life Sciences

Extreme environments, though hostile to most life forms, host specialized extremophile communities that have redefined biological cognition and emerged as vital biotechnological resources, with their unique adaptive traits and bioactive molecules driving advances in multiple scientific and industrial fields. However, research on extremophiles is hindered by limitations in culture-based methods, fragmented multi-omics data with non-uniform annotation standards across repositories, the lack of cross-extreme comparative research in existing resources, and the singularity of data dimensionality that neglects key structural information, all of which restrict the functional interpretation of extremophile microbes and the exploitation of their bioprospecting potential. To tackle these challenges, we developed ExMODE (https://db.genomics.cn/exmode/), a comprehensive multi-omics database platform dedicated to extremophiles. It centrally integrates multi-omics data from diverse extreme habitats with a standardized annotation framework, resolving data fragmentation and enabling systematic cross-environment comparative analyses to elucidate extremophile adaptive mechanisms. Moreover, ExMODE aggregates multi-dimensional datasets including genes, genomes, secondary metabolite sequences and protein structures, overcoming the constraints of single-dimensional data and significantly improving the efficiency of biotechnological resource discovery from extreme microorganisms.

The axon initial segment (AIS) undergoes structural plasticity and refines neuronal excitability, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We here developed an in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 knockout platform using an all-in-one triple-guide RNA vector introduced via electroporation and employed this approach to seek molecules that regulate the developmental shortening of AIS in the chicken nucleus magnocellularis. We have targeted fourteen molecules associated with microtubules and found that knockouts of glycogen synthase kinase 3{beta} (GSK3{beta}) and Tau disabled the AIS shortening. Conversely, overexpression of constitutively active form of GSK3{beta} facilitated the AIS shortening in vivo. This extensive shortening was replicated in slice cultures, which was occluded by stabilization of microtubules. These results suggested that microtubule remodeling by GSK3{beta} activity contributed to the AIS shortening. This study thus provides a genetic approach suitable for genetic screening that allows identifying regulators of the AIS plasticity in the chicken brain.

MotivationGut microbiota regulates host health through complex protein-protein interactions. However, deciphering this specific interactions between microbiota and human receptors remains a significant challenge due to the lack of specialized computational tools. ResultsLeveraging the hypothesis of cell communication and relevant data, HMI-Pred initially builds an ensemble classifier to screen for potential ligand sequences within microbial genomes. It then jointly evaluates sequence semantics and molecular docking to predict potential microbe-host receptor interactions.HMI-Pred achieved robust performance with F1-scores of 0.901 for microbial ligand identification and 0.883 for interaction prediction. Application to 332,381 microbial proteins revealed distinct interaction patterns: histone deacetylases (HDACs) served as broad-spectrum targets (mean score > 0.80), while G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) exhibited high specificity (scores 0.42-0.61). Furthermore, literature mining validated over 47% of the functional predictions, and specific immunomodulatory interactions were confirmed in Akkermansia muciniphila.HMI-Pred provides a valuable computational tool for decoding host-microbe signaling networks and facilitating the discovery of microbiome-based therapeutic targets. AvailabilityThe source code and documentation are available at https://github.com/YangLab-BUPT/HMI-Pred. Contactlihm@bupt.edu.cn

Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacillaceae are key probiotic families and widely used in food production, yet a comprehensive understanding of strain functions and their gut microbial interactions based on complete genomes remain understudied. Here we constructed a complete-genome dataset of 3,300 strains from these two families, including 1,151 newly isolated from China. Compared with draft assemblies, complete genomes substantially recovered a gene functional landscape encompassing stress tolerance, surface exopolysaccharide synthesis, nutrient utilization, and mobile genetic elements. Major species from both families exhibited a prevalence >60% in the Chinese population, far higher than that in US/Dutch cohorts. Notably, as a core probiotic species with remarkable genomic plasticity and gut-adaptive potential, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum stood out in our dataset for its enriched functional profile and was particularly abundant in the Chinese population. Moreover, compared with non-Chinese genomes, our isolates of key species displayed less metabolic complementarity and stronger competition with potentially pathogenic keystone species in the gut, thereby linking strain origin to enhanced probiotic potential and ecological fitness to benefit human gut health.

The Pamir Plateau is a transboundary water tower whose source lakes serve as critical biogeochemical hubs with implications for downstream freshwater security. However, it remains unclear how environmental shifts in these high-altitude lakes reshape the microbial communities that drive ecosystem functioning and water safety. Here, we conducted a multi-omics survey across 20 lakes spanning Chinese and Tajikistani Pamir. Our results revealed that prokaryotes exhibited lower diversity but higher among-lake connectivity in China, while eukaryotes showed higher diversity but stronger dispersal limitation. These contrasting biogeographic responses triggered profound rewiring of microbial associations. Under intensified anthropogenic pressures, Chinese cross-kingdom networks decoupled from environmental constraints and became more centralized and complex. Conversely, Tajikistani lakes maintained more modular networks governed by hydrochemical filtering. Critically, this rewiring mediated a trade-off between multifunctionality and potential biosafety risk, with higher element cycling abundances in Chinese lakes, whereas Tajikistani lakes harbored larger biosafety burden dominated by virulence, pathogen, and toxic-algae potential. Incorporating network topology also substantially improved the prediction of these ecological consequences. These findings highlight the importance of network-informed monitoring and management strategies to safeguard ecosystem sustainability in transboundary Pamir lakes under global change.

The newly identified signaling system comprising C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CXCL17) and G protein-coupled receptor 25 (GPR25) is involved in immune regulation and tumor development. However, the evolutionary origin of this pair has remained unclear because CXCL17 orthologs in lower vertebrates exhibit extreme sequence variation and cannot be identified through conventional homology-based searches. In this study, we identified seven possible CXCL17 orthologs in primitive cartilaginous fishes, including sharks and rays, using an integrated approach based on key amino acid sequence features as well as gene synteny, architecture, and RNA sequencing data in the NCBI gene database. To validate these candidates, a representative ortholog from the cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame), termed St-CXCL17, was prepared via bacterial overexpression and in vitro refolding. In cell-based functional assays, St-CXCL17 demonstrated high binding affinity and activation potency toward its corresponding receptor, St-GPR25. Further analysis revealed that removing three conserved C-terminal residues almost completely abolished this activity. While these cartilaginous fish CXCL17s share considerable homology with one another, they lack significant overall similarity to orthologs in mammals, amphibians, or bony fishes. These findings identify functional CXCL17 orthologs in cartilaginous fishes for the first time, implying that the CXCL17-GPR25 signaling pair likely originated in ancient cartilaginous fish ancestors or earlier and has been conserved throughout the evolution of jawed vertebrates.

Geothermal springs, characterized by extreme physicochemical conditions, represent ecologically and evolutionarily significant habitats that foster unique microbial communities and drive adaptive evolutionary processes. Despite their importance, the complex microbial interactions and underlying mechanisms governing community assembly in these environments remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted systematic sampling across 49 geothermal springs in Tengchong, Yunnan, over a six-year period (2016-2021), and performed metagenomic sequencing on 152 samples. We successfully reconstructed 12,789 non-redundant microbial genomes, revealing an exceptionally high level of phylogenetic and functional diversity within the spring microbiomes. Our analyses demonstrate that pH and temperature are the primary deterministic drivers shaping both microbial species composition and functional potential, thereby segregating the communities into three distinct groups: acidic, hyperthermal, and thermal. Furthermore, ecological network analysis revealed that extreme environmental conditions significantly alter network topology, resulting in less complex but more efficient microbial interaction networks. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive resource and mechanistic insights into the microbial diversity, community structure, and species interactions in geothermal spring ecosystems.

Enhancer-regulating epigenetic modifiers play critical roles in normal physiological processes and human pathogenesis. The major enhancer regulator paralogs MLL3 and MLL4 (MLL3/4) belong to the lysine methyltransferase 2 (KMT2) family, which catalyzes the methylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me). MLL3/4 are required for enhancer activation and are essential for mammalian development and stem cell differentiation. Recent studies have linked MLL3/4 with different metabolic pathways in the context of stem cell self-renewal and cancer cell growth; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we utilize Seahorse extracellular flux analysis, stable isotope tracing, stem cell biology techniques, and transcriptomic analysis to investigate the functional relationship of MLL3/4, cellular respiration, and stem cell differentiation. Our results indicate that the loss of MLL3/4 impairs glycolytic activity and mitochondrial respiration in murine embryonic stem cells by downregulating the rate-limiting glycolytic enzyme Hexokinase 2 (HK2) and impairing the function of the Alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) complex. Furthermore, simultaneously overexpression of HK2 and OGDH rescues defects in both cellular respiration and differentiation caused by MLL3/4 loss. Taken together, our study reveals a novel mechanism by which epigenetic machineries such as MLL3/4 govern the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells and facilitates the understanding of disease pathogenesis driven by enhancer malfunction.

The cerebellum is one of the most complex structures of the brain composed of a high diversity of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons. Whereas cerebellar biogenesis has been extensively studied in the mouse, an in-depth characterization of genes and pathways involved in cerebellar specification and maturation in the humans remains overlooked. Here, we used human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC)-derived cerebellar organoids (CRBOs) to study the temporal biogenesis of neuronal subtypes. Our results show that CRBOs acquire caudal neural tube identity at an early stage followed by a time-dependent expression of mature cerebellar neuronal markers in vitro, mimicking human neurodevelopment. CRBOs show the generation of both cerebellar excitatory and inhibitory neurons and the expression of glial cell markers, suggesting the generation of a high variety of cerebellar cell types in vitro. Further, in vitro CRBOs show expression of cerebellar disease associated genes, such as those related to ataxia. Our results establish CRBOs as a valuable platform to explore the mechanisms of human cerebellar development and related disorders.

ABSTRACPorcine respiratory diseases caused by extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) pose a severe threat to swine production and public health; however, research on respiratory tract-isolated ExPEC remains limited. This study comprehensively analyzed the genomic characteristics and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) transfer potential of 441 ExPEC strains isolated from porcine lungs across 21 Chinese provinces (including 53 newly isolated strains from 2022-2024 and 388 NCBI-deposited strains). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 84% of the isolates belonged to phylogroups A, B1, and C, with ST410, ST101, and ST88 as the predominant STs. The strains exhibited extensive ARG diversity, harboring 111 distinct ARG subtypes, with sul2 (81.4%), floR (73.5%), and tet (A) (68.0%) being the most prevalent. Importantly, critical "last-resort" antibiotic resistance genes (e.g., blaNDM-1/5, the mcr family, and tet (X4)) were also detected. Notably, 77.2% of the ARGs presented horizontal transfer potential, with plasmids (especially IncF family replicons) serving as core vectors, followed by integrons and transposons. Cooccurrence network analysis identified aph (3)-Ib, aph (6)-Id, sul2, and floR as core subnetworks driving multidrug resistance dissemination. Pangenomic analysis confirmed an open genome architecture, with core genes accounting for only 6%, reflecting the strains capacity to acquire exogenous genetic material via horizontal transfer. From the One Health perspective, these transferable ARGs can spread to the environment and humans through fecal discharge and the food chain. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and controlling ExPEC infections in swine, as such strains can as reservoirs of ARGs, pose potential risks to human health, and may even act as sources of pathogenic agents responsible for human infections. IMPORTANCEPorcine respiratory ExPEC-induced diseases threaten swine production and public health, yet respiratory tract-isolated ExPEC research remains scarce. This study comprehensively analyzed 441 porcine lung ExPEC strains across 21 Chinese provinces, uncovering their dominant phylogroups, high ARG diversity (111 subtypes) and the presence of "last-resort" antibiotic resistance genes. We identified 77.2% of ARGs with horizontal transfer potential, plasmids (especially IncF family) as core vectors, and a core ARG subnetwork driving multidrug resistance. The open pangenome (6% core genes) highlights ExPECs strong capacity to acquire exogenous genes. These findings fill the research gap of respiratory ExPEC, clarify ARG transmission mechanisms in swine ExPEC, and provide critical genomic data for One Health-based AMR surveillance and control, guiding targeted strategies to mitigate ARG spread from swine to humans and the environment.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are abundant and structurally diverse glycans that shape the development of infant gut microbiota. Yet, how individual HMOs and bacterial genes drive the community assembly remain elusive. Here, we reconstructed an eight-member infant Bacterial Community (iBaCo) from representing dominant taxa in human infant feces. When individual HMOs were the sole carbohydrate source, they showed deterministic effects on the iBaCo composition and metabolic output. Notably, the tetramer HMO lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), in spite of its identical monomer composition as lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), showed a strong effect on maintaining Bifidobacterium breve abundance in iBaCo, whereas LNnT did not. Monoculture growth profiling, proteomics, enzymatic kinetic assay, and molecular docking revealed that {beta}-galactosidase D4BMY8 and the relevant downstream pathways are induced by LNT and that D4BMY8 has substrate preference on LNT over LNnT, enabling a faster growth of Bi. breve and accumulation of acetate and lactate in LNT compared to LNnT. Metabolic flux analysis indicated that the substrate-preference of {beta}-galactosidase D4BMY8 drives the skewed energy cost toward lactate/acetate metabolic output. Finally, the D4BMY8-encoding gene lacZ5 is widely spread in all isolated Bi. breve genomes, but divergently distributed in infant metagenome-assembled Bi. breve genomes. Together, we demonstrated that a single enzyme-substrate interaction could orchestrate the composition and metabolic function of an infant bacterial community, which may contribute to the assembly of dynamic infant gut microbiota. Our integrative approach provides a mechanistic framework for understanding the interaction between diet, microbial community, and infant gut health.

In agriculture, propiconazole (PCZ) controls excessive growth in flowering Chinese cabbage but poses dietary safety risks due to residue accumulation. Therefore, identifying novel PCZ targets and breeding PCZ-free cultivars is critical for the safe production of flowering Chinese cabbage. Here, we identified three P4-ATPase flippase homologs aminophospholipid ATPase 3 (BraALA3a/b/c) in flowering Chinese cabbage that function as sensitive targets for PCZ. These proteins exhibit high binding affinity for PCZ, which directly inhibits their ATPase activity. Overexpression of the BraALA3 homologs enhanced plant growth and increased sensitivity to PCZ, whereas knockdown led to dwarfism and reduced sensitivity. Based on these findings, we identified editable active sites via protoplast-based screening. Genetic transformation of one such site yielded BraALA3a/braala3aK200T mutant lines, which displayed a dwarf and compact architecture. These findings provide a precise molecular target for developing PCZ-free germplasm in flowering Chinese cabbage through gene editing.

Achieving high-throughput and precise phenotypic quantification and imaging modalities of stomatal and epidermal cells across diverse species remains a primary bottleneck in elucidating the mechanisms of stomatal dynamics, epidermal patterning, and environmental adaptation of plants. Here, we developed EpiReasoner, an artificial intelligence framework comprising a vision module, EpiVision, and a knowledge-based reasoning module, EpiBrain, for the quantitative phenotypic analysis and domain-specific knowledge reasoning of stomatal complexes and pavement cells in plants. Operating across bright-field, scanning electron microscopy, and differential interference contrast modalities, EpiVision achieves precise instance segmentation in various monocotyledonous, dicotyledonous, and fern species. Its performance significantly surpasses current state-of-the-art models. Moreover, we defined 23 quantitative indices describing stomatal cell morphology and spatial distribution. For domain-specific tasks such as phenotype prediction, genotype deduction, and molecular mechanism reasoning, EpiBrain demonstrates a human preference rate significantly higher than that of general-purpose large language models, including GPT-5 and Claude Sonnet 4. The application of EpiReasoner to phenotypic data of stomatal density derived from a tomato natural population of 170 accessions successfully identified a major quantitative trait locus on chromosome 8. The candidate gene, SKP1-interaction partner 19L (SKIP19L), encoding an F-box family protein, exhibited severe allele frequency drift during tomato domestication, which is highly consistent with the adaptive trend of reduced stomatal density under artificial selection. EpiReasoner provides a novel paradigm that unifies visual phenomics and knowledge-driven reasoning for the biology of stomata and pavement cells, thereby significantly accelerating scientific discovery in plant science.

Characterized by the earliest use of pottery, the Jomon culture was a unique Neolithic culture that spread throughout the Japanese Archipelago. Previous archaeological evidence suggests that Jomon hunter-gatherers colonized the southernmost islands, the Ryukyu Archipelago, by approximately 7,000 years before present (YBP). However, genetic characteristics of the Ryukyu Jomon population and its contribution to the modern population have not been elucidated yet. In this study, we newly sequenced 273 modern and 25 ancient (6,700-900 YBP) whole genomes collected across the Ryukyu Archipelago. Our analysis demonstrated a genetic differentiation between the Hondo (Japanese mainland) and Ryukyu Jomon, dating back to [~]6,900 YBP. After the divergence from the Hondo Jomon, the Ryukyu Jomon experienced severe bottlenecks, with an effective population size of [~]2,000. Admixture between the Ryukyu Jomon and migrants from the historic Hondo population occurred [~]1,000 YBP, which corresponds to the widespread adoption of iron tools and agriculture in the Central Ryukyus. Different demographic histories between modern Hondo and Ryukyu populations resulted in different rates of Jomon ancestry in these populations. By providing a new perspective on the peopling of the Ryukyu Archipelago, this study significantly enhances our understanding of cultural transitions in the region.

Polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs) have been a goldmine for the characterization of novel carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) and the understanding of their synergistic degradation of complex polysaccharides. We collected PUL predictions containing CAZymes from glycoside hydrolase families GH29, GH50 and GH117, expected to participate in marine polysaccharide breakdown. We explored the evolutionary diversity in these families in terms of sequences and PUL composition, based on sulfatases and CAZymes. From 41 selected PULs, more than 400 putative enzymes were produced, purified and screened on a large collection of carbohydrates. We attributed a function to more than 130 enzymes from five sulfatase subfamilies, 29 known CAZymes families and discovered an activity for 4 families previously of unknown function, including an -L-galactosidase structurally and functionally characterized with mutants. Finally, our detailed analysis of the enzymatic synergies in five PULs, two targeting marine polysaccharides and three targeting eukaryotic polysaccharides, by marine and human gut organisms, highlight the efficiency of our exploratory strategy.

Background.Mycoviruses infect fungal cells and represent important components of the global virome with potential biological control applications. The rice blast pathogen Pyricularia oryzae causes devastating crop losses worldwide, yet its mycovirus diversity remains understudied. While traditional dsRNA extraction remains a standard method for virus discovery, recent advancements, such as monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based dsRNA enrichment, offer improved specificity and sensitivity for viral detection. Methods.We developed the monoclonal anti-dsRNA antibody-based metagenomics (MADAM) approach, integrating dsRNA enrichment using 2G4 monoclonal antibody, sequence-independent reverse transcription-PCR with random octamer primers, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies sequencing. Total RNA was extracted from four P. oryzae isolates collected from Yuanyang rice terraces (Yunnan, China). After nuclease treatment, dsRNA was enriched using anti-dsRNA antibodies, followed by strand-switching cDNA synthesis, PCR amplification, and MinION sequencing. Genome gaps and terminal sequences were resolved through targeted RT-PCR and modified 3' RACE approaches. Results.MADAM achieved high viral read recovery rates (46.9-72.7%) and identified 18 P. oryzae-associated RNA viruses across seven families: Botourmiaviridae, Deltaormycoviridae, Mymonaviridae, Partitiviridae, Polymycoviridae, Splipalmiviridae, and Ambiguiviridae. Nearly complete to complete genomes (ranging from 1,226 to 6,085 nucleotides) were recovered, with sequence coverage spanning 88-100%. Co-infections occurred in three out of four isolates. Notable discoveries included the first deltaormycovirus in P. oryzae, a putative novel Botourmiaviridae member, and an additional genomic segment of a polymycovirus. The method detected positive-sense, negative-sense ssRNA, and dsRNA viruses, demonstrating broad applicability.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are widely used in gene therapy, whereas low manufacturing efficiency and a large proportion of empty capsids are major obstacles. This study focused on the Yin Yang 1 (YY1) binding motif (YY1-motif) and investigated the effect of its presence or insertion at upstream of the Replicase (Rep)/Capsid Cap) gene on AAV vector production. We found that the YY1-motif incidentally presented in a Rep/Cap plasmid was associated with high vector production. We then designed several modified Rep/Cap (RC2) constructs. The YY1-motif insertion at the upstream of Rep/Cap gene increased vector yield in a repeat-number-dependent manner, and similar effects were not observed with other promoters insertion. Furthermore, the insertion of the YY1-motif reduced the amount of Cap protein per the same amount of full particle in supernatants on multiple serotypes, indicating the improvement in the empty/full capsid ratio. The YY1-motif insertion did not affect the AAV vector infectivity. These results denote that the YY1-motif has a universal regulatory function that optimizes the Rep/Cap expression balance, and simultaneously improves the production efficiency and full particle formation of AAV vectors. This finding could contribute to the development of highly efficient and high-quality AAV manufacturing processes.

The Caenorhabditis elegans AWC olfactory neuron pair specifies asymmetric subtypes, AWCOFF and AWCON, through stochastic and coordinated cell signaling events. UNC-104/kinesin-3 (KIF1A) and UNC-116/kinesin-1 motor proteins act in the AWCON cell to regulate the synaptic localization of the TIR-1/SARM1-assembled calcium signaling complex in the AWCOFF cell to promote AWCOFF. However, the molecular mechanism in the AWCON cell that acts non-cell autonomously to control synaptic TIR-1 calcium signaling to promote AWCOFF remains unclear. Here, we show that JIP-1, a conserved c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-interacting protein 1, mediates the synaptic localization of TIR-1 in the AWC axon to specify the AWCOFF subtype. A jip-1 loss-of-function mutant, identified from an unbiased forward genetic screen, has reduced localization of TIR-1 at synapses in the AWC axon and accumulation of TIR-1 in the AWC cell body. jip-1 mutants significantly enhance the 2AWCON phenotype of a hypomorphic tir-1 mutant. JIP-1, like UNC-104 and UNC-116, mainly acts non-cell autonomously in AWCON to specify the AWCOFF subtype. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into how cell-specific Ca2+ signaling proteins, such as TIR-1, target synaptic regions via intercellular signaling to promote neuronal diversification.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) is an important vegetable and food crop in China, but in recent years, soft rot disease has frequently occurred during its cultivation and production. This disease damages the underground corms and petiole bases of taro, causing decay in the affected parts and emitting a foul odor, leading to wilting and lodging of the entire plant. This has resulted in significant economic losses to taro production in China, along with food safety issues and ecological problems caused by excessive pesticide use, making it urgent to find a green and efficient control method. Due to its specificity and environmental safety, phage therapy exhibits advantages that chemical pesticides cannot match, representing a promising alternative to chemical pesticides for controlling pathogenic bacteria. In the preliminary work of this study, a bacterial strain was isolated from taro soft rot in Shaoguan, Guangdong, and initially identified as Pectobacterium colocasium ZXC0623. Using this strain as the host bacterium, a Pectobacterium phage was screened and named QJphage. We analyzed its physicochemical properties and obtained its biological characteristics, including optimal titer, optimal infection latency period, optimal infection multiplicity, optimal storage solvent, and resistance to ultraviolet light, pH, and chloroform. Through homologous alignment analysis, eight tail fiber proteins encoded in the QJphage genome were predicted as putative receptor-binding proteins (RBPs). To validate this prediction, the corresponding genes were cloned downstream of the egfp gene via homologous recombination, and the resulting recombinant plasmids were transformed into a prokaryotic host to express EGFP-tagged tail fiber fusion proteins. Fluorescence detection and confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that the protein encoded by ORF04 functions as the RBP. Furthermore, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was knocked out in the host strain P. colocasium ZXC0623. Both{Delta} LPS1 and{Delta} LPS2 mutants formed smaller plaques compared to the wild-type strain, and the{Delta} LPS1 mutant additionally exhibited a significant reduction in plaque number, indicating that LPS serves as a receptor involved in QJphage adsorption. Finally, transcriptomic analysis during the latent period of infection focused on 20 genes predicted to be associated with phage-host receptor binding and anti-phage immune systems. The results revealed that pilin proteins act as potential reversible adsorption receptors for QJphage, while the host strain ZXC0623 also possesses a diverse repertoire of anti-phage defense systems. Collectively, QJphage exhibits stable physicochemical properties, a well-defined LPS-dependent infection mechanism, and a host with diverse defense systems, providing a foundation for the control of taro soft rot and future phage-related research. ImportancePhage therapy has emerged as a highly effective biocontrol strategy against Pectobacterium, with its specificity making it particularly valuable. A critical aspect of this approach is the identification of phage receptors. The initial step in the phage life cycle involves adsorption to the bacterial host, beginning with reversible contact followed by irreversible binding between phage receptor-binding proteins and specific bacterial surface receptors. Potential receptors include glycolipids in the Gram-negative outer membrane, capsular polysaccharides, and various membrane proteins or appendages. In this study, we first characterized the physicochemical properties of the isolated QJphage. Through integrated transcriptomic and whole-genome analyses, we demonstrated that the LPS of Pectobacterium specifically interact with the tail fiber proteins of QJphage. This research provides the first evidence revealing the molecular mechanism of interaction between Pectobacterium and its phage, establishing a foundation for developing phage-based control strategies against soft rot diseases.

Sandy beaches are dynamic coastal interfaces shaped by strong physical forcing and intense exchange between marine and terrestrial environments, yet their microbiomes remain poorly resolved at the genomic scale. Here we present a genome-resolved survey of microbial and viral communities across sandy beaches spanning a continental-scale latitudinal gradient along the Chinese coastline. By integrating cross-shore sampling, coastal geochemistry and large-scale multi-omics, we generated 978 metagenomes, 63 viromes and 72 metatranscriptomes, reconstructing 13,337 metagenome-assembled genomes and 38,255 viral populations. Sandy beach microbiomes exhibit exceptionally high genomic novelty, with more than 90% of species-level genomes representing previously undescribed taxa, suggesting that permeable coastal sediments constitute a distinct microbial and viral reservoir. Tidal zonation emerged as a dominant ecological driver structuring microbial diversity, metabolic strategies and virus-host interactions across cross-shore gradients. Genome-resolved analyses revealed systematic metabolic shifts from oxic heterotrophy in supratidal sediments toward increasingly chemolithotrophic and autotrophic pathways toward the low-intertidal and subtidal zone. Sandy beach microbiomes further encode broad potential for hydrocarbon and plastic transformation, together with diverse biosynthetic and antibiotic resistance repertoires that may mediate microbial chemical interactions. Together, these findings identify sandy beaches as a previously under-recognized microbial-viral biome shaped by tidal forcing, providing insight into microbiome evolution and coastal ecosystem resilience under increasing anthropogenic pressure.