Populus trees meet continuous difficulties from the environment through their life cycle. To warrant their durability and generation, Populus trees exhibit various types of defenses, including the production of secondary metabolites. Syntheses derived from the shikimate-phenylpropanoid pathway are a varied and plentiful class of secondary metabolites manufactured in Populus. Amongst other main classes of secondary metabolites in Populus are fatty acid and terpenoid-derivatives. Many of the secondary metabolites made by Populus trees have been functionally described. Any others have been associated with particular ecological or biological processes, such as resistance against pests and microbial pathogens or acclimatization to abiotic stresses. Still, the functions of many Populus secondary metabolites are incompletely understood. Furthermore, many secondary metabolites have therapeutic effects, leading to more studies of secondary metabolites and their biosynthesis. This paper reviews the biosynthetic pathways and therapeutic impacts of secondary metabolites in Populus using a genomics approach. Compared with bacteria, fewer known pathways produce secondary metabolites in Populus despite P. trichocarpa having had its genome sequenced.

In the global human population, the leading cause of non-communicable death is cardiovascular disease. It is predicted that by 2030, deaths attributable to cardiovascular disease will have risen to over 20 million per year. This review compares the cardiomyopathies in both human and non-human animals and identifies the genetic associations for each disorder in each species/taxonomic group. Despite differences between species, advances in human medicine can be gained by utilising animal models of cardiac disease; likewise, gains can be made in animal medicine from human genomic insights. Advances could include undertaking regular clinical checks in individuals susceptible to cardiomyopathy, genetic testing prior to breeding, and careful administration of breeding programmes (in non-human animals), further development of treatment regimes, and drugs and diagnostic techniques.