Sedum is the largest succulent genus in Crassulaceae. Because of predominant maternal inheritance, little recombination, and slow evolution, plastomes can serve as powerful super barcodes for inter- or intra-species phylogenetic analyses. While previous research has focused on plastomes between Sedum species, intra-species studies are scarce. Here, we sequenced plastomes from three Sedum species (Sedum alfredii, Sedum plumbizincicola, and Sedum japonicum) to understand their evolutionary relationships and plastome structural evolution. Our analyses revealed minimal size and GC content variation across species. However, gene distribution at IR boundaries, repeat structures, and codon usage patterns showed diversity at both inter-specific and intra-specific levels. Notably, an rps19 gene expansion and a bias toward A/T-ending codons were observed. Codon aversion motifs also varied, potentially serving as markers for future studies. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the non-monophyly of Sedum and divided the Acre clade into two groups. Individuals from the same species clustered together, with strong support for the relationships between S. alfredii, S. tricarpum, and S. plumbizincicola. Additionally, S. japonicum clearly affiliates with the Acre clade. This study provides valuable insights into both intra-specific and intra-generic plastome variation in Sedum, as well as overall plastome evolution within the genus.

The Sturnidae family comprises 123 recognized species in 35 genera. The taxa Mimidae and Buphagidae were formerly treated as subfamilies within Sturnidae. The phylogenetic relationships among the Sturnidae and related taxa (Sturnidae sensu lato) remain unresolved due to high rates of morphological change and concomitant morphological homoplasy. This study presents five new mitogenomes of Sturnidae sensu lato and comprehensive mitogenomic analyses. The investigated mitogenomes exhibit an identical gene composition of 37 genes—including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes—and one control region (CR). The most important finding of this study is drawn from CAM analyses. The surprisingly unique motifs for each species provide a new direction for the molecular species identification of avian. Furthermore, the pervasiveness of the natural selection of PCGs is found in all examined species when analyzing their nucleotide composition and codon usage. We also determine the structures of mt-tRNA, mt-rRNA, and CR structures of Sturnidae sensu lato. Lastly, our phylogenetic analyses not only well support the monophyly of Sturnidae, Mimidae, and Buphagidae, but also define nine stable subclades. Taken together, our findings will enable the further elucidation of the evolutionary relationships within Sturnidae sensu lato.

Papilionoideae is the most species-rich subfamily of the third largest angiosperm family Fabaceae. One constituent large group, the inverted-repeat-lacking clade (IRLC), is well-known for the broad loss of one IR copy. Accumulating observations of massive plastomic disparities have made IRLC a well-suited model for exploring plastome evolution. However, there is still a large amount left to explore. The present study focused on the plastid tRNA (pttRNA) evolution within Papilionoideae, employing the currently densest sampling strategies for both the IRLC (156) and non-IRLC (109) lineages. Strikingly, our results revealed abundant inter-lineage variabilities in both tRNA sequences and structures, including a 3 nt difference in the average size of trnS-UGA, the consensus sequence disparities across 29 tRNAs, the distinct 3 nt indels in trnA-UGC, and an impressive 248 nt intron loss of IRLC trnI-GAU (potential markers). Additionally, there was unequal stability of the atypical secondary structures in trnS-GGA and trnS-UGA, as well as significantly diverse compositions of substitution events in all compared tRNAs (p < 0.05). Ultimately, these findings not only demonstrate the significant differences and unique markers of IRLC pttRNAs compared to other non-IRLC Papilionoideae, but also draw an important conclusion that the large losses of one IR potentially promote highly diverse evolutionary patterns of IRLC, which could partly compensate for the potential IR-lacking impacts.

Heat stress, intensified by global warming, is an increasing challenge for the growth and yield of the economically important crop Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis (NHCC). The Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70) family plays an important role in plant thermotolerance, but its molecular characteristics and regulatory mechanisms in this subspecies have not been investigated. Herein, we conducted a comprehensive genomic and transcriptional profiling of the BrcHSP70 gene lineage and revealed a total of 31 members. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed a closer evolutionary relationship to genes from B. rapa ssp. pekinensis (HCC) than to those found in Arabidopsis. Genomic analysis demonstrated that segmental duplication, with eight pairs identified, was the primary driving force for the family’s expansion, rather than tandem duplication. Additionally, the BrcHsp70 gene promoters are enriched with cis-acting elements responsive to phytohormones (particularly ABA) and abiotic stresses. Critically, under 38 °C high-temperature stress, the heat-resistant variety ‘SHI’ and heat-sensitive variety ‘Aijiaohuang’ exhibited distinct expression patterns, identifying key candidate genes implicated in thermotolerance. These results elucidate the evolutionary and regulatory features of the HSP70 family in NHCC, providing a new understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant heat tolerance.

This study introduces a novel conveyor-integrated pulsed xenon ultraviolet system to address microbial contamination risks in logistics networks. The technology combines automated parcel rotation, multi-axis UV emitter arrays, and broadband emission (200–1100 nm) to achieve > 4-log pathogen reduction within 60-s cycles. Validated against SARS-CoV-2 surrogates, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Bacillus subtilis spores, the system demonstrated complete viral inactivation in 30 s, 99.98% bacterial reduction and 99.88% fungi reduction in 15 s, and >97% sporicidal efficacy at 60 s. Key innovations include irradiance-optimized tunnels eliminating shadowing effects and spectral multiplexing targeting nucleic acids (UV-C and UV-B), membranes, and proteins (infrared). The design reconciles sub-2-minute processing standards with microbial safety across porous materials, outperforming conventional mercury UV systems in both speed and material compatibility. Engineering breakthroughs in dose uniformity and real-time synchronization establish a scalable framework for integrating non-contact disinfection into high-throughput supply chains, addressing critical gaps in pandemic-resilient logistics infrastructure.

Mitochondrial codon usage and selective pressures drive adaptive evolution and translation efficiency. This study provides insights into the evolutionary constraints shaping 13 core mitochondrial proteins in Corvides, based on 117 species, including 51 newly assembled genomes. We present evidence linking codon-level sequence architecture, protein structure, and selective pressures. These protein-coding genes (PCGs) are under strong purifying selection, with dN/dS ratios ranging from 0.00779 (MT-CO1) to 0.16214 (MT-ATP8). This conservation is reflected in the 3D model of MT-CO1, where conserved residues cluster within 12 transmembrane helices forming the core of its proton-pumping function. At the sequence level, we identify signatures of selection for translational efficiency, which are critical for accurate synthesis and folding. These signatures include a significant preference for “optimal” codons that perfectly match tRNA anticodons (p < 0.001). We also find lineage-specific features such as codon aversion motifs (CAMs). The MT-ATP6 gene exhibits complete aversion of the CGA codon in Oriolus chinensis and of the ACT codon in O. kundoo. These sequence-level features resolve the deep phylogenetic relationships within the group, demonstrating the effectiveness of our multi-layered analytical framework. Overall, our results link codon-level sequence architecture with protein structural constraints, functional evolutionary signals, and mitochondrial genome evolution in Corvides.