Background: Species in the subfamily Aphidiinae from the Braconidae of Hymenoptera are endoparasitic wasps that exclusively utilize aphids as hosts. Some Aphidiinae species are widely used as biological agents. However, there were only one species with determined complete mitochondrial genome from this subfamily. Methods and results: In this study, we sequenced and annotated the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Binodoxys acalephae, which was 15,116 bp in size and contained 37 genes. The start codon of 13 protein-coding genes was ATN, and the complete stop codon TAA and TAG was widely assigned to 11 protein-coding genes. The lrRNA contains 43 stem-loop structures, and srRNA contains 25 stem-loop structures. Translocation and inversion of tRNA genes was found to be dominant in B. acalephae. In contrast to Aphidius gifuensis from the same subfamily Aphidiinae, inverted tRNA^Leu1 was translocated to the gene cluster between tRNA^Leu2 and COX2, and the control region between tRNA^Ile and tRNA^Met was deleted in the mitogenome of B. acalephae. Within Braconidae, gene clusters tRNA^Trp-tRNA^Cys-tRNA^Tyr and CR-tRNA^Ile-tRNA^Gln-tRNA^Met were hotspots for gene rearrangement. Phylogenetic analysis showed that both Bayesian and maximum-likelihood methods recovered the monophyly of Aphidiinae and suggested that Aphidiinae formed sister clades with the remaining subfamilies. The phylogenetic analyses of nine subfamilies supported the monophyly of Cyclostomes and Noncyclostomes in Braconidae. Conclusion: The arrangement of mitochondrial genes and the phylogenetic relationships among nine Braconidae subfamilies were constructed better to understand the diversity and evolution of Aphidiinae mitogenomes.

Medicago sativa is an important forage crop; its value is mainly concentrated in its economic aspects. The growth cycle and growth rate of M. sativa have an important influence on its economic benefits. Alternaria alstroemeriae has often been used as a pathogenic bacterium in previous studies, and studies on the growth-promoting effects of A. alstroemeriae are rare. This study aimed to assess the effects of A. alstroemeriae on the growth parameters of M. sativae and to investigate the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of M. sativa. M. sativa showed significant improvement in plant height, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight compared to uninoculated control plants. By integrating the results of transcriptome and metabolome analysis, A. alstroemeriae may promote plant growth by regulating genes associated with the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoids, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins in plants. These research findings provide a theoretical basis for future verification of the molecular response mechanisms and metabolic regulation of A. alstroemeriae-promoted plant growth. This study also provides a theoretical basis for sustainable agricultural development.

Pepper is a significant cash crop, and Capsicum frutescens is an exemplary variety of pepper cultivated for its distinctive flavor and substantial nutritional value. Polyploidization of plants often leads to an increase in their biomass and improved stress tolerance, and thus has important applications in plant breeding and improvement. In this study, germplasm innovation was carried out by polyploidy induction of C. frutescens by colchicine. To investigate the effects of polyploidization on C. frutescens, we conducted transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of diploids and homotetraploids of C. frutescens to gain insights into the mechanisms of metabolite composition and molecular regulation of C. frutescens by polyploidization. Based on the analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics data, a total of 551 differential metabolites were identified in the leaves of C. frutescens of different ploidy and 634 genes were significantly differentially expressed. In comparison, 241 differential metabolites and 454 genes were significantly differentially expressed in the mature fruits of C. frutescens of different ploidy. Analysis of KEGG enrichment of differentially expressed genes and differential metabolites revealed that both differential metabolites and differentially expressed genes were highly enriched in the phenylalanine metabolic pathway. It is worth noting that phenylpropanoids are highly correlated with capsaicin synthesis and also have an effect on fruit development. Therefore, we comprehensively analyzed the phenylalanine metabolic pathway and found that chromosome doubling significantly down-regulated the expression of genes upstream of phenylalanine (PAL, 4CL), which promoted lignin accumulation, and we suggested that this might have led to the enlargement of polyploid C. frutescens fruits. This study provides some references for further research on the phenotypic traits of different ploidy of C. frutescens, cloning of key regulatory genes, and using genetic engineering techniques in C. frutescens breeding for germplasm improvement.

M. micrantha is a highly destructive invasive weed causing severe ecological and economic damage in invaded regions. Conventional control methods remain insufficient, highlighting the need for targeted management strategies. NAC transcription factors, a plant-specific family, play key regulatory roles in growth, secondary metabolism, and stress responses. Here, we performed a genome-wide identification and characterization of the NAC gene family in M. micrantha using bioinformatic approaches based on Arabidopsis thaliana NAC sequences and the M. micrantha whole-genome assembly. A total of 76 MmNAC genes were identified from M. micrantha, and these members were classified into 13 subfamilies and one unclassified clade, with subdomains C and D being the most conserved. Five conserved motifs were identified; motifs 1 and 2 were present in over 94% of members. Chromosomal mapping showed 68 genes distributed unevenly across 18 of 19 chromosomes. Tissue expression analysis revealed that NAP and AtNAC3 subfamilies are highly expressed in seeds, while NAM and NAC2 subfamilies predominate in floral tissues, suggesting potential subfamily–tissue expression patterns. These findings provide a basis for understanding NAC functions in M. micrantha and identifying targets for its control.

Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., a perennial herb of the Apiaceae family, is an important medicinal plant with diverse therapeutic applications. In this study, we integrated phenotypic evaluation, SSR markers, and HPLC fingerprinting to assess the diversity of 24 C. asiatica accessions collected from Yunnan Province, China. Considerable phenotypic, genetic, and biochemical diversity was observed. The Shannon–Wiener index ranged from 2.20 to 3.14 for qualitative traits. Principal component analysis identified five components accounting for 82.54% of the total phenotypic variance, with leaf morphology as the primary determinant. Q-type cluster analysis grouped the accessions into five phenotypic clusters. Transcriptome analysis revealed 16,799 SSR loci, with dinucleotide repeats as the most frequent motif (44.31%). UPGMA clustering based on SSR markers delineated five genetic groups that correlated with geographic origin, with accessions from the two northernmost sites forming a distinct cluster. HPLC fingerprints identified 16 common peaks, among which five major bioactive constituents—madecassoside, asiaticoside, kaempferol, madecassic acid, and asiatic acid—were quantified. The total content of these five compounds varied markedly among accessions (4.09–20.18 mg·g⁻¹), with the highest found in Zhaoyang (S5). Most accessions exhibited high chemical similarity (>0.9), except for Yiliang (S12), which displayed a distinct profile. The partial correlation between SSR-based classifications and geographic origin, together with the inconsistency between phenotypic and chemical groupings, indicates that morphological variation is shaped by both environmental factors and complex genetic regulatory mechanisms. These findings provide a scientific basis for germplasm conservation, selective breeding, and the sustainable utilization of C. asiatica.

Plant-derived bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and saponins, possess diverse health-promoting properties but are often limited by poor bioaccessibility, structural complexity, and low stability. Microbial biotransformation provides a green and food-compatible strategy for modifying these compounds through enzymatic reactions and metabolic processes, generating derivatives with improved accessibility and potential functional properties. This review summarizes recent advances in microbial transformation mediated by lactic acid bacteria, Bacillus, yeasts, and filamentous fungi, focusing on key transformation pathways, including deglycosylation, hydrolysis, oxidation–reduction, methylation, and glycosylation, as well as their enzymatic mechanisms. The applications of transformed products in fermented foods, functional ingredients, and nutraceuticals are discussed, along with their potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, metabolic regulatory, and bioavailability-related effects. Current challenges, including incomplete mechanistic understanding, process standardization, safety evaluation, scale-up, and regulatory issues, are highlighted. Future integration of multi-omics, synthetic biology, enzyme engineering, and intelligent fermentation technologies will enhance the efficiency and industrial potential of microbial transformation systems for developing safe and evidence-based functional food ingredients.