Gliridae and Sciuridae, the most impressive mammalian radiations within the suborder Sciuromorpha, encompass a total of 327 extant species. This study aimed to: (i) characterize the mitogenomes of three sciurid ( Spermophilus citellus , Spermophilus taurensis , and Spermophilus xanthoprymnus ) and three glirid ( Glis glis , Dryomys nitedula , and Dryomys laniger ) species from Türkiye; (ii) elucidate the phylogeographic relationships within D. laniger and D. nitedula using both mitogenomes and mitochondrial cytochrome b ( CYTB ) sequences; and (iii) reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among extant members of the suborder Sciuromorpha. Sixteen new mitogenomes were sequenced from Turkish samples, containing 37 genes (2 ribosomal RNA s, 13 protein‐coding genes, 22 transfer RNA s), exhibiting similarity to those of other Gliridae and Sciuridae species. Based on mitogenomic data, Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses revealed two major phylogroups corresponding to the two families, Gliridae and Sciuridae, which were both monophyletic. Analyses of mitogenomic and CYTB sequences revealed at least two major lineages (i: Anatolia and ii: Lesser Caucasus and Alborz) of D. nitedula in the Anatolian region of Türkiye. The mitochondrial CYTB data indicated that D. laniger exhibited at least two major lineages (Eastern and Western), whereas D. nitedula comprised multiple lineages and sublineages. The mean genetic distance between the two mitogenomic lineages of D. nitedula was 7.69%. Based on the CYTB data, the mean genetic distance between the Eastern and Western lineages of D. laniger was 7%, whereas the mean genetic distances among the lineages of D. nitedula ranged from 6% to 13%. Major lineages of both D. laniger and D. nitedula might be considered distinct species throughout the species' range. This study demonstrates that complete mitogenomes for reconstructing the Gliridae phylogeny provides important information for revealing phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships.

Plum pox virus (PPV) is the most devastating viral disease of the stone fruits worldwide. Inefficiency of the traditional control measures against PPV along with its globally widespread distribution and the economic importance of stone fruits, signify the necessity and importance of PPV resistance programs. In the present study, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Nicotiana benthamiana Domin was performed using four inverted repeat constructs derived from UTR/P1, HCPro, HCPro/P3, and CP regions of PPV-T isolate KyEsAp301. The efficacy of the constructs for inducing virus resistance in transgenic plants was evaluated by inoculation with PPV-D, -M, and -T strains. The potential of hairpin structures in the production of siRNAs and miRNAs in both wild-type and transgenic plants was compared by small RNA high-throughput sequencing. Although the four PPV genomic regions were used for transgenic resistance in previous experiments, small RNA high-throughput sequencing was first time used in this study to demonstrate the efficacy of the PPV constructs and to determine expression profiles of siRNAs and miRNAs. The results revealed that the potentials of hairpin constructs in producing siRNAs and their accumulation in target regions were significantly different. Expression profiles of several known and novel miRNAs were dramatically changed in response to PPV infection in both wild-type and transgenic plants, demonstrating plausible involvement of these miRNAs in plant-virus interactions. Based on the abundance of siRNAs and lack of PPV virus accumulation in transgenic plants harboring UTR/P1 and CP hairpin construct, we have concluded that UTR/P1 and CP are likely the best viral regions for induction of resistance against PPV.

Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894), the Asian tiger mosquito, is one of the most invasive mosquito species worldwide and an important vector of several arboviruses of public health concern. Although its distribution in Türkiye has expanded rapidly since its first detection, the mitogenomic diversity and phylogeographic relationships of Turkish populations remain poorly understood. Here, we provide the first mitogenome-based characterization of Ae. albopictus populations from the Black Sea region of Türkiye within a global comparative framework. Complete mitochondrial genomes were generated from 20 specimens collected along the Turkish Black Sea coast and analyzed together with 75 reference mitogenomes retrieved from GenBank. The Turkish mitogenomes ranged from 15.8 to 17.1 kb and exhibited the typical Ae. albopictus mitochondrial organization, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs, and a control region. Gene order and orientation were conserved across all Turkish samples, and most size variation was confined to the control region. The mitogenomes were strongly AT-rich, and codon usage showed a marked bias toward A/U-ending codons. Phylogenetic analyses using concatenated sequences of all 13 protein-coding genes and both ribosomal RNA genes showed that Turkish samples were not monophyletic; rather, they were distributed among multiple subclades within the broad A1a complex. The results indicate high mitogenomic diversity and a mosaic phylogeographic structure, consistent with multiple maternal lineages contributing to Ae. albopictus populations in Türkiye’s Black Sea region. The phylogenetic signature supports a scenario of multiple introductions of Ae. albopictus rather than spread from a single founding population.

Formaldehyde (FA) is commonly used for hatchery disinfection, where it reduces microbial growth, ensures successful egg hatch and enhances healthy production, but its specific effects on embryonic development remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and may mediate FA-induced transcriptional responses. Here, we investigated the impact of FA treatment on miRNA profiles in chicken embryo liver. Small RNA-seq libraries were constructed and sequenced using the Illumina NextSeq platform. Reads were trimmed and quantified using miRDeep2 version 2.0.0.3. Differential expression analysis was performed with DESeq2 (p-adjusted < 0.05 and |log₂FC| > 1). Target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were predicted with miRDB, and GO/KEGG/Reactome enrichment was conducted. Out of 662 total mature miRNAs detected, differential expression analysis identified 30 DEMs (11 up-regulated, 19 down-regulated). The highest fold increase was determined for gga-miR-3533 (log₂FC = 4.45), and the most significant decrease was determined for gga-miR-133b (log₂FC = −3.38). Pathway analysis revealed miRNAs affecting signaling pathways along with modules related to post-translational protein modification, immune system, and oxidative stress pathways. Our study demonstrates that FA treatment can affect critical biological processes by altering miRNA-mediated regulation in the developing embryonic liver and point to the need for functional validation of miRNA-target interactions to help determine mechanisms for FA benefits. Long term, these data may help serve as reference to identify new treatments with optimized response profiles.