This study evaluated the effects of supplementing a mildly high-fat diet (HFD; 33.5% energy from lipids) with fermented passion fruit peel powder (FPFPP) on mice liver physiological chracteristics. Mice were fed HFD supplemented with FPFPP at three ratios of 0.5% (T-0.5 group), 1% (T-1 group), and 2.5% (T-2.5 group) for 30 days and compared with normal-diet control and an unsupplemented HFD group. The results showed that FPFPP supplementation induced an attenuation of weight gain in mice. Serum lipid profiles demonstrated the decrease in total serum cholesterol, and LDL-c in mice from T-1 and T-2.5 groups compared to HFD group, while there was no difference in HDL-c level in mice from these groups. FPFPP supplementation could retrieve several normal characteristics in the histological architecture and the expression of apoptosis and cell cycle-related proteins in mice liver. These results suggested that fermented passion fruit peel supplementation attenuates high-fat diet-induced hepatic dysfunction via modulation of lipid metabolism and apoptotic signaling in mice.

Hybridization between domestic pigs and wild boars of unknown origins has disrupted the precious gene pool of Vietnamese wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations in the Central Highlands. However, the genetic background of Vietnamese wild boars remains largely unknown. This study describes the complete mitochondrial genome of the Vietnamese Central Highland wild boar, a circular molecule comprising 16,581 base pairs (bp). The mitogenome contains 37 genes, which encode for 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and 13 mitochondrial proteins. It has a conserved gene order, gene orientation, and similar nucleotide composition indexes to other boars and pig breeds across the world. Notably, 232 nucleotide substitutions were detected when comparing this genome with 19 previously described Sus scrofa genomes. Partial cytochrome b gene analysis revealed the distribution of Asian haplotypes in the Vietnamese Central Highland Sus scrofa. A phylogenetic tree constructed from 32 Sus scrofa’s whole mitogenome sequences demonstrated the close relationship between Vietnamese wild boars and domestic pig breeds. The study provides additional insights into the genetics of Vietnamese wild boars, paving the way for future research in conservation, evolution, and breeding of Vietnamese wild boar populations.

This study aimed to characterize the draft genome of Arthrospira platensis NH isolated in Vietnam and evaluate its phylogenetic position within cyanobacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that A. platensis NH belongs to the Arthrospira clade. The assembled genome comprises 5,548,511 bp and contains 4728 genes, including 4683 protein-coding sequences, 42 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Genome mapping revealed conserved gene organization with an overall GC content of 44.45%. A comparative genomic analysis with other Arthrospira strains (A. platensis NIES-39 and C1) demonstrated high sequence conservation, supporting their close genetic relationships. Secondary structure prediction showed that all 42 tRNA types adopt typical cloverleaf structures, while the ribosomal RNA genes (16S, 23S, and 5S rRNA) exhibit conserved base composition. An analysis of 16S rRNA sequences from 13 cyanobacterial taxa identified 230 polymorphic sites, providing informative markers for phylogenetic divergence among genera. Collectively, these results establish a comprehensive genomic and phylogenetic framework for A. platensis NH and provide insights into its genetic relationships and potential biotechnological applications.

Limnospira platensis (formerly Arthrospira platensis) was cultured for 14 days under simulated microgravity (SMG) generated by a three-dimensional clinostat and compared with motion-matched controls using optical density, live/dead staining and real-time RT-PCR. Control cultures appeared to proliferate faster initially but declined after day 8 and died by day 14, whereas SMG cultures maintained a prolonged exponential phase and reached a final OD₇₅₀ of 1.43 ± 0.05, approximately 29% above the control maximum (1.11 ± 0.12; p = 0.040). Specific growth rates did not differ over days 0–6 (p = 0.13), but between days 8 and 12, the control declined (−0.111 ± 0.008 day⁻¹) while SMG cultures continued to grow (0.025 ± 0.011 day⁻¹; p < 0.000001). Live/dead staining confirmed that SMG-cultured cells retained normal pigmentation and viability throughout, whereas control cells exhibited progressive cell death from day 10 onward. ftsZ was significantly lower under SMG on day 2 and higher on day 12. Eleven of 19 photosystem and open reading frame genes were significantly higher in the control on day 2, in SMG on day 10 and in the control again on day 12. At matched cell density (control day 6 versus SMG day 10; OD₇₅₀p = 0.52), 19 of the 20 genes remained significantly higher under SMG, so this divergence is not an artefact of the growth stage. Reducing mechanical shear stress through SMG thus maintains physiological integrity, prolongs the productive growth phase and enhances biomass accumulation, supporting the use of L. platensis in bioregenerative life-support systems.

Rhizosphere bacteria combining biocontrol activity with resilience to environmental stress are valuable candidates for sustainable agriculture. This study characterized strain DLB3, isolated from black pepper rhizosphere soil, through dual-culture and disk-diffusion antagonism assays, enzymatic and siderophore screening, physiological tolerance tests, antibiotic susceptibility testing, whole-genome sequencing, and genome mining. Phylogenomic analysis and average nucleotide identity (>97%) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (>79%) values identified the isolate as Bacillus velezensis. The strain inhibited Fusarium falciforme, Fusarium oxysporum, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (47.6–71.2% radial growth inhibition) and produced an inhibition zone (8.4 mm) against Ralstonia solanacearum, alongside extracellular protease, amylase, CMCase, and catecholate-type siderophore production. DLB3 tolerated a broad range of temperatures (20–50 °C, with optimal growth at 25–40 °C, peaking at 35 °C), pH (5–9), and salinity (up to 10% NaCl), and exhibited minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 1800, 500, 450, and 250 mg L⁻¹ for Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cr, respectively, while remaining susceptible to all nine antibiotics tested. The 3,913,361 bp draft genome was assembled into 44 contigs (N50 = 990,239 bp; L50 = 2), with 99.81% completeness and 0.12% contamination according to CheckM. It harbored 18 biosynthetic gene clusters, carbohydrate-active enzymes, peptidases, and genes associated with heavy metal resistance, broadly consistent with the observed phenotypes, as well as a homolog of the cfr methyltransferase gene (97.4% identity) that was not phenotypically expressed. These findings provide a comprehensive genomic and phenotypic profile of strain DLB3 and its biocontrol-related potential.