With the development of commercialized planting of genetically modified crops, their ecological security risks remain a key topic of public concern. Insect-resistant genetically modified maize, Ruifeng125, which expresses a fusion Bt protein (Cry1Ab-Cry2Aj), has obtained the application safety certificate issued by the Chinese government. To determine the effects of Ruifeng125 on the diversity and dynamics of bacterial communities, the accumulation and degradation pattern of the fusion Bt protein in the rhizosphere soil of transgenic maize were detected. Results showed that the contents of Bt protein varied significantly at different developmental stages, but after straw was returned to the field, over 97% of Bt proteins were degraded quickly at the early stages (≤10 d) and then they were degraded at a relatively slow rate. In addition, the variations in bacterial community diversity in the rhizosphere soil were detected by 16S ribosomal RNA (Rrna) high-throughput sequencing technology. A total of 44 phyla, 435 families, and 842 genera were obtained by 16S rRNA sequencing, among which Proteobacteria, Actinobacia, Acidobacter Acidobacterium, and Chloroflexi were the dominant taxa. At the same developmental stage, no significant differences in soil bacterial diversity were detected between Ruifeng125 and its non-transgenic control variety. Further analysis revealed that developmental stage, rather than the transgenic event, made the greatest contribution to the changes in soil microbial diversity. This research provides important information for evaluating the impacts of Bt crops on the soil microbiome and establishes a theoretical foundation for their environmental safety assessment.

The consequences of stacking multiple insect-resistance and herbicide-tolerance genes, particularly across the entire plant life cycle, remain inadequately understood. This study investigated the impact of stacked-trait transgenic soybean (expressing cry1Ac, vip3Aa19, mOsPPO2, and pat genes) on rhizosphere microbial communities across five growth stages (pre-sowing, V3, R3, R5, R8). Using 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing, we compared the rhizosphere microbiome of the transgenic modified soybean (GMO) with its non-transgenic control check (CK). Results showed transient but significant shifts in soil properties (e.g., available nitrogen) and microbial beta-diversity during the V3 stages. However, plant developmental stage was the predominant factor shaping microbial succession, with its effect outweighing that of the transgene. No persistent changes in microbial alpha-diversity were observed. We conclude that the influence of this stacked-trait soybean on the rhizosphere is growth-stage-specific and represents a minor, recoverable perturbation rather than a sustained ecological impact. These findings contribute to the ecological safety assessment of multi-gene transgenic crops.

To evaluate the comprehensive ecological risks associated with transgenic plant residues, this study examined their impact on Eisenia fetida and their endogenous microorganisms. The results indicated that transgenic plant residues did not influence the survival or weight of E. fetida, but they significantly altered the microbial community structure at specific time points. Specifically, the diversity and structure of the fungal community exhibited significant changes on the 14th and 28th days after treatment. In contrast, the bacterial response was delayed, with 22 biomarkers, including Caproiciproducens, Lachnoclostridium, and Enterococcus, being specifically enriched on the 21st day. This study confirmed that transgenic plant residues can temporally reshape the microecology within E. fetida. The practical significance of this research lies in highlighting the importance of incorporating the microbiome into safety assessment frameworks, thereby providing a scientific foundation for developing more forward-looking ecological risk assessment standards.

The C ₃ HC ₄ -type RING finger (Ring-HC) gene family encodes zinc finger proteins crucial for plant growth and stress resistance. However, a comprehensive study on C ₃ HC ₄ -type RING finger genes in cotton has not been conducted to date. We identified 56 C ₃ HC ₄ -type RING finger genes in G. hirsutum , classified into three subfamilies with conserved structures. Evolutionary analysis indicated that this gene family has undergone strong purifying selection. Expression profiling revealed distinct tissue specificity, with significant enrichment in roots and ovules, indicating potential roles in development. Under abiotic stress, GhRHC genes showed broad responsiveness, particularly to cold. Notably, members like GhRHC1 and GhRHC34 exhibited antagonistic expression patterns: upregulation during pathogen/pest attacks but downregulation during beneficial rhizobacterial colonization. qRT-PCR analysis further confirmed the cold-induced expression of GhRHC1 and GhRHC34 . Subcellular localization results preliminarily indicated that GhRHC1 and GhRHC34 proteins are localized to the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Our findings suggest that the GhRHC family plays multifaceted roles in cotton development and stress adaptation. The differential regulation of specific members suggests a possible association between differential stress-responsive regulation and the balance between defense-related responses and beneficial rhizobacterial interactions.

The consequences of stacking multiple insect-resistance and herbicide-tolerance genes, particularly across the entire plant life cycle, remain inadequately understood. This study investigated the impact of stacked-trait transgenic soybeans on rhizosphere microbial communities across five growth stages (pre-sowing, V3, R3, R5, R8). Using 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing, we compared the rhizosphere microbiome of the transgenic modified soybean (GMO) with its non-transgenic control check (CK). Results showed transient but significant shifts in soil properties (e.g., available nitrogen) and microbial beta diversity during the V3 stages. However, plant developmental stage was the predominant factor shaping microbial succession, with its effect outweighing that of the transgene. No persistent changes in microbial alpha diversity were observed. We conclude that the influence of this stacked-trait soybean on the rhizosphere is growth-stage-specific and represents a minor, recoverable perturbation rather than a sustained ecological impact. These findings contribute to the ecological safety assessment of multi-gene transgenic crops.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major economic crop highly susceptible to Colletotrichum graminicola, the causal agent of anthracnose leaf blight, which causes substantial annual yield losses. This fungal pathogen employs numerous effectors to manipulate plant immunity, yet the functions of many secreted proteins during biphasic infection remain poorly characterized. In this study, we identified CgMas2, a candidate secreted protein in C. graminicola and a homolog of Magnaporthe oryzae MoMas2. Deletion of CgMAS2 in the wild-type strain CgM2 did not affect fungal vegetative growth or conidial morphology but significantly impaired virulence on maize leaves. Leaf sheath infection assays revealed that CgMas2 is required for biotrophic invasive hyphal growth, as the mutant showed defective spreading of invasive hyphae to adjacent cells. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that CgMas2 localizes to the cytoplasm of conidia and to the primary infection hyphae. Furthermore, DAB staining demonstrated that disrupt of CgMAS2 leads to host reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Comparative transcriptome analysis of maize infected with ΔCgmas2 versus CgM2 revealed enrichment of GO terms related to peroxisome and defense response, along with up-regulation of benzoxazinoid biosynthesis genes (benzoxazinone biosynthesis 3, 4 and 5) at 60 h post-inoculation (hpi). Conversely, six ethylene-responsive transcription factors (ERF2, ERF3, ERF56, ERF112, ERF115 and ERF118) involved in ethylene signaling pathways were down-regulated at 96 hpi. These expression patterns were validated by RT-qPCR. Collectively, our results demonstrate that CgMas2 not only promotes invasive hyphal growth during the biotrophic stage but may also modulate phytohormone signaling and defense compound biosynthesis during the necrotrophic phase of infection.