Canine and wolf mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, which can be used for forensic or phylogenetic analyses, have been defined in various schemes depending on the region analyzed. In recent studies, the 582 bp fragment of the HV1 region is most commonly used. 317 different canine HV1 haplotypes have been reported in the rapidly growing public database GenBank. These reported haplotypes contain several inconsistencies in their haplotype information. To overcome this issue, we have developed a Canis mtDNA HV1 database. This database collects data on the HV1 582 bp region in dog mitochondrial DNA from the GenBank to screen and correct the inconsistencies. It also supports users in detection of new novel mutation profiles and assignment of new haplotypes. The Canis mtDNA HV1 database (CHD) contains 5567 nucleotide entries originating from 15 subspecies in the species Canis lupus. Of these entries, 3646 were haplotypes and grouped into 804 distinct sequences. 319 sequences were recognized as previously assigned haplotypes, while the remaining 485 sequences had new mutation profiles and were marked as new haplotype candidates awaiting further analysis for haplotype assignment. Of the 3646 nucleotide entries, only 414 were annotated with correct haplotype information, while 3232 had insufficient or lacked haplotype information and were corrected or modified before storing in the CHD. The CHD can be accessed at http://chd.vnbiology.com . It provides sequences, haplotype information, and a web-based tool for mtDNA HV1 haplotyping. The CHD is updated monthly and supplies all data for download. The Canis mtDNA HV1 database contains information about canine mitochondrial DNA HV1 sequences with reconciled annotation. It serves as a tool for detection of inconsistencies in GenBank and helps identifying new HV1 haplotypes. Thus, it supports the scientific community in naming new HV1 haplotypes and to reconcile existing annotation of HV1 582 bp sequences.

The dog population of Southern East Asia is unique in harboring virtually the full range of the universal mtDNA gene pool, and consequently, it has the highest genetic diversity worldwide. Despite this, limited research has been performed on dog genetics within this region. Here we present the first comprehensive study of a sub-region within Southern East Asia, analyzing 528 bp of mtDNA for 265 dogs from Thailand, in the context of dogs from across the Old World. We found that Thailand was the only region in the world that has the full range of the universal mtDNA gene pool, that is, all 10 sub-haplogroups. Consequently, the statistics for diversity are among the highest, especially in North Thailand, which had high values for haplotype diversity and the number of haplotypes, and the lowest proportion of individuals with a universal type-derived haplotype (UTd) among all regions. As previously observed, genetic diversity is distinctly lower outside Southern East Asia and it decreases following a cline to the lowest values in western Eurasia. Thus, the limited geographical region of Thailand harbors a distinctly higher genetic diversity than much larger regions in western Eurasia, for example, Southwest Asia and Europe which have only five and four of the 10 sub-haplogroups, respectively. Within Thailand, diversity statistics for all four sub-regions follow the general pattern of Southern East Asia, but North Thailand stands out with its high diversity compared to the other regions. These results show that a small part of Southern East Asia harbors the full range of the mtDNA gene pool, and they emphasize the exceptional genetic status of Southern East Asia. This indicates that today’s dogs can trace a major part of their ancestry to Southern East Asia or closely situated regions, highlighting Thailand as a region of special interest. Considering the large genetic diversity found in Thailand and that many neighboring regions, e.g., Myanmar and Laos, have not been studied for dog genetics, it is possible that large parts of the dog gene pool remain undiscovered. It will be an important task for future studies to fill in these blanks on the phylogeographic map.

Background: Reactivating the apoptosis pathway in cancer cells represents a crucial therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment, as malignant cells often evade apoptosis to sustain uncontrolled proliferation. Among the anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-xL has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various cancers due to its overexpression. Inhibition of this protein has therefore emerged as a key target for several FDA-approved anticancer drugs. In recent decades, research on natural compounds has increasingly shifted toward molecular-level understanding, facilitating the development of potent anticancer agents. One medicinal plant of interest is Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall. ex Nees, which has shown a wide range of pharmacological activities, including potential anticancer properties. Methods: In this study, we curated a set of previously identified natural compounds from A. paniculata in LOTUS database that target Bcl-xL inhibition by in silico methods, included molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Results: Our findings reveal three compounds exhibiting strong binding affinity toward the Bcl-xL protein. In silico analysis of their anticancer properties suggests that these compounds possess high potential as TP53 enhancers, anticarcinogenic, antineoplastic, apoptosis agonists, antimetastatic, cytostatic, antioxidant agents, and Myc inhibitors. Moreover, all three compounds conform to Lipinski’s rule of five and show favorable drug-likeness characteristics. Molecular dynamics simulations over 100 ns, coupled with in-depth principal component analysis and binding free energy calculations, further support the stable and strong interactions of these compounds within the Bcl-xL active site. Conclusions: Natural compounds from A. paniculata, particularly andrographolide derivatives, exhibit stable and strong interactions with the Bcl-xL protein and possess multiple predicted anticancer activities. These findings support their potential as lead molecules for the development of Bcl-xL-targeted anticancer therapeutics.

The grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea) is a recently described, critically endangered primate, endemic to Vietnam. In this study, we describe the Central Highland species’ complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome—mtDNA). It is a circular molecule with a length of 16,541 base pairs (bp). The genome consists of 37 genes, consistent with those found in most other vertebrates, including 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and two ribosomal RNAs. A comparison with the mitogenomes of more than 50 primates showed that the mitogenome of Vietnamese Central Highland Pygathrix cinerea has a conservative gene order. We identified 43 nucleotide differences when comparing this genome with a previously published mitogenome of Pygathrix cinerea. It is evident that there are distinct differences between the Pygathrix cinerea we are currently studying and other Pygathrix cinerea specimens. These differences are unlikely to be solely the result of sequencing errors, as the mitogenomes were generated using high-quality methods. The genetic divergence observed between the two Pygathrix cinerea mitogenomes implies the potential existence of at least two distinct lineages or forms of this primate species within its native range in Vietnam.

In this study, samples from 429 dog individuals across three main regions of Vietnam (Southern Vietnam (SVN), Central Vietnam (CVN), and Northern Vietnam (NVN)) were collected to analyze the 582 bp region mtDNA HVI, so as to study the genetic diversity and to screen the rare haplotype E in the Vietnamese village dog population. Nine new haplotypes A, two new haplotypes B, and three haplotypes C were unique to Vietnam dogs, in which the new haplotypes An3, An7, Cn1, and Cn3 concerned mutations at new polymorphism sites (15,517, 15,505, 15,479, and 15,933, respectively) which have not been previously reported. The detection of haplotypes A9 and A29, and the appearance of haplotype A200 in the two individual dogs sampled support that the Southeast Asian dog is the ancestor of today’s Australian dingo and Polynesian dog. The two rare haplotypes E (E1 and E4) were reconfirmed in Vietnamese dogs and discussed. This study also contributes to strengthening the theory of domestication of dogs to the south of the Yangtze River and the Southeast Asian origin of the dingo.

The apoptosis pathway plays a crucial role in regulating cell survival and death. This regulatory mechanism involves two main groups of proteins: anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family. An imbalance that favors anti-apoptotic proteins, particularly the overexpression of Bcl-xL, is strongly associated with cancer progression across various tumor types. As a result, targeted cancer therapies focusing on Bcl-xL have been the subject of intense research in recent decades. Studies exploring natural compounds from medicinal plants present a promising complementary approach to cancer treatment alongside traditional anticancer drugs. This study examined compounds identified in Distichochlamys citrea, an endemic Vietnamese plant known for its anticancer properties. We employed molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to identify compounds from D. citrea with a strong binding affinity toward the Bcl-xL protein. Findings of the present study revealed that two molecules, i.e., Platyphyllone and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, bind stably and tightly to the hydrophobic groove of Bcl-xL, suggesting potential inhibitory effects. In-silico analyses of their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties indicate that these molecules possess anticancer, antimetastatic, anti-mitotic, and apoptosis-inducing characteristics. Furthermore, both compounds adhere well to Lipinski's rule and exhibit desirable drug-like properties, making them potential candidates for high-dose oral administration without toxicity. In addition to being present in D. citrea, Platyphyllone and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid are also found in many commonly consumed plants. These findings contribute to the scientific basis for further investigation into the molecular structure and bioactivity of Platyphyllone and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid as potential cancer treatments.