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Poaching and trafficking have a substantial negative impact on the population growth and range expansion of the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). However, recently reported activities of Chinese pangolins in several sites of Guangdong province in China indicate a promising sign for the recovery of this threatened species. Here, we re-sequence genomes of 15 individuals and perform comprehensive population genomics analyses with previously published 22 individuals. These Chinese pangolins are found to be divided into three distinct populations. Multiple lines of evidence indicate the existence of a newly discovered population (CPA) comprises entirely of individuals from Guangdong province. The other two populations (CPB and CPC) have previously been documented. The genetic differentiation of the CPA and CPC is extremely large (FST = 0.541), which is larger than many subspecies-level differentiations. Even for the closer CPA and CPB, their differentiation (FST = 0.101) is still comparable with the population-level differentiation of many endangered species. Further analysis reveals that the CPA and CPB populations separate 2.5–4.0 thousand years ago (kya), and on the other hand, CPA and CPC diverge around 25–40 kya. The CPA population harbors more runs of homozygosity (ROHs) than the CPB and CPC populations, indicating that inbreeding is more prevalent in the CPA population. Although the CPC population has less mutational load than CPA and CPB populations, we predict that several Loss of Function (LoF) mutations will be translocated into the CPA or CPB populations by using the CPC as a donor population for genetic rescue. Our findings imply that the conservation of Chinese pangolins is challenging, and implementing genetic rescue among the three groups should be done with extreme caution. Whole-genome resequencing of Chinese pangolins reveals a new population CPA that is genetically distinct from and harbor more homozygosity than CPB and CPC populations, indicating prevalence in inbreeding and implying challenges in conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV), a newly discovered plant cytorhabdovirus, and rice gall dwarf virus (RGDV), a plant reovirus, are transmitted by leafhopper Recilia dorsalis in a persistent-propagative manner. In this study, field surveys in Luoding city, Guangdong province of southern China, showed that RSMV and RGDV frequently co-infected rice plants. Furthermore, this co-infection had a synergistic effect on viral replication potential and pathogenicity in rice plants. Meanwhile, RSMV and RGDV also co-infected R. dorsalis vectors, and RGDV significantly promoted the propagation of RSMV in co-infected vectors. Accordingly, co-infection significantly promoted the acquisition and transmission efficiencies of RSMV by R. dorsalis. However, such co-infection did not significantly affect the propagation of RGDV in vectors. More importantly, we also observed that non-viruliferous R. dorsalis preferred to feed on co-infected rice plants, and this process further affected the feeding behavior of R. dorsalis to enhance viral release into rice phloem. These results provided the clues as to why RSMV had been a gradually expanding problem, creating an increasing risk of damage to rice production. Our findings revealed that synergism between RSMV and RGDV in their host and vector enhanced the propagation and transmission of RSMV, which will help guide the formulation of viral control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa' (CGT) (Huajuhong, HJH) is a widely used medicinal plant, which is mainly produced in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces of South China. Particularly, HJH from Huazhou (HZ) county of Guangdong province has been well-regarded as the best national product for geo-herbalism. But the reasons for geo-herbalism property in HJH from HZ county remains a mystery. Therefore, a multi-omics approach was applied to identify the nature of the geo-herbalism in CGT from three different regions. The comprehensive screening of differential metabolites revealed that the Nobiletin content was significantly different in HZ region compared to other regions, and could be employed as a key indicator to determine the geo-herbalism. Furthermore, the high-quality genome (N50 of 9.12 Mb), coupled with genomics and transcriptomics analyses indicated that CGT and Citrus grandis are closely related, with a predicted divergence time of 19.1 million years ago (MYA), and no recent WGD occurred in the CGT, and the bioactive ingredients of CGT were more abundant than that of Citrus grandis. Interestingly, Nobiletin (Polymethoxyflavones) content was identified as a potential indicator of geo-herbalism, and O-methyltransferase (OMT) genes are involved in the synthesis of Polymethoxyflavones. Further multi-omics analysis led to the identification of a novel OMT gene (CtgOMT1) whose transient overexpression displayed significantly higher Nobiletin content, suggesting that CtgOMT1 was involved in the synthesis of Nobiletin. Overall, our findings provide new data resources for geo-herbalism evaluation, germplasm conservation and insights into Nobiletin biosynthesis pathways for the medicinal plant C. grandis 'Tomentosa'. [Display omitted] • The first high-quality genome of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa' (HJH) is presented. • Genome size is 359.29 Mb (N50: 9.12 Mb), encoding 30,238 protein-coding genes. • No recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) is detected. • Nobiletin content is identified as a potential indicator of geo-herbalism. • Nobiletin synthesis is found to be regulated by CtgOMT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Basement controls Paleozoic Cu mineralization in southern and northern Wuyi. • Fe–Mn mineralization related to Late Paleozoic sedimentation in the Wuyi region. • Fe polymetallic deposits are strata-bound skarn-porphyry type composite deposits. • Cu deposits are polygenetic and superimposed and reformed hydrothermal deposits. The Wuyi metallogenic belt can be divided into the South and the North Wuyi metallogenic belt by the ENE-trending Nanping–Ninghua–Ganzhou Tectonic Belt. In the Wuyi metallogenic belt, Paleozoic mineralization, which has caused typical deposits such as the Yongping, Fenglin, and Yushui Cu deposits and the Makeng Fe deposit, exhibits notable variations. However, systematic research on the controlling factors of these mineralization episodes is lacking. In order to understand the Paleozoic minerlization in the Wuyi metallogenic belt, we study the genesis of typical deposits in Wuyi metallogenic belt. The phenomenon of "basal ore control" was observed as different basement units control different ore types in the Wuyi metallogenic belt. We believed that Paleozoic mineralization in the Wuyi metallogenic belt includes siliceous–carbonate Jingshe, Lindi, and Chuanshan Formations, which are related to the Fe–Mn deposits such as the Makeng Fe deposit, Dapai Fe–Pb–Zn deposit, and Luoyang Fe deposit in the Southwest Fujian Province, carbonate formations of the Hutian Group related to Cu deposits such as the Yushui Cu deposit in the North Guangdong Province of the southern Wuyi region, and the Carboniferous Outangdi Formation related to the Yongping and Fenglin Cu deposits in the Northeast Jiangxi Province of the northern Wuyi region. Based on a systematic analysis on typical metallogenic deposits and basement characteristics in the Wuyi metallogenic belt, we proposed that the Paleozoic mineralization is not only controlled by Paleozoic strata and Mesozoic magmatism, but also by the basement. The basement controls Paleozoic Cu mineralizations in the southern and northern Wuyi regions. However, Fe–Mn mineralization is mostly related to Late Paleozoic sedimentation. The superposition and transformation of Mesozoic magmatism to the basement and Paleozoic strata is an indispensable factor in the Cu and Fe–Mn mineralizations in the Wuyi metallogenic belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]