Latest Articles

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  Section: Ecotoxicology & Environmental Chemistry ; Topics: Ecology, Environmental sciences

  Exposure to a mixture of organic pollutants in a threatened freshwater turtle Emys orbicularis: effects of age, sex, and temporal variation

  Merleau, Leslie-Anne;   Lourdais, Olivier;   Olivier, Anthony;   Vittecoq, Marion;   Alliot, Fabrice;   Traore, Sira; Leray, Carole; Goutte, Aurélie  

  10.24072/pcjournal.684 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e19

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  Freshwater ecosystems constitute major sinks for organic contaminants, increasing anthropogenic pressures and threatening the unique biodiversity they harbour. In addition to persistent legacy compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), various pollutants are less persistent but are chronically released, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalate diesters (PAEs), pyrethroid pesticides, and insect repellent. Heretofore, these pollutants have received insufficient attention in freshwater reptiles, considering their potential to trigger detrimental effects on organisms. During two years (2019 and 2020), we quantified plasma levels of 46 compounds from 7 chemical families in two monitored populations of the protected European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in the Camargue wetland, France. PAHs and PAEs were found predominantly and concomitantly, with similar occurrences and levels in the two populations. We observed similar inter-annual variations in PAHs and PAEs with differences between males and females, highlighting the need for a better assessment of the role of sex in the exposure pathway and the toxicokinetics of contaminants, especially in turtles. The negative relationship between PAH levels and age, as well as the high intra-individual variation in levels of both contaminant families, provides further evidence of limited bioaccumulation of these pollutants in the blood of E. orbicularis. This could be explained by the metabolic biotransformation of parent compounds, highlighting the need to quantify the levels of PAH metabolites and phthalate monoesters. Finally, our work underscores the importance of long-term monitoring to better determine the vulnerability of turtle populations already exposed to a wide range of contaminants.

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  Section: Genomics ; Topics: Genetics/genomics

  Genome of Trichoderma gamsii strain T035, a promising beneficial fungus in agriculture

  Colou, Justine;   Brémand, Etienne;   Robin, Alwena;   Bastide, Franck;   Guillemette, Thomas  

  10.24072/pcjournal.686 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e18

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  Trichoderma gamsii is a filamentous fungus widely recognized for its beneficial roles in agriculture, particularly for its ability to suppress plant pathogens and enhance crop health. However, genomic resources for this species remain scarce, limiting functional and applied studies. Here, we report the high-quality genome of T. gamsii strain T035, a promising biocontrol strain with significant antagonistic activity against several pathogens in vitro. The assembly consisted of 16 sequences, including near 7 chromosome-scale sequences, with an N50 value of 7.2 Mbp and a total assembly length of 38.8 Mbp. This genome represents the most complete T. gamsii assembly to date and will provide a valuable resource to facilitate the exploration of molecular mechanisms underlying biocontrol and support the development of sustainable plant protection strategies.

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  Section: Archaeology ; Topics: Archaeology, Computer sciences

  The impact of normal mapping on the appearance of geometrically simplified archaeological 3D models

  Costopoulos, Stefanos; Papaioannou, Georgios  

  10.24072/pcjournal.683 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e17

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  A great challenge in 3D digitization and modelling lies in striking a balance between surface detail and model size, while accommodating the geometric information representation requirements of diverse archaeological practices. 3D meshes that contain a high polygon count severely impact storage requirements, data transmission, and 3D rendering. It is therefore typical for high-resolution digitized objects and modelled assets alike to be sub-sampled and simplified into levels of detail (LODs) to match the requirements of the intended applications. By doing so, however, geometric detail is lost, negatively affecting the model’s visual fidelity during 3D visualization. Normal mapping offers a reliable and practical solution to this challenge by transferring surface orientation data from the original, detailed models into simplified versions. This approach preserves the key visual characteristics present on the surface of a high-detail model, without reintroducing geometric complexity into the simplified structure. In archaeological contexts, where both accuracy and accessibility are important, normal mapping enables lightweight models to maintain the perceptual qualities of high-resolution originals, while supporting diverse visualization applications, from analytical inspection to public dissemination. In this paper, our proposed methodology explores the robustness of detail transfer through normal mapping on simplified archaeological models, highlighting its effectiveness as a tool for efficient cultural heritage visualization and immersive applications. The study claims that normal-mapped models can effectively stand in for the original high-detail scans in a variety of scenarios, thus offering a viable and efficient alternative to the demanding storage and transmission of high-fidelity 3D models.

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  Section: Genomics ; Topics: Genetics/genomics

  The identification of the replicative helicase loader gene dciA within the Helicobacter pylori genome challenges current replication initiation models for this bacterium

  Brézellec, Pierre  

  10.24072/pcjournal.682 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e16

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  At the onset of bacterial chromosome replication initiation, replicative helicases are loaded onto DNA, a process requiring helicase loaders. While organisms documented as lacking a helicase loader are rare, the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori is a notable exception. Here, relying mainly on genomic synteny and AlphaFold, I demonstrate that the well-documented helicase loader gene dciA is present in the H. pylori genome and co-localizes with the uvrC gene (excinuclease ABC subunit C), which highlights the limitations of the usual methodology used to identify dciA. I then provide evidence showing that this finding seriously challenges the two main current chromosome replication initiation models in this bacterium. Given that virulent strains of H. pylori pose a significant threat to human health, contributing to various gastric and non-gastric disorders, including certain cancers, I conclude that a deeper understanding of replication initiation in H. pylori could facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.