Latest Articles

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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.

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  Section: Microbiology ; Topics: Ecology, Evolution, Microbiology

  Ecophylogenetic patterns of rhizosphere bacterial community assembly in Pisum spp. (Fabaceae, Fabeae) reveal strong plant-mediated ecological filtering

  Angot, Victor;   Pailler, Vincent; Kebieche, Abdelhamid; Belmonte, Elodie;   Bourion, Virginie;   Bouchenak-Khelladi, Yanis  

  10.24072/pcjournal.685 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e15

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  Plant-microorganisms interactions are among the oldest biotic relationships and play a fundamental role in shaping biological systems. These associations involve several and diverse species, each evolving on different timescales. Understanding these interactions requires approaches that integrate both ecological community dynamics and evolutionary processes, which drive the adaptation of plants and microorganisms. We investigated bacterial community assembly dynamics associated with four diverse Pisum spp. accessions grown in greenhouse conditions on soil. Bacterial DNA was extracted from bulk soil, rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and endosphere microhabitats across three plant growth stages, followed by full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacterial communities varied in diversity, composition and structure across microhabitats and growth stages. Ecophylogenetic analyses, that is integrating community ecology dynamics into a phylogenetic framework, indicated strong host-filtering, with community assembly across space and time being structured by phylogenetic constraints. This illustrates the role of the plant in creating and shaping distinct ecological niches, where selective recruitment favors specific and closely related lineages. Our findings suggest that an ecophylogenetic approach provides valuable insights into plant-microbiota dynamics by integrating ecological and evolutionary processes, thereby offering a powerful perspective to investigate the co-adaptation of plants and their associated microbiota.