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Abstract Background Radioresistance is the leading cause of death in advanced cervical cancer (CC). Dysregulation of RNA modification has recently emerged as a regulatory mechanism in radiation and drug resistance. We aimed to explore the biological function and clinical significance of 5-methylcytosine (m5C) in cervical cancer radiosensitivity. Methods The abundance of RNA modification in radiotherapy-resistant and sensitive CC specimens was quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The essential RNA modification-related genes involved in CC radiosensitivity were screened via RNA sequencing. The effect of NSUN6 on radiosensitivity was verified in CC cell lines, cell-derived xenograft (CDX), and 3D bioprinted patient-derived organoid (PDO). The mechanisms of NSUN6 in regulating CC radiosensitivity were investigated by integrative m5C sequencing, mRNA sequencing, and RNA immunoprecipitation. Results We found a higher abundance of m5C modification in resistant CC samples, and NSUN6 was the essential m5C-regulating gene concerning radiosensitivity. NSUN6 overexpression was clinically correlated with radioresistance and poor prognosis in cervical cancer. Functionally, higher NSUN6 expression was associated with radioresistance in the 3D PDO model of cervical cancer. Moreover, silencing NSUN6 increased CC radiosensitivity in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, NDRG1 was one of the downstream target genes of NSUN6 identified by integrated m5C-seq, mRNA-seq, and functional validation. NSUN6 promoted the m5C modification of NDRG1 mRNA, and the m5C reader ALYREF bound explicitly to the m5C-labeled NDRG1 mRNA and enhanced NDRG1 mRNA stability. NDRG1 overexpression promoted homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair, which in turn led to radioresistance in cervical cancer. Conclusions Aberrant m5C hypermethylation and NSUN6 overexpression drive resistance to radiotherapy in cervical cancer. Elevated NSUN6 expression promotes radioresistance in cervical cancer by activating the NSUN6/ALYREF-m5C-NDRG1 pathway. The low expression of NSUN6 in cervical cancer indicates sensitivity to radiotherapy and a better prognosis.

The Humboldt’s enigma has continued for many centuries, A multitude of studies have delved into various potential reasons for this richness—from topography and climate to community succession—yet a singular, all-encompassing theory for species richness across multiple taxa in mountain ecosystems remains elusive. In this research, we explored the causes of species richness in mountain multiple-taxa in terms of spatial attributes of protected areas, human disturbance and environmental factors. Initiating our study, we compiled a comprehensive database of all national nature reserves (NNRs) situated in the karst regions of Guizhou province. This was achieved through an extensive multidisciplinary field survey in recent years, resulting in a collection of 40,570 species records. Subsequently, we discerned a complex interplay between species richness, spatial attributes, human disturbance, and environmental factors, which collectively account for over 80 % of the observed variations in mountain biodiversity. Our findings revealed several intricate relationships: Shape index and fragmentation positively influenced the richness of insect, animal, and seed plant species. Conversely, anthropogenic alterations and nighttime light negatively impacted the diversity of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Interestingly, we discovered a significant positive association between the richness of fungi, mosses, and ferns and the variables of soil texture and soil water, demonstrating the importance of soils in karst for maintaining biodiversity. To conclude, we evaluated conservation strategies in mountainous regions. It is imperative that the spatial configuration of protected areas be refined to alleviate the detrimental effects of human disturbance. Furthermore, conservation efforts should be customized to the unique climatic and geographic conditions found locally.

As urbanization exposes wildlife to new challenging conditions and environmental pressures, species that exhibit a high degree of behavioral plasticity are considered potentially capable of colonizing and adapting to urban environments. However, differences in the behavior of populations that inhabit urban and suburban landscapes pose unprecedented challenges to traditional methods in wildlife management which often fail to consider a species’ needs or mitigate human–wildlife conflict due to changes in species behavior in response to intensive human interference. Here, we investigate differences in the home range, diel activity, movement, and diet of raccoon dogs ( Nyctereutes procyonoides ) between residential districts and forest park habitats in Shanghai, China. Using GPS tracking data from 22 individuals, we find that the home ranges of raccoon dogs in residential districts (10.4 ± 8.8 ha) was 91.26% smaller than those in forest parks (119.6 ± 135.4 ha). We also find that raccoon dogs in residential districts exhibited significantly lower nocturnal movement speeds (134.55 ± 50.68 m h ^−1 ) compared to their forest park counterparts (263.22 ± 84.972 m h ^−1 ). An analysis of 528 fecal samples showed a significantly higher intake of ingredients from human food in residential districts ( χ ^2 = 4.691, P = 0.026), which indicates that urban raccoon dog foraging strategies differ from the forest park population due to the presence of discarded human food, cat food, and wet garbage in residential districts. Based on our findings, we propose a community-based wildlife management strategy and suggest modifying the current design of residential districts. Our results underscore the importance of mammal behavior studies in urban biodiversity management and provide a scientific basis for mitigating human–wildlife conflicts in urban environments in and beyond our study area.

As an important component, 1,000 kernel weight (TKW) plays a significant role in the formation of yield traits of wheat. Kernel size is significantly positively correlated to TKW. Although numerous loci for kernel size in wheat have been reported, our knowledge on loci for kernel area (KA) and kernel circumference (KC) remains limited. In the present study, a recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population containing 371 lines genotyped using the Wheat55K SNP array was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling the KA and KC in multiple environments. A total of 54 and 44 QTLs were mapped by using the biparental population or multienvironment trial module of the inclusive composite interval mapping method, respectively. Twenty-two QTLs were considered major QTLs. BLAST analysis showed that major and stable QTLs QKc.sau-6A.1 (23.12–31.64 cM on 6A) for KC and QKa.sau-6A.2 (66.00–66.57 cM on 6A) for KA were likely novel QTLs, which explained 22.25 and 20.34% of the phenotypic variation on average in the 3 year experiments, respectively. Two Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers, KASP-AX-109894590 and KASP-AX-109380327, were developed and tightly linked to QKc.sau-6A.1 and QKa.sau-6A.2, respectively, and the genetic effects of the different genotypes in the RIL population were successfully confirmed. Furthermore, in the interval where QKa.sau-6A.2 was located on Chinese Spring and T. Turgidum ssp. dicoccoides reference genomes, only 11 genes were found. In addition, digenic epistatic QTLs also showed a significant influence on KC and KA. Altogether, the results revealed the genetic basis of KA and KC and will be useful for the marker-assisted selection of lines with different kernel sizes, laying the foundation for the fine mapping and cloning of the gene(s) underlying the stable QTLs detected in this study.

Human-wildlife conflicts in cities are becoming increasingly common worldwide and are a challenge to urban biodiversity management and landscape planning. In comparison to compensatory management, which often focuses on addressing emergency conflicts, precautionary management allows decision-makers to better allocate limited resources on prioritized areas and initiate long-term actions in advance. However, precautionary approaches have rarely been developed or applied in biodiversity conservation. Since 2020, human-raccoon dog conflicts in Shanghai, one of the largest cities in the world, have tripled in reported number due to the rapid spread of the species in the city from 70 residential districts in 2020 to 249 residential districts in 2022. Here, we use ensemble and circuit modeling to predict suitable raccoon dog habitat and identify their potential dispersal pathways to aid the development of precautionary management strategies. We find that raccoon dog distribution is positively associated with several anthropogenic factors, including residential buildings and nighttime light, which could be signs that the species’ foraging behavior has adapted to the urban environment. We find that raccoon dogs only occupy 10.1% of its suitable habitat, and thus there is a high potential for the expansion of the raccoon dog population and more frequent human-raccoon dog conflicts in the near future. We predict 60 potential dispersal pathways across Shanghai, seven of which cross densely human populated areas and are likely to trigger excessive conflicts. Based on our findings, we propose priority areas where precautionary management strategies, such as constraining stray animal feeding and wildlife-vehicle collision prevention, would potentially alleviate human-raccoon dog conflicts. We present the first study on the precautionary approach of human-wildlife conflict in China’s major cities, and provide a practical example of how comprehensive modeling approaches can be used as the foundation of precautionary management in urban landscapes.