Orchids represent one of the most ecologically and mor-phologically diverse families of flowering plants(Pérez-Escobar et al.,2024).Within this family,the genus Dendrobium Sw.comprises approximately 1500 species distributed across tropical and subtropical Asia,extending to Australia and the Pacific Islands(Xiang et al.,2013).
Abstract Geothermal systems harbor abundant novel microorganisms, representing substantial phylogenetic and functional diversity among yet‐to‐be‐cultivated bacteria with significant ecological roles. Nevertheless, research on the diversity, metabolic potential, and evolutionary history of these uncultured taxa remains limited. In this study, 19 metagenome‐assembled genomes (MAGs) were recovered from hot springs in Tengchong, Yunnan Province. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that these MAGs form sister lineages to an existing clade, leading to their proposed classification within three novel phyla: Yinglongibacterota , Xuanmingibacterota , and Gonggongibacterota , named after figures from the traditional Chinese legend, Classics of Mountains and Seas. Sequence analysis of both hot spring‐derived and published MAGs reveals that all three phyla exhibit similar facultative anaerobic lifestyles. Multiple substrates, including cellulose, glucan, pectin, and xylan, can be degraded by these phyla, especially Gonggongibacterota , suggesting their critical role in converting complex plant matter into more readily degradable substrates and contributing to sugar fermentation. Furthermore, the ability of these phyla to reduce selenite facilitates environmental detoxification. Notably, gene loss events have resulted in widespread auxotrophy for heme and biotin in these lineages, which may indicate microbial cross‐feeding in the community as an adaptation strategy. These pioneering results provide a comprehensive overview of the taxonomic and metabolic characteristics of the three novel phyla, offering insights into their ecological significance and guiding future cultivation efforts.
Abstract Over the past two decades, advances in high‐throughput‐sequencing technology platforms and in the recovery of highly degraded DNA have ushered ancient DNA research into the era of deep‐time paleogenomics, expanding sample ages from no more than 100 ka to the Early Pleistocene (~2 Ma). These developments have resolved long‐standing phylogenetic controversies, refined reconstructions of the dispersal and population history across diverse taxa (including humans), and enabled direct investigation of molecular response to Quaternary climate change. Paleogenomics in China developed later than in Europe and North America, with early landmark breakthroughs largely focused on ancient human remains. However, China preserves one of the richest and most distinctive records of Quaternary megafauna, many lineages of which are morphologically and genetically differentiated from their western Eurasian counterparts. Here, we synthesize recent paleogenomic advances across major megafauna clades, including Proboscidea, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and large Carnivora, to evaluate how time‐resolved genomic data are reshaping systematics, phylogeography, and evolutionary interpretation of the Chinese Quaternary fauna. Current megafauna paleogenomic coverage remains taxonomically and geographically biased toward northern assemblages and mitochondrial datasets. We therefore outline key methodological and sampling priorities, including coordinated recovery of nuclear genomes and improved approaches for southern contexts with poor preservation, to position Chinese megafaunal paleogenomics as a platform for testing general models of megafauna responses to Quaternary climatic oscillations. These efforts refine the systematics and evolutionary history of Chinese Quaternary megafauna and provide a conceptual model for understanding how megafauna respond to Quaternary climate oscillations worldwide.
