🧬 biology

Recurrent recombination and insertion–deletion events shape the genome-wide evolutionary history of the Coronaviridae family

This study reveals that frequent recombination and insertion–deletion events across the Coronaviridae family have significantly shaped its genomic organization, diversification, and phylogeny, while simultaneously complicating efforts to forecast the emergence of novel pathogenic variants.

Luis Daniel González-Vázquez, David Ferreiro, Filipe Pereira, Miguel Arenas2026-07-21
🧬 biology

What Makes a Virtual Cell a World Model? Three Gaps, Three Experiments, and a Roadmap

This paper proposes a structured framework for "virtual cell world models" (VCWMs) to address critical gaps between current capabilities and true world modeling by defining formal requirements, presenting empirical evidence of these shortcomings through three experiments, and outlining a staged roadmap with diagnostic capability ladders for developing multiscale, interactive cellular simulators.

Chang Yu, Jingbo Zhou, Cheng Tan, Stan Z. Li, Xiaodong Liu, Xiaoming Zhang, Zhaoxiang Zhang, Zhen Lei, Zhongqi Wang2026-07-21
🧬 biology

The Encoding Gauge of Fermionic Variational Quantum Algorithms: Classical Simulability is Encoding-Relative, Trainability is Invariant

This paper establishes that while the classical simulability of fermionic variational quantum algorithms is encoding-dependent and can be optimized via gauge transformations, their trainability is strictly encoding-invariant, implying that genuine quantum advantage must rely on encoding-independent resources like Lie algebra dimension and non-stabilizerness rather than encoding-specific metrics like Pauli weight.

S. M. Yousuf Iqbal Tomal, Abdullah Al Shafin2026-07-21
🧬 biology

Discovery of Bioactive Triterpenoid Saponins and Antioxidant-Rich Tissues in the Endemic Cyclamen adzharicum from Adjara (Georgia)

This study documents the high diversity and endemism of Adjara's ephemeroid flora, identifies *Cyclamen adzharicum* as a key medicinal species, and reveals its leaves as a superior source of antioxidant-rich triterpenoid saponins compared to its tubers, thereby supporting conservation efforts and future pharmacological research.

Natela Varshanidze, Aleko Kalandia, Maia Vanidze, Nazi Turmanidze, Nana Zarnadze, Ketevan Dolidze, Inga Diasamidze, Eter (…)2026-07-21
🧬 biology

Extremophilic Adaptations Across the Archaeal Domain Are Governed by Lineage Clustering

This study demonstrates that apparent incompatibilities between archaeal extremophilic traits, such as halophily and methanogenesis, are primarily artifacts of lineage clustering and phylogenetic pseudoreplication rather than intrinsic biochemical constraints, as evidenced by the frequent co-occurrence of these adaptations in non-Halobacteria lineages when analyzed using phylogenetically corrected methods.

Ajay Vellanki2026-07-21
🧬 biology

GPCR mechanical pivots are packed closer to the membrane center than pivots in other polytopic membrane protein folds

This study demonstrates that the mechanical pivots of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), defined by tightest local atomic packing, are significantly closer to the membrane center than those of other polytopic membrane protein folds, indicating that this central positioning is a distinctive feature of the GPCR superfamily rather than a universal property of transmembrane bundles.

Huazhang Shen2026-07-21