DNA methylation, a key epigenetic modification, plays a crucial role in regulating lipid metabolism.  Consistent correlations have been observed between aberrant DNA methylation patterns and lipid metabolic disorders.  Emerging evidence indicates that methyl donor micronutrients could influence DNA methylation patterns, consequently exerting an influence on lipid metabolism.  Specifically, the deficiency or excesses of methyl donor micronutrients (folate, choline, betaine, B vitamins and methionine) have been associated with altered DNA methylation patterns linked to lipid metabolism.  These alteration in DNA methylation levels, occurring globally and within promoter regions, could affect gene expression related to lipid metabolism.  However, the mechanisms through which methyl donor micronutrients regulate lipid metabolism via the DNA methylation modification and the role of methyl donor micronutrients supplementation on DNA methylation profiles remain unclear.  In this review, we summarized the regulatory role of DNA methylation in lipid metabolism, and highlighted recent findings investigating the impact of methyl donor micronutrients on lipid metabolism, as well as DNA methylation-mediated adipogenesis and adipose deposition.  Taken together, this review deepened our understanding of how the complex interplay between methyl donor micronutrients, DNA methylation, and lipid metabolism, and provides valuable information for accurately regulating lipid metabolism of livestock and poultry, thereby improving meat quality, and promoting the development of animal husbandry.

Apple fruit firmness is a crucial index for measuring the internal quality of apples, which influences palatability, storage capacity and transportability.  The primary cause of reduced firmness during fruit development is the hydrolysis of cell wall polysaccharides.  Xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolase (XTH) is a key enzyme involved in the depolymerization of cell wall polysaccharides, but the mechanism of its involvement in the formation of fruit firmness remains unclear.  Here, we identified the gene MdXTH2 by integrating metabolomic and transcriptomic data, and analyzed its function and molecular mechanism in the formation of apple fruit firmness.  The results showed downward trends in both fruit firmness and cell wall components throughout fruit development.  The contents of cell wall material, cellulose, and hemicellulose in various apple varieties exhibited significant positive correlations with firmness, with total correlation coefficients of 0.862, 0.884, and 0.891, respectively.  Overexpression of MdXTH2 significantly increased fruit firmness in apple and tomato, inhibited fruit ripening, and significantly suppressed the growth of calli.  The upstream transcription factor MdNAC72 of the MdXTH2 gene can promote the expression of fruit ripening-related genes.  Furthermore, dual-luciferase, yeast one-hybrid, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) demonstrated that MdNAC72 down-regulates the transcription of MdXTH2 by binding to its promoter.  In summary, the results of this study provide a strategy for examining fruit quality regulation and a theoretical basis for breeding apple varieties with moderate firmness through genetic improvement.

Brucellosis, caused primarily by Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, and Brucella suis, remains a critical global public health challenge, particularly in regions where these pathogens persist in livestock and wildlife reservoirs. Despite decades of control measures-including vaccination, test-and-removal programs, and biosecurity protocols-persistent human and animal cases highlight the limitations of existing diagnostic and intervention strategies. CRISPR-based diagnostics have emerged as a transformative tool, offering rapid, ultrasensitive, and field-deployable pathogen detection. Here, we present BOVDS (Brucella melitensis/abortus/suis-other pathogens-vaccine detection and differentiation system), an innovative CRISPR/Cas13a-based platform that integrates ultrahigh sensitivity (10 copies/µL), screening for 10 major abortifacient pathogens, and precise strain differentiation-overcoming key challenges in Brucella diagnostics. By incorporating mismatched spacer designs, BOVDS achieves robust discrimination between B. melitensis, B. abortus, and B. suis despite their high genomic conservation. Additionally, the platform enables differentiation between vaccine and wild-type strains, addressing critical gaps in vaccination monitoring and epidemiological surveillance. Uniting laboratory-level accuracy with on-farm practicality, BOVDS facilitates real-time outbreak management, targeted culling, and environmental decontamination, advancing One Health initiatives toward sustainable brucellosis prevention and control. This system sets a new benchmark for next-generation zoonotic disease diagnostics, with broad applicability in global public and veterinary health.