Backfat thickness is a good predictor of carcass lean content, an economically important trait, and a main breeding target in pig improvement. In this study, the candidate genes and genomic regions associated with the tenth rib backfat thickness trait were identified in two independent pig populations, using a genome-wide association study of porcine 60K SNP genotype data applying the compressed mixed linear model (CMLM) statistical method. For each population, 30 most significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected and SNP annotation implemented using Sus scrofa Build 10.2. In the first population, 25 significant SNPs were distributed on seven chromosomes, and SNPs on SSC1 and SSC7 showed great significance for fat deposition. The most significant SNP (ALGA0006623) was located on SSC1, upstream of the MC4R gene. In the second population, 27 significant SNPs were recognized by annotation, and 12 SNPs on SSC12 were related to fat deposition. Two haplotype blocks, M1GA0016251-MARC0075799 and ALGA0065251-MARC0014203-M1GA0016298-ALGA0065308, were detected in significant regions where the PIPNC1 and GH1 genes were identified as contributing to fat metabolism. The results indicated that genetic mechanism regulating backfat thickness is complex, and that genome-wide associations can be affected by populations with different genetic backgrounds.

Zoonoses are a significant public health concern and cause considerable socioeconomic problems globally. The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and Ebola virus disease (EVD) has had a significant effect on the national economy and public health in China, and other countries. This review analyzed zoonotic disease issues faced by China, and the main factors contributing to the risk of zoonotic disease. The Chinese government has devised new strategies and has taken measures to deal with the challenges of these diseases, and the prevention and control of zoonoses at their source. A strategy that is suited to China’s national conditions, is proposed.

Oocytes are unique cells with the inherent capability to reprogram nuclei. The reprogramming of the somatic nucleus from its original cellular state to a totipotent state is essential for term development after somatic cell nuclear transfer. The nuclear-associated factors contained within oocytes are critical for normal fertilization by sperm or for somatic cell nuclear reprogramming. The chromatin of somatic nuclei can be reprogrammed by factors in the egg cytoplasm whose natural function is to reprogram sperm chromatin. The oocyte first obtains its reprogramming capability in the early fetal follicle, and then its capacity is enriched in the late growth phase and reaches its highest capability for reprogramming as fully-grown germinal vesicle oocytes. The cytoplasmic milieu most likely contains all of the specific transcription and/or reprogramming factors necessary for cellular reprogramming. Certain transcription factors in the cytoplast may be critical as has been demonstrated for induced pluripotent stem cells. The maternal pronucleus exerts a predominant, transcription-dependent effect on embryo cytofragmentation, with a lesser effect imposed by the ooplasm and the paternal pronucleus. With deep analysis of transcriptomics in oocytes and early developmental stage embryos more maternal transcription factors inducing cellular reprogramming will be identified.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a single-stranded RNA virus, mainly infects cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. Recently, host microRNAs were shown to be capable of modulating PRRSV infection and replication by multiple ways such as targeting viral genomic RNA, targeting viral receptor and inducing antiviral response. MicroRNAs are small RNAs and have emerged as important regulators of virus-host cell interactions. In this review, we discuss the identified functions of host microRNAs in relation to PRRSV infection and propose that cellular microRNAs may have a substantial effect on cell or tissue tropism of PRRSV.

The dermal hyperpigmentation phenotype in chickens is controlled by the dominant fibromelanosis allele. One of the ten unique characteristics of Silkie chickens is the fibromelanosis phenotype, which is pigmentation in the dermal layer of the skin and connective tissue. In this study, we found a mutation of fibromelanosis, a genomic rearrangement that included an inverted duplication of endothelin3 (EDN3), is responsible. We show that, as a stimulator of melanoblast proliferation, EDN3 expression was increased in silkie embryos and in both skin and muscle throughout adulthood. EDN3 expression led to an increase in expression of the downstream genes EDNRB2 and TYRP2, and was closely relate with the hyperpigmentation phenotype. We examined eight different Chinese chicken breeds showing hyperpigmentation and conclude that this structural genetic variant exists in all fibromelanosis chicken breeds.

Vacuolar protein sorting 36 (VPS36), a protein primarily known for its role in the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport pathway, has recently been shown to be linked to chicken reproduction. Previous research showed that Vps36 is significantly downregulated in sexually mature chicken ovaries compared to immature ones. In this study, using real-time quantitative RT-PCR, we investigated the expression pattern of Vps36 and its head-to-head gene Ckap2 mRNA in chicken follicles. Small white follicles were found to have significantly higher expression of Vps36 and Ckap2 mRNA than any other sized follicles (P<0.05). The expression of Vps36 and Ckap2 mRNA were detected in both granulosa and theca layers of pre-ovulatory follicles, the expression of Ckap2 in theca layers was slightly higher than in granulosa cells. Treatment of small yellow follicles with follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol resulted in a marked decrease of both Vps36 and Ckap2 mRNA (P<0.05); however, progesterone, transforming growth factor-β 1 and luteinizing hormone induced no significant changes in Vps36 and Ckap2 mRNA expression in these follicles. These results indicate that the head-to-head genes of Vps36 and Ckap2 exhibit similar expression in chicken follicles and are involved in chicken follicle development.

Meat quality is an important trait in the pig industry. To identify genomic regions and haplotype blocks responsible for meat quality traits in pigs, a genome-wide association study was conducted for five traits including intramuscular fat content, pH at 45 min and 24 h, drip loss within 24 h and water-holding capacity in 231 Yorkshire barrows using illumina porcine 60k SNP chips. The results showed that a total of 344 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were significantly associated with five meat quality traits (P<1×10^-4). Moreover, 323 SNPs were within the reported QTL regions, of which 21 were novel. Also, 158 SNPs fell into the proximal region of meat quality related genes. In addition, 25 haplotype blocks based on 116 SNPs were revealed with SNP combination patterns for five traits. Our study added new SNP information for identification of meat quality traits in pigs and will help elucidate the mechanisms of meat quality in pigs.

Maintenance of ion homeostasis, particularly the regulation of K⁺ and Na⁺ uptake, is important for all plants to adapt to salinity. Observations on ionic response to salinity and net fluxes of K⁺, Na⁺ in the root exhibited by plants during salt stress have highlighted the need for further investigation. The objectives of this study were to compare salt adaptation of two Chinese Iris (Iris lactea Pall. var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz.) populations, and to improve understanding of adaptation to salinity exhibited by plants. Plants used in this study were grown from seeds collected in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xj) and Beijing Municipality (Bj), China. Hydroponically-grown seedlings of the two populations were supplied with nutrient solutions containing 0.1 (control) and 140 mmol·L^-1 NaCl. After 12 days, plants were harvested for determination of relative growth rate and K⁺, Na⁺ concentrations. Net fluxes of K⁺, Na⁺ from the apex and along the root axis to 10.8 mm were measured using non-invasive micro-test technique. With 140 mmol·L^-1 NaCl treatment, shoots for population Xj had larger relative growth rate and higher K⁺ concentration than shoots for population Bj. However, the Na⁺ concentrations in both shoots and roots were lower for Xj than those for Bj. There was a lower net efflux of K⁺ found in population Xj than by Bj in the mature zone (approximately 2.4-10.8 mm from root tip). However, no difference in the efflux of Na⁺ between the populations was obtained. Population Xj of I. lactea continued to grow normally under NaCl stress, and maintained a higher K⁺/Na⁺ ratio in the shoots. These traits, which were associated with lower K⁺ leakage, help population Xj adapt to saline environments.

The effect of the urease inhibitor, N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) at a range of application rates on rice production was examined in a field experiment at Jinxian County, Jiangxi Province, China. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was measured at key growth stages in both early and late rice. The results showed that the grain yield increased significantly when urea was applied with NBPT, with the highest yield observed at 1.00% NBPT (wt/wt). NDVI differed with the growth stage of rice; it remained steady from the heading to the filling stage. Rice yield could be predicted from the NDVI taken at key rice growing stages, with R² ranging from 0.34 to 0.69 in early rice and 0.49 to 0.70 in late rice. The validation test showed that RMSE (t·hm^-2) values were 0.77 and 0.87 in early and late rice, respectively. Therefore, it was feasible to estimate rice yield for different amounts of urease inhibitor using NDVI.

In this study, we introduced the bovine immunoglobulin μ heavy-chain gene (the orphaned gene on BTA11) into mouse germline cells. Bovine IgM was highly expressed in selected transgenic lines, and it largely inhibited rearrangements of the endogenous immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) genes in these lines. The forced expression of bovine IgM resulted in reduced numbers of pro- and pre-B cells but increased the number of immature B cells in the transgenic mice. Bovine IgM-expressing B cells can migrate from the bone marrow to the spleen, but most of the cells are arrested at the T1 transitional B cell stage, leading to a significantly lower number of T2 transitional and mature B cells in the spleen. Although the serum concentrations of endogenous IgM and IgG in the transgenic mice were significantly decreased, the IgA levels were slightly increased compared to the WT mice. The bovine IgM level in the serum was only one-tenth to one-fifth of that of endogenous mouse IgM, suggesting that most of the serum immunoglobulin were contributed by endogenous IgH gene-expressing B cells. These transgenic mice also exhibited a lower frequency of unique complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) sequences in their VH repertoire and Vκ repertoire but exhibited an increased frequency of unique CDR3 in their Vλ repertoire. Compared to the WT mice, the transgenic mice had a significantly higher percentage of mouse IgM-expressing B cells that expressed λ chains. Finally, we showed that the transgenic mice were deficient in a specific antibody response to antigen stimulation.