盐胁迫下选择性剪接可调控丝氨酸/精氨酸丰富(SR)蛋白的表达和异构体的形成。前期研究鉴定了木薯SR蛋白家族中的两个亚家族SCL和 SR，这两个亚家族参与调控植物非生物胁迫的响应，然而SR蛋白家族中的其他亚家族是否也在转录后水平上调控植物盐胁迫应答有待探究。本研究通过11个物种RS亚家族的同源性比对找到37个基因，并系统性的分析了RS40 和 RS31基因在非生物胁迫条件下的表达情况。进一步蛋白结构域分析表明植物RS亚家族在非生物胁迫响应中其作用可能是保守的。在拟南芥中过表达MeRS40基因可通过维持活性氧的动态平衡和调控盐胁迫响应基因的表达进而提高植物的耐盐性。然而，在木薯中过表达MeRS40基因则通过负调节自身的pre-mRNA来抑制其内源性基因表达，从而降低转基因木薯的耐盐性。此外，MeRS40蛋白与木薯MeU1-70Ks（MeU1-70Ka 和 MeU1-70Kb）蛋白在体内和体外互作。因此，我们的研究为木薯SR蛋白参与调控盐胁迫应答提供了新的理论基础和探索方向。

猪是全球重要的家养动物，以骨骼肌的形式为人类重提供蛋白质。为了研究长链基因间非编码RNA（LincRNA）在猪骨骼肌发育中的功能，我们收集猪胚胎发育期间背最长肌（LDM）的RNA-seq数据，并坚定了739条lincRNA转录本，这些转录本分布在除Y染色体外的所有染色体上。然后我们对鉴定的lincRNA的分子特征进行分析，相比于蛋白编码基因，lincRNA具有较短的转录本长度、较长的外显子长度、较少的外显子数目及较高的组织特异性。除此之外，我们还对lincRNA在5个胚胎发育时期的表达丰度进行分析，鉴定了45个差异表达的lincRNA，其中有3个差异表达的lincRNA在不同的胚胎发育期均差异表达。最后我们对lincRNa的潜在靶基因进行预测，共鉴定了1537个顺式作用的靶基因及8571个反式作用的靶基因。结合上述结果我们鉴定了两个参与骨骼肌发育的关键候选lincRNA：XLOC_024652和XLOC_001832。本研究在全基因组水平鉴定猪胚胎期骨骼肌发育过程中可能涉及的lincRNA，为进一步研究lincRNa的功能及猪的遗传育种提供有价值的素材。

Sucrose is known to play an important role in the cryopreservation of sperm and female gonads; however, its effect on the cryopreservation of pig spermatogonial stem cells (pSSCs) has not been tested.  The aim of this work was to study the effect of sucrose during pSSC cryopreservation and to find the most effective concentration in freezing medium.  pSSCs were cryopreserved with freezing media containing different concentrations of sucrose (70, 140, 210, and 280 mmol L^–1) and a control group without sucrose.  The survival rates, plasma membrane integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential of thawed cells were detected by trypan blue (TB) staining, SYBR-14/propidium iodide (PI) dual staining, and JC-1 staining, respectively.  All the staining results showed an obvious increase in cell survival in the sucrose-treated groups as compared to that in the control group, with the exception of 280 mmol L^–1 sucrose.  Moreover, the 210 mmol L^–1 sucrose group yielded the highest survival rate among all the groups (P<0.05).  The results of SYBR-14/PI dual staining and JC-1 staining were consistent with those of TB staining as above described.  Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) indicated that the mRNA levels of three apoptosis-promoting genes (BAX, APAF1 and CASPASE9) were significantly higher in thawed cells than in cells before freezing (P<0.05).  Moreover, the mRNA level of one anti-apoptotic gene (XIAP) was significantly lower in thawed cells than in cells before freezing (P<0.05).  When comparing the mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes in thawed cells, the mRNA level of the anti-apoptotic genes in the control group was significantly lower than that in the sucrose-treated
groups (P<0.05).  Western blot analyses showed that the expression levels of cleaved CASPASE9, CASPASE3 and PARP-1 in the sucrose-treated groups were lower than those in the control group and were the lowest in the 210 mmol L^–1 sucrose group.  Both qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses suggested that sucrose inhibited cell apoptosis during freezing and thawing.  Briefly, sucrose promoted pSSCs survival after freezing and thawing, especially at a concentration of 210 mmol L^–1, which possibly assisted pSSC dehydration and inhibited cell apoptosis.  These findings hold great promise for further studies of the regulatory mechanism of proliferation and differentiation of pSSCs. 

This article analyses the technical and environmental efficiency of hog production in China using data from the China Agricultural Product Cost-Benefit Compilation (NDRC 2005–2013) and the First National Census of Pollution: Manual of Discharge Coefficient of Livestock and Poultry Industry (IEDA and NIES 2009). The empirical results show a great variation in environmental efficiency, ranging from 0.344 to 0.973 with a mean value of 0.672 that declines over time. Southwest China is found to be the most environmentally efficient region, while the Northeast and the Northwest are the least efficient. Another finding is that technical and environmental efficiencies are highly correlated in hog production; the most environmentally efficient regions are usually found to have high technical efficiency, and vice versa. In addition, we computed the output elasticities with respect to each factor input. The results show that feed is the most efficient input, with an output elasticity of approximately 0.551, which is much higher than the elasticity of the nitrogen surplus, other capital or labour. The output elasticity with respect to the nitrogen surplus is 0.287 on average. Finally, the scale elasticity in hog production is slightly higher than 1.

In cucumber, fruit shape is an important quality criterion, and fruit bending is known to limit growth, yield, and taste. To investigate the post-transcriptional changes that regulate fruit bending and to better understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, we generated a proteomic profile of the abdomen and back of cucumber bending fruit. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) allowed the detection of approximately 900 distinct protein spots in each gel, 32 of which were differentially expressed in the abdomen and back of bending cucumber fruit. Ten of the differentially expressed proteins were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS). A search of primary databases showed that the identified proteins are involved in various metabolic processes and cellular responses, including photosynthesis metabolism, energy metabolism, defense and stress response, and regulation. The identified proteins included large subunits of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, which are involved in photosynthesis and photorespiratory metabolism, and isocitrate dehydrogenase, which is involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. It is possible that imbalances in catabolic and anabolic processes directly affect the bending of cucumber fruit. The predicted function of the cobalamin- independent methionine synthase isozyme is closely related to ethylene biosynthesis; fruit bending may be regulated by ethylene, or by ethylene signaling crosstalk during fruit development. The 14-3-3 protein is usually considered to be a regulation-related protein, which plays a role in regulating cell hyperplasia, cell differentiation during growth, and apoptosis during senescence. Involvement of guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding proteins in signal transmission is known to regulate the development of cells in cucumber fruits and to play a role in fruit shape variation. Patterns of protein expression showed high repeatability. We hypothesize that these proteins may play an important role in growth and bending of cucumber fruits. The results of our study provide insight into the genetic mechanism underlying fruit bending in cucumber, and may help to promote cultivation of new varieties with superior fruits.

Ser/Arg-rich (SR) genes encode proteins that play pivotal roles in both constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNA. However, not much effort has been made to investigate the alternative splicing of their own pre-mRNA. In this study, we conducted comprehensive analyses of pre-mRNA splicing for 22 SR genes in three rice (Oryza sativa L.) ecotypes indica, japonica and javanica. Using different ecotypes we characterized the variations in expression and splicing patterns of rice SR genes in different tissues and at different developmental stages. In addition, we compared the divergence in expression and splicing patterns of SR genes from seedlings of different rice ecotypes in response to hormones application and environmental stresses. Our results revealed the complexity of alternative splicing of SR genes in rice. The splicing varies in different tissues, in different ecotypes, in response to stresses and hormones. Thus, our study suggested that SR genes were subjected to sophisticated alternative splicing although their encoding proteins were involved in the splicing process.