对于某些性成熟昆虫（包括褐飞虱）而言，腹部振动（abdominal vibration，AV）是交配过程的启动信号，对成功交配至关重要。目前，关于调控AV的遗传和分子机制的研究很少。我们以往与AV相关的转录组学研究表明，肌抑制肽（myoinhibitory peptide，NlMIP）是调控雌性褐飞虱AV的潜在基因，但其对AV的调控机制尚未报道。本文证实了NlMIP参与调控雌性褐飞虱的AV和交配行为。当NlMIP的敲低效率为59.00%时，雌性褐飞虱在1小时内产生AV的频率和交配成功率分别下降了38.89%和61.11%。此外，6条NlMIP成熟肽也能够调控雌性褐飞虱AV的产生及其交配行为，其中NlMIP2的作用最强。基于系统发育树分析和NlMIP成熟肽能有效激活A家族神经肽G蛋白偶联受体10（A-family neuropeptide GPCR 10，NlA10）的结果表明NlA10是NlMIP的潜在受体。NlA10被敲低后，雌性褐飞虱1小时内产生AV的频率和交配成功率分别下降了28.89%和43.33%。当NlA10被NlMIP2激活时，NlA10偶联到Gαi/q信号通路，从而抑制下游AC/cAMP/PKA，并激活PLC/Ca²⁺/PKC信号通路，进而级联激活MEK1/2介导ERK1/2的磷酸化，最终调控雌性褐飞虱的AV。这些结果为通过干扰雌性褐飞虱的AV进行害虫防治提供了依据。

目前人们对原生动物转移磷酸盐和改善玉米生长的能力还知之甚少。本文旨在探讨Colpoda cucullus能否通过转移磷来提高玉米的磷素水平。在根箱的外室土壤中接种纤毛虫C.cucullus，并添加KH232PO4、磷矿粉（RP）、普钙（SP）或磷酸铵（AP），然后在内室种植玉米。结果表明，接种C.cucullus的玉米植株³²P放射性显著高于对照。此外，接种C.cucullus后玉米干物质显著增加了25.07%，氮磷钾含量增加了1～36% (P<0.05)。接种纤毛虫后，根箱内室土壤速效磷也提高了30%以上（P<0.05）。由此推测，磷素可能由接种的C.cucullus从外室运输到内室，然后被玉米植株吸收。

团聚体是诸如铵离子（NH₄⁺）固持等土壤物理化学和生物过程的重要影响因素。秸秆还田可促进有机碳固存和提高作物产量，因而备受关注。然而，在农田土壤中，秸秆还田对团聚体尺度上NH₄⁺的固持行为的影响尚未见报道。本研究以太湖流域的稻麦轮作长期定位试验为研究对象，选取不施肥（CK）、无机氮磷钾肥（NPK）和无机氮磷钾肥配施秸秆还田等三个施肥处理，采用湿筛法筛分微团聚体（<0.25mm），微团聚体有机碳采用H₂O₂氧化去除，目的在于评估长期秸秆还田对微团聚体吸附和固定NH₄⁺的影响。结果表明长期秸秆还田可显著提高微团聚体有机碳含量和促进微团聚体对NH₄⁺的吸附，但抑制了微团聚体对NH₄⁺的固定。随着有机碳含量的增加，微团聚体对NH₄⁺的吸附潜力和吸附强度增加，但对NH₄⁺的固定降低，表明有机碳影响NH₄⁺吸附固定的重要性。微团聚体经有机碳氧化后，NPKS处理对NH₄⁺的吸附潜力明显下降，但三个施肥处理对NH₄⁺的固定能力明显增强，这进一步证实了有机碳在NH₄⁺吸附固定方面的重要性。因此，长期秸秆还田可通过提高土壤有机碳含量影响NH₄⁺的吸附固定，进而提高稻麦轮作系统土壤氮的生物有效性和减少肥料氮的损失。

以往关于脱硫石膏改良盐碱土壤的效果研究，大多评测其对土壤理化性质的影响。然而，脱硫石膏对土壤微生物指标的影响研究鲜见报道，尤其是在其施用多年之后。为探究脱硫石膏改良盐碱土壤的长期效应，在内蒙古托克托县采集了轻度、中度和重度(碱化度分别为6.1-20%、20-30%和30-78.4%)3种碱化区施用脱硫石膏17年后的剖面(0-40 cm)土样，分析了土壤有机碳、养分、微生物量和酶活性的变化情况。结果表明：与对照(不施用脱硫石膏)处理相比，3种碱化区施用脱硫石膏处理0-20 cm和20-40 cm土壤有机碳含量平均值分别增加了18%和35%，0-20 cm土壤速效钾含量平均值增加了51%，20-40 cm土壤微生物量碳和微生物量氮含量平均值也分别增加了69%和194%。除了重度碱化区外，脱硫石膏处理0-40 cm土壤脲酶活性显著高于对照处理。此外，脱硫石膏处理显著提高了3种碱化区20-40 cm土壤碱性磷酸酶活性，但其对0-20 cm土壤过氧化氢酶和蔗糖酶活性的作用效果参差不齐。皮尔逊相关分析结果显示，土壤肥力和生物活性的提高归功于脱硫石膏施用后降低了土壤电导率、pH和碱化度。由此可见，施用脱硫石膏对土壤肥力和生物活性有积极的影响，有助于土壤生态系统的可持续发展，是一种切实可行的碱土改良方法。

It is generally known that the culture for mycoplasma is time-consuming and a variety of nutrients are needed in the culture medium.  This brings a lot of difficulties to mycoplasma research and application, including Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri (Mmc).  Furthermore, little research on the characteristics of Mmc metabolism has been reported.  In this study, Mmc PG3 strain cultures were investigated for dynamic gene expression.  Culture samples were harvested during logarithmic phase (PG3-1), stationary phase (PG3-2), decline phase (PG3-3) and late decline phase (PG3-4).  Twelve RNA samples (three replicates for each of the four growth stages considered) from these cultures were collected and sequenced.  Paired comparison between consecutive growth phases in the four growth stages showed 45 significant differentially expressed genes (P<0.01) were linked to PG3 metabolism.  The enzymes these genes coded were mainly involved in ATP synthase, pyrimidine metabolism, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism.  Among these, cytidylate kinase, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolases Class II, nicotinate-nucleotide adenylyltransferase and dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase play a key role in Mmc metabolism.  These results provide a baseline to build our understanding of the metabolic pathway of Mmc.  

It is well known that application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) could promote the plant growth under abiotic stress in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.).  However, the specifics of its physiological and ultrastructural regulation under herbicide stress conditions are poorly understood.  In the present study, alleviating role of ALA in B. napus was investigated under four levels of herbicide propyl 4-(2-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yloxy) benzylamino) benzoate (ZJ0273) (0, 100, 200 and
500 mg L^–1) with or without 1 mg L^–1 ALA treated for 48 or 72 h.  Results showed that after 48 h of herbicide stress, the growth of rape seedlings was significantly inhibited with the successive increases of the ZJ0273 concentrations from 0 to 500 mg L^–1, but this inhibition was obviously alleviated by exogenous application of ALA.  However, when treatment time prolonged to 72 h, the recovery effects of ALA could not be evaluated due to the death of plants treated with the highest concentration of ZJ0273 (500 mg L^-1).  Further, the root oxidizability and activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase) were dramatically enhanced by the application of 1 mg L^–1 ALA under herbicide stress.  Therefore, plants treated with ALA dynamically modulated their antioxidant defenses to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and malondialdehyde (MDA) content induced by herbicide stress.  Additionally, exogenously applied ALA improved the ultrastructure’s of chloroplast, mitochondria and nucleus, and induced the production of stress proteins.  Our results suggest that ALA could be considered as a potential plant growth regulator for the improvement of herbicide tolerance through alleviation of the physiological and ultrastructural changes induced by the herbicide in crop production.

Traditionally, Chinese indigenous cattle is geographically widespread.  The present study analyzed based on genome-wide variants to evaluate the genetic background among 157 individuals from four representative indigenous cattle breeds of Hubei Province of China: Yiling yellow cattle (YL), Bashan cattle (BS), Wuling cattle (WL), Zaobei cattle (ZB), and 21 individuals of Qinchuan cattle (QC) from the nearby Shanxi Province of China.  Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis showed the LD of YL was the lowest (r2=0.32) when the distance between markers was approximately 2 kb.  Principle component analysis (PCA), and neighbor-joining (NJ)-tree revealed a separation of Yiling yellow cattle from other geographic nearby local cattle breeds.  In PCA plot, the YL and QC groups were segregated as expected; moreover, YL individuals clustered  together more obviously.  In the NJ-tree, the YL group formed an independent branch and BS, WL, ZB groups were mixed.  We then used the FST statistic approach to reveal long-term selection sweep of YL and other 4 cattle breeds.  According to the selective sweep, we identified the unique pathways of YL, associated with production traits.  Based on the results, it can be proposed that YL has its unique genetic characteristics of excellence resource, and it is an indispensable cattle breed in China.   

    Reliable prediction of soil organic carbon (SOC) density and carbon sequestration potential (CSP) plays an important role in the atmospheric carbon dioxide budget. This study evaluated temporal and spatial variation of topsoil SOC density and CSP of 21 soil groups across Hebei Province, China, using data collected during the second national soil survey in the 1980s and during the recent soil inventory in 2010. The CSP can be estimated by the method that the saturated SOC content subtracts the actual SOC associated with clay and silt. Overall, the SOC density and CSP of most soil groups increased from the 1980s to 2010 and varied between different soil groups. Among all soil groups, Haplic phaeozems had the highest SOC density and Endogleyic solonchaks had the largest CSP. Areas of soil groups with the highest SOC density (90 to 120 t C ha^–1) and carbon sequestration (120 to 160 t C ha^–1carbon sequestration, SOC density, spatial variation, topsoil
) also increased over time. With regard to spatial distribution, the north of the province had higher SOC density but lower CSP than the south. With respect to land-use type, cultivated soils had lower SOC density but higher CSP than uncultivated soils. In addition, SOC density and CSP were influenced by soil physicochemical properties, climate and terrain and were most strongly correlated with soil humic acid concentration. The results suggest that soil groups (uncultivated soils) of higher SOC density have greater risk of carbon dioxide emission and that management should be aimed at maximizing carbon sequestration in soil groups (cultivated soils) with greater CSP. Furthermore, soils should be managed according to their spatial distributions of SOC density and carbon sequestration potential under different soil groups.

   Use of saline water in irrigated agriculture has become an important means for alleviating water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions. The objective of this field experiment was to evaluate the effects of irrigation water salinity and N fertilization on soil physicochemical and biological properties related to nitrification and denitrification. A 3×2 factorial design was used with three levels of irrigation water salinity (0.35, 4.61 and 8.04 dS m^–1) and two N rates (0 and 360 kg N ha–¹). The results indicated that irrigation water salinity and N fertilization had significant effects on many soil physicochemical properties including water content, salinity, pH, NH₄-N concentration, and NO₃-N concentration. The abundance (i.e., gene copy number) of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) was greater than that of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in all treatments. Irrigation water salinity had no significant effect on the abundance of AOA or AOB in unfertilized plots. However, saline irrigation water (i.e., the 4.61 and 8.04 dS m^–1 treatments) reduced AOA abundance, AOB abundance and potential nitrification rate in N fertilized plots. Regardless of N application rate, saline irrigation water increased urease activity but reduced the activities of both nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. Irrigation with saline irrigation water significantly reduced cotton biomass, N uptake and yield. Nitrogen application exacerbated the negative effect of saline water. These results suggest that brackish water and saline water irrigation could significantly reduce both the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and potential nitrification rates. The AOA may play a more important role than AOB in nitrification in desert soil.

Heat stress is one of the main factors that influence poultry production. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are known to affect heat tolerance. The formation of HSPs is regulated by heat shock transcription factor 3 (HSF3) in chicken. A DNA pool was established for identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the chicken HSF3, and 13 SNPs were detected. The bioinformatic analysis showed that 8 SNPs had the capacity to alter the transcription activity of HSF3. The dual luciferase report gene assay showed that there was a significant difference (P<0.01) in the Firefly luciferase/Renilla luciferase ratio (F/R) of C.–1 703 A>G (S1) and C.–1 388 A>G (S4) sites at the 5´-untranslated region (UTR) of chicken HSF3. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that the S4 site was a transcription binding factor. The analysis of the association of the S1 and S4 sites with heat tolerance index revealed that the S4 site was significantly correlated with the CD3+ T cell, corticosterone, and T3 levels in Lingshan chickens and with the heterophil/lymphocyte value in White Recessive Rock. These results showed that the S4 site at the 5´ UTR of chicken HSF3 might have an impact on heat tolerance in summer and could be used as a potential marker for the selection of chicken with heat tolerance in the future.

In order to reveal the impact of various fertilization strategies on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) accumulation and allocation in corn (Zea mays L.), corn was grown in the fields where continuous fertilization management had been lasted about 18 years at two sites located in Central and Northeast China (Zhengzhou and Gongzhuling), and biomass C and N contents in different organs of corn at harvest were analyzed. The fertilization treatments included non-fertilizer (control), chemical fertilizers of either nitrogen (N), or nitrogen and phosphorus (NP), or phosphorus and potassium (PK), or nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), NPK plus manure (NPKM), 150% of the NPKM (1.5NPKM), and NPK plus straw (NPKS). The results showed that accumulated C in aboveground ranged from 2 550–5 630 kg ha–1 in the control treatment to 9 300–9 610 kg ha–1 in the NPKM treatment, of which 57–67% and 43–50% were allocated in the non-grain organs, respectively. Accumulated N in aboveground ranged from 44.8–55.2 kg ha–1 in the control treatment to 211–222 kg ha–1 in the NPKM treatment, of which 35–48% and 33–44% were allocated in the non-grain parts, respectively. C allocated to stem and leaf for the PK treatment was 65 and 49% higher than that for the NPKM treatment at the both sites, respectively, while N allocated to the organs for the PK treatment was 18 and 6% higher than that for the NPKM treatment, respectively. This study demonstrated that responses of C and N allocation in corn to fertilization strategies were different, and C allocation was more sensitive to fertilization treatments than N allocation in the area.

Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils is a complex process controlled by farming practices, climate and some other environment factors. Since purple soils are unique in China and used as the main cropland in Sichuan Basin of China, it is of great importance to study and understand the impacts of different fertilizer amendments on soil organic carbon (SOC) changes with time. A research was carried out to investigate the relationship between soil carbon sequestration and organic carbon input as affected by different fertilizer treatments at two long-term rice-based cropping system experiments set up in early 1980s. Each experiment consisted of six identical treatments, including (1) no fertilizer (CK), (2) nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers (NP), (3) nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (NPK), (4) fresh pig manure (M), (5) nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers plus manure (MNP), and (6) nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers plus manure (MNPK). The results showed that annual harvestable carbon biomass was the highest in the treatment of MNPK, followed by MNP and NPK, then M and NP, and the lowest in CK. Most of fertilizer treatments resulted in a significant gain in SOC ranging from 6.48 to 29.13% compared with the CK, and raised soil carbon sequestration rate to 0.10–0.53 t ha–1 yr−1. Especially, addition of manure on the basis of mineral fertilizers was very conducive to SOC maintenance in this soil. SOC content and soil carbon sequestration rate under balanced fertilizer treatments (NPK and MNPK) in the calcareous purple soil (Suining) were higher than that in the acid purple soil (Leshan). But carbon conversion rate at Leshan was 11.00%, almost 1.5 times of that (7.80%) at Suining. Significant linear correlations between soil carbon sequestration and carbon input were observed at both sites, signifying that the purple soil was not carbon-saturated and still had considerable potential to sequestrate more carbon.

The aim of this work was to assess the effect of applying three different doses of fluxapyroxad on microbial activity, community structure and functional diversity as measured by respiration, microbial biomass C, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs). Our results demonstrated that substrate-induced respiration (on day 15) and microbial biomass C (on days 7 and 15) were inhibited by fluxapyroxad, but stimulation was observed thereafter. In contrast, fluxapyroxad addition increased the basal respiration and metabolic quotients (qCO2) and respiratory quotients (QR). Analysis of the PLFA profiles revealed that the total and bacterial biomass (both Gram-positive bacteria (GP) and Gram-negative bacteria (GN)) were decreased within the initial 15 days, whereas those as well as the GN/GP ratio were increased at days 30 and 60. Fluxapyroxad input decreased the fungi biomass but increased the bacteria/fungi ratio at all incubation time. Moreover, high fluxapyroxad input (75 mg fluxapyroxad kg–1 soil dry weight) increased the microbial stress level. A principal component analysis (PCA) of the PLFAs revealed that fluxapyroxad treatment significantly shifted the microbial community structure, but all of the observed effects were transient. Biolog results showed that average well color development (AWCD) and functional diversity index (H´) were increased only on day 60. In addition, the dissipation of fluxapyroxad was slow in soil, and the degradation half-lives varied from 158 to 385 days depending on the concentration tested.

The changes in humic substances (HS) is fundamental in detecting soil carbon sequestration mechanisms in natural and cultivated environments. Based on a long-term trial, the amounts of water dissolved substances (WSS), humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FA) and humin (HU) were determined to explore the impact of long-term fertilization on HS. Increases in the amounts of WSS, HA, FA and HU were significant different among the treatments with manure. A significant correlation was found between the increased soil organic carbon (SOC) and HS (R2=0.98, P<0.01). The change in the E4/E6 ratio was significantly correlated with the increased SOC (R2=0.88, P<0.01), HA (R2=0.91, P<0.01), FA (R2=0.91, P<0.01) and HU (R2=0.88, P<0.01). The cluster was mainly divided into two parts as manure fertilization and inorganic fertilization, based on the increases in HA, FA and HU. These results suggest that long term fertilization with manure favours carbon sequestration in HS and is mainly stabilized as HU, while the HA becomes more aliphatic. We conclude that increases in SOC can be linked to changes in the molecular characteristics of HS fractions under long term fertilization.

Soil organic carbon (SOC), soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and SMBC quotient (SMBC/SOC, qSMBC) are key indexes of soil biological fertility because of the relationship to soil nutrition supply capacity. Yet it remains unknown how these three indexes change, which limits our understanding about how soil respond to different fertilization practices. Based on a 22-yr (1990-2011) long-term fertilization experiment in northwest China, we investigated the dynamics of SMBC and qSMBC during the growing period of winter wheat, the relationships between the SMBC, qSMBC, soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations, the carbon input and grain yield of wheat as well. Fertilization treatments were 1) nonfertilization (control); 2) chemical nitrogen plus phosphate plus potassium (NPK); 3) NPK plus animal manure (NPKM); 4) double NPKM (hNPKM) and 5) NPK plus straw (NPKS). Results showed that the SMBC and qSMBC were significantly different among returning, jointing, flowering and harvest stages of wheat under long-term fertilization. And the largest values were observed in the flowering stage. Values for SMBC and qSMBC ranged from 37.5 to 106.0 mg kg-1 and 0.41 to 0.61%, respectively. The mean value rank of SMBC during the whole growing period of wheat was hNPKM>NPKM>NPKS>CK>NPK. But there were no statistically significant differences between hNPKM and NPKM, or between CK and NPK. The order for qSMBC was NPKS>NPKM>CK>hNPKM>NPK. These results indicated that NPKS significantly increased the ratio of SMBC to SOC, i.e., qSMBC, compared with NPK fertilizer or other two NPKM fertilizations. Significant linear relationships were observed between the annual carbon input and SOC (P<0.01) or SMBC (P<0.05), and between the relative grain yield of wheat and the SOC content as well (P<0.05). But the qSMBC was not correlated with the annual carbon input. It is thus obvious that the combination of manure, straw with mineral fertilizer may be benefit to increase SOC and improve soil quality than using only mineral fertilizer.

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, a kind of mycoplasma bacteria, commonly infects the respiratory tract causing respiratory disease in sheep and goats worldwide. Here, the complete genome sequence of M. ovipneumoniae strain NM2010 isolated from a sheep in China was reported for the first time.

Identifying targets of positive selection in farm animals has, until recently, been frustratingly slow, relying on the analysis of individual candidate genes. Genomics, however, has provided the necessary resources to systematically interrogate the entire genome for signatures of selection. This review described important recent results derived from the application of genome-wide scan to the study of genetic changes in farm animals. These included findings of regions of the genome that showed breed differentiation, evidence of selective sweeps within individual genomes and signatures of demographic events. Particular attention is focused on the study of the implications for domestication. To date, sixteen genome-wide scans for recent or ongoing positive selection have been performed in farm animals. A key challenge is to begin synthesizing these newly constructed maps of selection into a coherent narrative of animal breed evolutionary history and derive a deeper mechanistic understanding of how animal populations improve or evolve. The major insights from the surveyed studies are highlighted and directions for future study are suggested.

Seasonal hair follicle activity and fibre growth in some Cashmere-bearing goats (Caprus hircus) is a cyclic process that is well characterized morphologically but understood incompletely at the molecular level. As an initial step in discovering regulators in hair-follicle activity and cycling, we used qPCR to investigate 19 genes expression in Cashmere goat side skin from 12 mon. Many of these genes may be associated with the hair follicle development-relevant genes (HFDRGs) in the literature. Here we show that Hoxc13/β-catenin gene associated with the follicle activity. In addition, Hoxc13 was found to be expressed with an drastic increase between July and November for melatonin treatments. To further investigate the role of Hoxc13 on HFDRGs, fibroblasts and keratinocytes from Cashmere goat skin were transfected with p-ECFPHoxc13. The result suggested that overexpression of Hoxc13 gene decreased HFDRGs with negative role for hair follicle development and increase HFDRGs with positive role for hair follicle development in vitro. These findings provide data on the Hoxc13 expression profile of normal Cashmere goat skin and Cashmere goat skin with melatonin treatment, and demonstrate hair-follicle-activity dependent regulation of Hoxc13 expression.

Wuschel-related homeobox (WOX) genes play essential, specific, and sometimes redundant roles in plant embryo development, shoot and root meristem maintenance, and plant development. Though much information was quickly gained with members of the WOX gene family of Arabidopsis, monocotyledonous crops, and gymnospermous conifers, little is known about perennial woody plants. In this study, we isolated the first WOX gene family member from grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon), and named it VvWOX4 based on its characteristic domains and phylogenetic analysis. The identity of VvWOX4 was validated by MALDI-TOF MS and Western blot with polyclonal antibody against Arabidopsis thaliana Wuschel. Functional analysis showed that VvWOX4 markedly increased shoot primordia structures when overexpressed under CaMV 35S promoter in tobacco. A different expression pattern was found for VvVOX4 compared with AtWUCHEL and its expression was detected in unique organs of grapevines. Besides the expression in the vegetative shoot apical meristem (SAM) of grape shoot tips, VvWOX4 is expressed in dormant winter buds, inflorescence, young leaves, and tendril tips, but not in root tips. In young leaves, the expression of VvWOX4 is strongly upregulated by wounding, and also by plant growth regulators such as 2 mg L-1 2,4-D, 1 mg L-1 NAA and 1 mg L-1 BAP treatments, while downregulation was monitored by 1 mg L-1 IBA treatment, and there was no response to 0.5 mg L-1 GA3 treatment. Together, our results revealed the first member of grape WOX gene family and indicated different roles and regulation of VvWOX4 in the perennial woody crop grapevine.