Fusarium crown rot (FCR), typically caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum, is a severe soil-borne disease that, in recent years, has become an emerging threat to Chinese wheat crops.  For the first time in this study, we investigated and compared the proteomic characteristics of two Chinese wheat varieties (04 Zhong 36 and Xinmai 26) at 24, 48, and 72 h post-inoculation using label-free quantitative proteomic analysis.  A total of 9 234 proteins were successfully quantified, of which 783 were differentially expressed after inoculation.  These proteins were mainly involved in metabolic, single-organism, and cellular processes.  Thirty-three proteins associated with defense, cell wall formation, photosynthesis, etc., showed consistently different expression between the two genotypes at multiple time points.  In particular, chitinase, which degrades chitin in the fungal cell wall and limits fungal growth, was exclusively and consistently upregulated in 04 Zhong 36 across the three time points.  Other proteins such as flavonoid O-methyltransferase, glycosyltransferase, and peroxidase were only upregulated in 04 Zhong 36, and proteins, including the berberine bridge enzyme and rubisco large subunit-binding protein, were specifically downregulated in Xinmai 26.  The expression of transcripts encoding eight selected proteins through qRT-PCR analysis supported the proteomic profiles.  Overall, the results of this study allow us to understand FCR resistance in wheat at the protein level.  Some proteins and their corresponding genes may be useful resources for the genetic improvement of FCR resistance in wheat. 

The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of different weaning methods on the ruminal methanogenic archaea composition and diversity in Holstein calves.  Thirty-six newborn Holstein bull calves were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: (1) conventional weaning (d 56) and fed a high proportion of solid feed (CWS); (2) conventional weaning (d 56) and fed a high proportion of liquid feed (CWL); (3) early weaning (d 42) and fed with a high proportion of solid feed (EWS).  High-throughput sequencing of the methyl coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) gene, which encodes the α-subunit of methyl coenzyme M reductase - the enzyme that catalyzes the final step in methanogenesis was used to determine the composition and diversity of rumen methanogens.  No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed for operational taxonomic units (OTUs) or richness indices, but diversity indices increased (P<0.05) for calves fed high dietary solids.  Predominant families across the three treatments were Methanobacteriaceae, Thermoplasmataceae and Methanomassiliicoccaceae.  Calves in the EWS treatment had a higher (P<0.05) relative abundance of Methanobrevibacter sp. strain AbM4 and Methanosphaera stadtmanae, while calves in the CWL treatment had a higher (P<0.05) abundance of Methanosphaera sp. strain SM9.  A positive (P<0.05) relationship was identified between butyrate and Methanobrevibacter sp. strain AbM4.  In conclusion, the composition and diversity of methanogens in the rumen of Holstein calves varied under the different weaning methods.  This study identified a positive relationship between butyrate and Methanobrevibacter sp. strain AbM4, potentially reflecting correlations between ruminal fermentation variables and methanogenesis function.  These in-depth analyses provide further understanding of weaning methods for intensified production systems.