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• Intron retention (IR) isoform expression is regulated when plants are facing environmental stress. • Single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing can capture full-length isoform transcripts. • The number of IR isoforms down-regulated after methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment was more than double that of up-regulated IR isoforms. • Four IR isoforms showed significant differential expression after MeJA treatment. Alternative splicing can increase the complexity of the transcriptome and proteome. The most common mechanism of alternative splicing in plants is intron retention (IR), and the expression levels of IR isoforms can be differentially regulated when facing abiotic stress. The full-length transcriptome of the medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata was sequenced using both Illumina- and SMRT-based RNA-seq and a total of 4846 IR isoforms were identified. The expression levels of 310/296 IR isoforms were up-regulated, and 629/659 IR isoforms were down-regulated at 24 h/48 h after methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, respectively. In the (E,E,E)-geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) biosynthesis pathway which contributes to the andrographolide biosynthesis, eight genes were alternatively spliced, resulting in a total of 25 isoforms, of which 12 are IR isoforms. After MeJA treatment, four of these IR isoforms showed significant differential expression. RT-PCR and qRT-PCR experiments confirmed the existence of five IR isoforms. This research deepens our understanding of the A. paniculata transcriptome and can assist in the future study of andrographolide biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

822 fecal samples from cattle in six areas of Beijing were examined with microscopy for Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts. The overall infection rates for Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis were 2.55% and 1.09%, respectively. Cryptosporidium was only detected in calves and heifers, whereas G. duodenalis was found in all age groups. Cryptosporidium spp. were characterized with a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and DNA sequence analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. Two Cryptosporidium species were identified: Cryptosporidium parvum ( n = 12) and Cryptosporidium andersoni ( n = 9). Six C. parvum isolates were successfully subtyped with the gp60 gene and three subtypes were detected: IIdA19G1 ( n = 1), IIdA17G1 ( n = 1), and IIdA15G1 ( n = 4). Subtype IIdA17G1 is reported for the first time in cattle worldwide. Nine G. duodenalis isolates were analyzed by sequencing the triosephosphate isomerase ( tpi ) gene, and only G. duodenalis assemblage E was identified. Therefore, the predominance of C. parvum detected in calves was identical to that found in the Xinjiang Uyghur and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regions, but differed considerably from that in Henan, Heilongjiang, and Shannxi Provinces. In contrast, the predominance of G. duodenalis assemblage E was more or less similar to its predominance in other areas of China or countries. Our findings confirm the unique character of the C. parvum IId subtypes in China. More systematic studies are required to better understand the transmission of Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis in cattle in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a zoonotic pathogen of the phylum Microspora that infects humans as well as a variety of animal species worldwide. While molecular epidemiologic studies have characterized this parasite in various hosts, isolates from many susceptible hosts have not yet been examined. In this study, E. bieneusi was isolated from 47 Pere David's deer ( Elaphurus davidianus ) in Henan, China and characterized via PCR analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene. E. bieneusi was detected in 16 out of 47 (34.0%) fecal specimens examined. Sequence analysis of the ITS revealed six known genotypes: type IV (4), EbpC (4), EbpA (4), BEB6 (2), COS-I (1), and COS-II (1). Of these, type IV, EbpC, and EbpA are known to cause human microsporidiosis worldwide, whereas the remaining genotypes are generally specific to ruminants. The present study indicated that Pere David's deer are naturally infected with E. bieneusi , predominantly with zoonotic genotypes, and may pose a risk for human transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dietary rubber seed oil had no negative influences on egg performance parameters. • Rubber seed oil significantly improved n-3 PUFA contents in yolks. • Yolk n-6/n-3 ratio were gradually reduced with increasing rubber seed oil levels. • Addition of rubber seed oil in feed decreased yolk cholesterol contents. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of five rubber seed oil (RSO) levels (0, 1%, 2%, 4%, and 6%) on hens laying performance, egg quality, and yolks fatty acid composition and cholesterol contents. Three hundred and sixty 30-week-old Lohmann Brown laying hens were allotted to 5 groups. The results showed that the egg production was increased in 4% RSO group (P < 0.05), but egg quality parameters and the contents of dry matter, lipid, and protein in yolks were not influenced among treatments (P > 0.05). Yolk cholesterol contents were reduced in RSO supplemental groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of total n-3 PUFA in yolks increased gradually while the ratio of n-6/n-3 decreased gradually with increasing dietary RSO levels (P < 0.001). In conclusion, dietary RSO supplementation increased yolk n-3 PUFA levels, improved yolk color, and reduced yolk cholesterol contents without negative influence on laying performance parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]