In vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes is a critical initial step in mammalian in vitro production (IVP), and its quality directly influences the developmental competence of subsequent embryos. Oxidative stress is a major constraint on oocyte quality, which can be mitigated by exogenous antioxidants. In this study, porcine oocytes were matured in IVM medium supplemented with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC; 0, 0.5, 1.5, and 4 mM) to evaluate its effects on maturation rate, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial function, vitrification–warming survival rate, post-warming ROS levels, and early embryonic developmental rate. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of NAC on porcine oocyte maturation, we conducted single-cell transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that, versus the control, 1.5 mM NAC substantially enhanced the IVM rate (p < 0.05), reduced ROS levels (p < 0.05), and increased mitochondrial activity, as assessed by MitoTracker, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and ATP content (p < 0.05). These results suggest that 1.5 mM NAC relieves oxidative stress in oocytes and improves mitochondrial function. However, NAC addition showed no significant differences in vitrification–warming survival rate and post-warming ROS levels relative to the control group (p > 0.05). In addition, 1.5 mM NAC markedly improved the cleavage rate and blastocyst rate of porcine oocytes after in vitro fertilization (IVF, p < 0.05), and also enhanced the cleavage rate after parthenogenetic activation (PA, p < 0.05). Single-cell transcriptome sequencing revealed that, versus the control, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified after 1.5 mM NAC supplementation were mainly enriched in pathways related to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), spliceosome, and ubiquinone/terpenoid-quinone biosynthesis. Among these, the OXPHOS pathway showed the most significant enrichment, with upregulated expression of pathway-related genes such as COX6C, CYCS, and SDHD. The accuracy of the transcriptomic results was further validated by qPCR. In conclusion, supplementing with 1.5 mM NAC relieved oxidative stress, improved mitochondrial function, and thereby promoted oocyte maturation and improved oocyte quality, ultimately facilitating subsequent IVF early embryonic development.

With the continuous advancement in reproductive biology, oocyte vitrification has become a critical technology for preserving female germplasm and protecting it from environmental disruptions. This technique also eliminates temporal and spatial constraints in animal embryo engineering research. However, during the vitrification of animal oocytes, exposure to low temperatures and high concentrations of cryoprotectants can cause various forms of damage, including cytoskeletal disruption, spindle abnormalities, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, oxidative stress and epigenetic modifications. These issues are now understood to severely restrict the subsequent developmental competence of oocytes, resulting in lower cleavage and blastocyst formation rates than those of fresh oocytes. Currently, the mechanisms of cryodamage in vitrified oocytes remain poorly understood, and standardized strategies to enhance vitrification efficiency have yet to be firmly established. This review provides a formal overview of the physiological factors underlying oocyte sensitivity to vitrification, alongside the mechanisms of cryodamage and the variables influencing post-thaw survival and reproductive success. It evaluates strategies for mitigating vitrification-induced stress, compares interspecies differences, and addresses current research limitations. By identifying future directions, this review offers new insights for optimizing mammalian oocyte cryopreservation techniques.

The reproductive efficiency of breeding boars substantially influences swine industry productivity. Sperm viability during ambient-temperature storage is critically affected by environmental factors, including microbial activity. This study aimed to elucidate the dynamics and interactions between the seminal microbiome and metabolome during boar semen storage at 17 °C. Using integrated 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, we analyzed semen samples from six healthy boars (31-33 months old) collected at day 0 (control), 2, 4, and 6 of storage. Our results demonstrate that storage leads to a marked decline in microbial diversity, progressive enrichment of the opportunistic genus Proteus, depletion of key antioxidant and cofactor metabolites such as vitamin B6, and extensive metabolic reprogramming-including alterations in short-chain fatty acid, purine, and lipid oxidation pathways. Multi-omics correlation analysis further revealed strong associations between microbial succession and metabolic shifts, highlighting their combined role in driving sperm functional decline. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for improving semen preservation strategies through microbiome and metabolite-targeted interventions.

Abstract Backgroud Wuzhishan (WZS) pigs are native to Hainan Province of China, and serve as both important agricultural resources and biomedical models. Although the published WZS pig genome (T2T-pig1.0) even achieving telomere-to telomere (T2T) completeness, substantial genetic diversity still exists within the same pig breed, another WZS pig genome named WZS-T2T was assembled in this study. Results Multiple sequencing data were used to assemble genome, and finally yielded a ∼2.68 Gb telomere-to-telomere genome, with N50 length ∼142.87 Mb, and annotated protein coding genes of 23,100. Compared to T2T-pig1.0, QV and BUSCO value was higher, and the Y chromosome (ChrY) length was longer in WZS-T2T than that of T2T-pig1.0. ChrY of two WZS pigs shared 11 genes, including sex differentiation-related genes of SHOX , PRKX , and DDX3X , and SRY ; however, energy metabolism gene SLC25A4 and the macrophage-related receptor gene CSF2RA of ChrY were specific to WZS-T2T. An inversion SV on chromosome 10 with length ∼33.86 Mb was identified between two WZS pigs, and three proofs were proposed for proving the accuracy sequence orientation of WZS-T2T.The genetic diversity was consistent with LD decay speed in population different analysis. WZS pigs exhibited higher genetic diversity than other four pig populations (Tunchang pigs, Yuxi black pigs, Large White pig, and Duroc pigs) examined in this study, and presented slower LD decay compared to other four breeds. Conclusions Therefore, WZS-T2T provided a higher-quality assembly, and potential advantages of both agricultural production and biomedical targets for WZS pigs.

Labour dystocia (LAD) in sows is a common reproductive disorder that reduces piglet survival rates and increases the number of stillbirths, causing substantial economic losses to pig farms. However, the genetic basis of LAD remains elusive. Herein, we performed a single-breed genome-wide association study (GWAS) for LAD using imputed whole-genome sequence data from 3263 sows (487 Landrace and 2776 Yorkshire). In this study, analysis of the reproductive traits showed that the total number of piglets born and the number of piglets born alive were 1.43–2.85 and 1.60–2.94 higher, respectively, in sows with natural labour than in those with LAD. We identified 250 and 12 SNPs associated with LAD in primiparous and multiparous sows, respectively. Furthermore, in primiparous Yorkshire sows, two major QTL were fine-mapped to a 498.44 kb interval (23.18–23.68 Mb) on SSC2 and a 779.85 kb interval (43.34–44.12 Mb) on SSC9. Further analysis revealed that the two significant SNPs (2_23340612 and 9_44119733) within these QTL regions were located within regulatory regions across multiple pig breeds and tissues. The potentially regulatory SNP (2_23340612) is located within the binding sites of 27 transcription factors, that are primarily involved in oxytocin signalling, muscle contraction, and the development of female genitalia and embryo. The other potentially regulatory SNP (9_44119733) is located within the binding sites of eight transcription factors, among which three transcription factors (ZNF274, HMGA1, and CTCF) are predicted to interact with six candidate genes (APOA1, APOC3, APOA4, APOA5, BUD13, and ZPR1). Finally, eight promising candidate genes (APOA1, APOC3, APOA4, APOA5, BUD13, ZPR1, ACAN, and HAPLN3) were identified to be associated with LAD. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the candidate genes were enriched in pathways related to lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix organization, cell adhesion and response to estrogen. The LAD is a prominent reproductive disorder trait that negatively impacts the reproductive efficiency of sows. This study identified potentially regulatory SNPs (2_23340612 and 9_44119733) and eight promising genes (APOA1, APOC3, APOA4, APOA5, BUD13, ZPR1, ACAN, HAPLN3) associated with LAD. To our knowledge, this is the first whole-genome-sequence-based GWAS with large-scale reproductive data to identify genetic markers and candidate genes of LAD of sows.

Heterosis is central to breeding high-yielding maize (Zea mays L.). To dissect the genetic basis of heterosis for yield-related traits, we constructed four testcross populations using four diverse inbred lines as testers and an association mapping panel of 368 inbred lines. We systematically investigated ear diameter, ear length, kernel row number, kernels per row, and kernel weight per ear, as well as their mid-parent heterosis values, across two environments. Using whole-genome sequencing and genome-wide association analysis, we mapped genomic regions and identified candidate genes associated with these traits and their heterosis. We detected a total of 94 genomic regions containing 389 candidate genes, of which Zm00001d051889 (ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 4 [EIN4]), involved in ethylene signaling, was a key candidate locus. We identified a 59-bp insertion–deletion (InDel) variant in its promoter region, and EIN4 showed non-additive expression in hybrids. Haplotype analysis revealed that the stacking of Hap 3 of EIN4 in hybrids is associated with greater ear diameter and kernel row number. EMS-induced loss-of-function mutation of EIN4 resulted in altered ear length in hybrids, indicating an impact on ear length heterosis. These findings demonstrate that promoter variation, haplotype changes, and EMS-induced premature termination of EIN4 all affect heterosis or yield-related traits, providing convergent genetic evidence for the contribution of EIN4 to yield-related heterosis in maize. The identification of EIN4 and its natural polymorphisms provides a useful molecular resource for maize hybrid breeding, facilitating marker-assisted selection and the development of high-yielding and stable maize varieties.

The Wuzhishan miniature pig is regarded as a highly promising translational model for cardiac xenotransplantation due to its close physiological resemblance to humans. However, a comprehensive single-cell atlas systematically delineating the postnatal developmental dynamics of its heart has been lacking. In this study, we constructed the first high-resolution integrated single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of the Wuzhishan miniature pig heart, spanning five critical developmental stages from neonatal to adult. We systematically characterized the cellular panorama and dynamic landscape of postnatal cardiac maturation, and uncovered the remodeling of intercellular communication networks during heart development. Through cross-species comparative analysis, we identified a unique ventricular cardiomyocyte subpopulation with highly active lipid metabolism (VCM-LM-SR) specific to the Wuzhishan miniature pig. This subpopulation not only exhibits highly active lipid metabolism but also occupies a hub position in the adult cardiac cellular interactome. Further analysis revealed that the activity of multiple human cardiac disease-related pathways is significantly lower in cardiomyocytes of the Wuzhishan miniature pig compared to other species examined, indicating a distinct transcriptional baseline in this donor animal. In summary, this atlas not only elucidates the cellular and molecular dynamics of cardiac development in the Wuzhishan miniature pig but also, through cross-species analysis, reveals a species-specific metabolic adaptation phenotype in this breed. These findings provide a novel perspective and a foundational resource for studying human cardiac metabolism using large animal models.

Yunong Black (YN) pigs and Yunong Black × Landrace (YL) hybrid pigs exhibit significant differences in meat quality characteristics. Studies have suggested that extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) may play a regulatory role in muscle development. In order to study the differences in eccDNA between two groups with different meat quality traits and their potential biological significance, this study used the Circle-seq method to detect eccDNA in the longest dorsal muscle (LDM) of Yunong Black pigs (YN) (n = 3) and Yunong Black × Landrace hybrid pigs (YL) (n = 3). EccDNA-related differentially expressed genes (eccDEGs) were then analyzed in combination with RNA-seq to explore the mechanisms by which eccDNA affects meat quality. The results showed that 1325 and 1304 differentially expressed eccDNAs were identified in the YN and YL groups, varying in size and distributed across multiple genomic functional regions. These eccDNAs were also annotated according to several protein-coding genes. Combined analysis with RNA-seq results revealed 19 and 27 eccDEGs in the YN and YL groups. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis enriched many lipid-related pathways, such as chemokine signals and ADP metabolic processes. By constructing a regulatory network, several potential regulatory networks that might be related to pork quality, for example, ecc_sus_8665/ssc-miR-212/ADAMTS16, were identified. In summary, we identified several potential eccDNAs that may regulate pig muscle, offering insights into the regulation of pig muscle traits for breeding.

Animal stress is a complex physiological state characterized by a suite of non-specific responses (e.g., lethargy, anorexia, and impaired growth) to various internal or external threats, collectively known as stressors. It is the synthesis of non-specific responses produced by the body to various external or internal stimuli. Animals in livestock production are often stressed by breeding density, inappropriate temperature and humidity, harmful gases, noise and complicated immunization. Consequently, the nutritional requirements and underlying metabolic mechanisms in stressed animals are critical and growing research hotspots. Emerging evidence has shown that nutritional intervention can maintain animal health and performance under stresses. In addition, the regulation of metabolic pathways and targets under different stress states is also a potential way to alleviate the stress response of animals. With the rapid development of intensive farming and the aggravation of environmental changes, animals are facing increasing challenges such as heat stress, transportation stress, and pathogen infection. The resulting metabolic disorders and health problems seriously restrict the production efficiency of animals. This review aims to systematically analyze the variation in animal nutritional requirements under stress, clarify the molecular mechanism of metabolic imbalance, and summarize the regulatory targets and effects of nutritional intervention strategies, providing theoretical basis and technical support for solving stress-related problems in livestock production.

The optimal plant architecture, characterized by short stature, helps mitigate lodging, enables high-density planting, and facilitates mechanized harvesting. Internode length (IL), a crucial component of plant height in maize, plays a significant role in these processes. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying internode elongation remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study to dissect the genetic architecture of IL in maize. The lengths of five internodes above and below the ear (referred as IL-related traits) were collected across multiple environments, revealing substantial variation. A total of 108 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were associated with 11 IL-related traits, with 17 QTL co-detected by different traits. Notably, three QTL have been selected in maize breeding progress. Three hundred and three genes associated with IL were found to operate through plant hormone signal transduction, receptor activity, and carbon metabolism pathways, influencing internode elongation. ZmIL1, which encodes alcohol dehydrogenase, exhibited a high expression level in internodes during the vegetative stage and has been selected in Chinese modern maize breeding. Additionally, ZmIL2 and ZmIL3 emerged as other crucial regulators of IL. Importantly, ZmIL1 has potential applications in maize varieties in the Huang-Huai-Hai region. This study represents the first comprehensive report on the genetic architecture of nearly all ILs in maize, providing profound insights into internode elongation mechanisms and genetic resources. These findings hold significant implications for dwarf breeding programs aimed at optimizing plant architecture for enhancing agronomic performance.

17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (17β-HSD1) can catalyze the reduction of the less active estrone (E1) to the more active estradiol (E2). It has a significant impact on the reproduction of female animals, follicular development, the development of the breasts and reproductive organs in reproductive-age women, as well as the physical health, bones and cardiovascular system of postmenopausal women. This review summarizes the research progress on the expression, biological function, and regulatory mechanisms of 17β-HSD1 in estrogen-dependent diseases, including cancer. It also discusses the role of 17β-HSD1 in female reproduction processes, such as follicle development, and the regulation of its enzyme activity by activin A and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Furthermore, the review explores how phosphorylation at key sites influences its enzyme's activity, aiming to enhance the understanding of its regulatory mechanisms and improve the clarity of related research findings. This review systematically summarizes the research progress of 17β-HSD1 expression and enzyme activity regulation, which can provide theoretical reference for the development of animal breeding technology and the treatment of estrogen dependent diseases.

The Huang-Huai-Hai region is a critical maize production area in China, essential for national food security. However, its reliance on limited heterosis utilization patterns threatens future food stability. This study presents a comprehensive genetic analysis of 368 maize hybrids, uncovering a novel heterosis pattern, termed "MY73". Through principal component analysis (PCA) and population structure analysis, we identified nine distinct heterosis patterns—X/Reid, X/TSPT, Reid/TSPT-LRC, Reid/TSPT, BSSS/NSS, X/TSPT-LRC, X/Reid-PB, Reid/PB, and "MY73" pattern—all of which showed high congruence with pedigree data. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed that the "MY73" pattern exhibits the most rapid LD decay, suggesting increased genetic diversity. Furthermore, by integrating the results of the Fst and XP-CLR analyses between the “MY73” pattern and the other patterns, we identified seven genomic regions specific to the “MY73” pattern: Chr.1: 275,178,001–275,181,000 bp; Chr.2: 31,120,001–31,140,000 bp; Chr.3: 191,560,001–191,580,000 bp; Chr.5: 72,063,001–72,066,000 bp; Chr.6: 49,120,001–49,140,000 bp; Chr.10: 48,180,001–48,200,000 bp; and Chr.10: 107,460,001–107,480,000 bp. The discovery of this pattern enhances the genetic resources available for heterosis utilization in maize breeding, providing new opportunities for developing high-density tolerant, high-yield maize cultivars and supporting sustainable maize production and food security.

Intestinal probiotics significantly regulate the growth performance of their host, with their composition being influenced by various factors. While many studies have explored how gut microbiota composition affects growth traits such as body weight and BMI, the research on probiotics influenced by host genetic factors, and their subsequent impact on host growth performance, remains limited. To address this research gap, we collected fecal and tissue samples, as well as phenotypic data, from 193 Yunong black pigs at 280 days of age. We then sequenced and genotyped all 193 subjects using the 50K SNP BeadChip, yielding a comprehensive dataset for genetic and microbiome analyses. We then employed microbiome-wide association studies (MWAS), a meta-analysis, and microbiome-wide genetic association studies (MGWASs) to examine the relationship between host genetics, gut microbiota, and growth performance. Four key microbial taxa, namely Coprococcus, Blautia, Ruminococcaceae, and RF16, were identified as being significantly associated with body weight and BMI. The MGWAS analysis revealed that both Coprococcus and Ruminococcaceae were significantly associated with host genomic variations. A total of four important single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were mapped to two chromosomal regions, corresponding to three candidate genes. Among them, the candidate genes INPP4B, SCOC, and PABPC4L were identified as being related to the abundance of key microbes. This study provides new insights into the joint contributions of host genetics and probiotics to host growth traits, offering theoretical guidance and data support for the development of efficient and targeted breeding strategies.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a crucial global crop, serving as a primary source of food and feed. However, its kernels are susceptible to infection by Aspergillus flavus, a fungus known for producing aflatoxins- highly carcinogenic compounds harmful to human and animal health. Identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for aflatoxin resistance and developing aflatoxin-resistant maize varieties are essential for mitigating aflatoxin contamination. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using an enlarged genotypic panel of 311 maize inbred lines to identify genetic loci associated with A. flavus resistance. Phenotypic data on A. flavus resistance were collected through controlled inoculation experiments conducted under controlled conditions. The results revealed that the resistance traits to A. flavus follow a normal distribution. Additionally, temperate inbreds exhibited stronger resistance to A. flavus than tropical/subtropical materials. This study identified 15 novel QTLs encompassing 47 high-expressed genes, with each QTL explaining 8.22-27.71% of the phenotypic variation, indicating that increased marker density improved statistical power. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that these genes are related to fatty acid synthesis, glycoside decomposition, and root growth and development. One specific gene, Zm00001d021197, located on ZmAFR16, displayed clustered peaks and accounted for an average of 10.21% of the phenotypic variation. This gene was found to play a role in cell membrane formation and possess alpha-L-fucosidase activity, promoting glycoside metabolism and contributing to polysaccharide degradation. Haplotype analysis showed significant differences in resistance to A. flavus among different haplotypes of the Zm00001d033637 and Zm00001d021197. Inbreds carrying the favorable haplotype combination of these two genes exhibited strong resistance to A. flavus. By select sweep analysis, it was found that Zm00001d021197 was selected during the domestication of teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana) to modern maize, as well as during the adaptation from tropical/subtropical maize to temperate maize. Importantly, we developed molecular markers in the promoter region of Zm00001d021197 to efficiently identify maize germplasm with beneficial haplotypes for resistance to A. flavus. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the genetic factors influencing maize kernel resistance to A. flavus but also offer valuable insights for improving existing germplasm and developing new maize varieties with enhanced resistance to this pathogen.

Resilience usually refers to the ability of an animal to be minimally affected by disturbance or to quickly return to its pre-disturbance state. Pigs with strong resilience usually have better production performance and higher tolerance to common diseases. This study utilized feed intake records collected by a Feed Intake Recording Equipment from three pig breeds (Duroc: 823; Landrace: 582; and Yorkshire: 2032). Six resilience traits were constructed using the root mean square error (RMSE) of daily feed intake and feeding duration, cumulative feed intake, and cumulative feeding duration derived from ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, along with quantile regression (QR) estimates of daily feed intake and feeding duration. The correlations between these resilience traits and production traits were subsequently estimated. Single-trait genome-wide association studies (GWASs) were performed using imputed resequencing data to identify key genomic regions and candidate genes associated with resilience traits. The estimated heritability ranged from 0.103 to 0.267 for resilience traits and 0.293 to 0.560 for production traits. Moderate genetic correlations were observed among the resilience traits, while moderate to high genetic correlations were found between resilience traits and production traits. In particular, the traits RMSEFI, RMSECFI, QRFI, and QRFD exhibited significant moderate to high correlations with most production traits. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) based on imputed whole-genome sequencing data was conducted to identify genomic regions associated with resilience traits in pigs. Using single-trait mixed linear models, 188 SNPs were identified and annotated to 44 candidate genes. Several of these genes (CD74, CSF1R, and HTR4) are involved in host immune responses and signal transduction pathways. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying resilience in pigs and provide insights for enhancing genomic selection in pig breeding.

Litter size traits of sows are crucial for the economic benefits of the pig industry. Three phenotypic traits of 1,206 Large White pigs, the total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA), and number of healthy piglets (NHP), were recorded. We evaluated a series of genomic best linear unbiased prediction models that sequentially added additive effects (model A), dominance effects (model A + D), and epistatic effects (model A + D + AA, model A + D + AA + AD, and model A + D + AA + AD + DD) using chip data and imputed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data to estimate genetic parameters and predictive accuracy. The reproductive traits of sows showed low heritability in this study, with narrow heritability of the 3 traits ranging from 0.030 to 0.064, and broad heritability ranging from 0.125 to 0.145. The inclusion of nonadditive effects in the model improved the accuracy of genomic selection. In the chip data, compared with that of the A model, the A + D + AA + AD + DD model showed the greatest increase in accuracy for TNB, NBA, and NHP, with improvements of 1.78%, 1.67%, and 1.74%, respectively. Additionally, the accuracy of the imputed WGS data was greater compared to the chip data. For the TNB, NBA, and NHP traits, the predictive accuracy of the imputed WGS data improved by 3.26%, 7.72%, and 3.00%, respectively, compared with that of the chip data. In summary, these results suggest that nonadditive effects in genomic selection could improve prediction accuracy and should be considered in pig genomic evaluation procedures.

Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is a key indicator of pig productivity, but its measurement is labor-intensive and time-consuming. This study aimed to construct a predictive model for cumulative feeding intake (CFI), which could help estimate FCR more efficiently and reduce the time and effort needed for measurements. This study included a total of 987 Yorkshire boars raised in specific pathogen-free environments, with feeding and growth data collected using automatic feeders. The segmented R package and Bayesian ridge regression (BRR) were used to build a predictive model for CFI. The results showed that the optimal body weight range for predicting FCR was 80–110 kg. The BRR model achieved 80% accuracy for CFI prediction, and FCR calculated from predicted CFI showed 81.4% similarity to the corrected FCR. The results clearly demonstrate that even with a limited training dataset, the BRR model has good predictive potential for FCR. The findings of this study could reduce the selection pressure on FCR traits, decrease production costs, and shorten measurement periods, ultimately benefiting the swine industry significantly.

Circular RNA (circRNA) is ubiquitously expressed in highly differentiated eukaryotes, playing an extremely vital regulatory role in muscle growth and development. In this study, we identified circPICALM, a novel circRNA which consists of exons 5 to 9 of the PICALM gene, exhibiting differential expression in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) of adult (QA) and newborn (QN) Queshan Black pigs. CircPICALM is resistant to RNase R, mainly located in the cytoplasm with potential coding capacities. When circPICALM was over-expressed in porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells (PSMSCs), there was a significant decrease in the expression levels of PCNA, CDK4, CDK1 and CCND1, which consequently inhibited the proliferation of PSMSCs. Conversely, miR-132, a target molecule of circPICALM, was found to promote the proliferation of PSMSCs. In addition, circPICALM can up-regulate the expression of the target gene PHKB by competitively adsorbing miR-132. The circPICALM-ssc-miR-132-PHKB regulatory axis is regulated by METTL3, which increases the m6A level of both PSMSCs and circPICALM, thereby promoting the proliferation of PSMSCs. Overall, this study furnishes a fundamental reference for further in-depth exploration of the specific molecular mechanisms underlying m6A modification and circPICALM in muscle development and progression.

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic metal that poses a threat to human health and animals through food chain as well as impacts on plants even at low concentrations. It is a global environmental issue due to its widely distributed and has natural source and increasing anthropogenic activities such as metal industries, sewage sludges, mining, wastewater, chemical incidents, combustion emissions, and phosphate fertilizers increase the Cd concentration in the environment. In this review, we have discussed the source of Cd in the environment, the impacts of soil physiochemical properties on Cd, dynamics of Cd uptake mechanism, translocation, distribution, and toxic effects of Cd in plants. In crops, Cd toxicity reduces the uptake and translocation of essential nutrients and water and disrupts crucial physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes including photosynthesis, ROS homeostasis, activity of enzymes, cell death, leading to inhibits plant growth, resulting in yield losses. Additionally, potential remediation strategies and defense mechanisms are also highlighted. Although, plants have a complex defense mechanism against Cd toxicity but these mechanisms are often insufficient to address high concentrations of Cd. In addition, selenium (Se) is an important trace element for human, animals, and plants, and has shown remarkable potential to mitigate Cd toxicity in plants. Supplementation with Se minimize the detrimental effects of Cd by enhancing physiological, biochemical, and molecular functions, while also promoting Cd immobilization, co-precipitations, and compartmentalization. However, supplementation and mechanisms of Se and its other forms on plant performance in Cd-contaminated soils remain largely unclear. Thus, focuses on the promising role of Se supplementation and its underlying mechanism under Cd stress in plants, how Se can protect against Cd toxicity to plants by using different application methods, and increasing sequestration of Cd in cell walls by reducing the bio-availability of Cd in soil. Additionally, we also discussed research gaps and future research of Se to alleviate Cd induced toxicity. Taken together, low supplementations of Se and Se-NPs mitigate the human health risk associated with Cd toxicity in plants, especially in lightly contaminated soil. Overall, findings of this review will help to improve our understanding role of Se and its different forms such as Se-NPs to mitigate Cd toxicity and will offer deep knowledge for developing promising strategies to address the environmental challenges threatened by Cd toxicity in crops and improve agricultural productivity in Cd contaminated soils.