Allele-specific expression and alternative splicing in horse×donkey and cattle×yak hybrids

Divergence of gene expression and alter native splicing is a crucial driving force in the evolution of species;to date, however the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Hybrids of closely related species provide a suitable model to analyze allele-specific expressi on (ASE) and allele-specific alter native splicing (ASS). Analysis of ASE and ASS can uncover the differences in cis-regulatory elements between closely related species, while eliminating interferenee of trans-regulatory elements. Here, we provide a detailed characterization of ASE and ASS from 19 and 10 transcriptome datasets across five tissues from reciprocal-cross hybrids of horsex don key (mule/hi nny) and cattlexyak (dzo), respectively. Results showed that 4.8%-8.7% and 10.8%-16.7% of genes exhibited ASE and ASS, respectively. Notably, IncRNAs and pseudogenes were more likely to show ASE than protein-coding genes. In addition, genes showing ASE and ASS in mule/hinny were found to be involved in the regulation of muscle strength, whereas those of dzo were involved in high-altitude adaptati on. In con clusi on, our study dem on strated that explorati on of genes showing ASE and ASS in hybrids of closely related species is feasible for species evolution research.

Military medical research on internal diseases in modern warfare:new concepts,demands,challenges,and opportunities

Battlefield internal medicine aims at the treatment of combatants and noncombatants with various internal diseases on the battlefield.The military medical research on battlefield internal diseases focuses on the pathogenesis,clinical management,and prevention of internal diseases under military war conditions.In both wartime and peacetime,the soldiers suffer from more internal diseases than surgical wounds.With the introduction of high-tech weapons,including chemical,physical,and biological agents,a large number of special internal illnesses and casualties will appear in future wars.The battles often occur in special environments,such as high or low temperatures,plateau or polar areas,and micro-or hyper-gravity.The current theories of battlefield internal medicine are mainly derived from wars decades ago and cannot meet the needs of military medical support under the conditions of modern warfare.Therefore,the military medical research on battlefield internal medicine should be based on contemporary military situations,focus on the purpose of treating battlefield internal diseases,and adhere to the actual needs of the troops in peacetime and wartime.We should investigate the pathogenesis of battlefield internal diseases and explore the threats that may arise in future wars to ensure the advancement of battlefield internal medicine.This review highlights new concepts,demands,challenges,and opportunities for the further development of military medical research on battlefield internal medicine.