主要从事肉品质量控制和动物营养代谢调控领域的科学研究。近年来，围绕“肉鸡异质肉的发生机制及其调控技术”展开了较为系统的研究。研究主要从肉鸡生产实际出发，立足快大型白羽肉鸡类PSE肉和木质肉发生率高和影响范围广的突出产业问题，以“发生机制—作用靶点—营养调控”主线开展一系列研究，研究成果为提高鸡肉品质提供一定的科学依据和新思路，契合肉鸡健康养殖和动物源食品质量控制的国家需求。

代表性科技创新成果如下：

1. 揭示了AMPK信号通路调控急性应激肉鸡骨骼肌糖酵解代谢的分子机制

在发现宰前高温急性运输容易导致类PSE鸡肉高发生率（超过40%）的基础上，通过比较正常肉和类PSE肉宰后pH、糖原、乳酸含量以及糖酵解途径关键酶活性，证实了宰前急性应激导致肉鸡胸肌宰后初期糖酵解代谢加快是诱发类PSE肉的关键原因；进一步揭示出AMPK通过促进葡萄糖转运、激活己糖激酶和磷酸果糖激酶-2加快糖酵解代谢的机制；以此为基础，解析出Ca²⁺/CaMKK和AMP/ATP/LKB1介导的AMPK磷酸化在加快糖酵解代谢中的协同作用。

2. 阐明了谷氨酰胺介导“HSP70-钙稳态”改善急性应激肉鸡肉品质的作用机制

利用多组学联用技术，筛选出HSP70是类PSE鸡肉形成的关键差异蛋白，并绘制出其“客户”蛋白图谱；进一步借助基因表达调控技术，明确了HSP70可通过结合并稳定SERCA活性，调控细胞内外多种钙通道基因表达实现对钙稳态的靶向调控。以此为基础，体外证实了外源性添加20mM Gln可通过提高HSP70表达，维持禽骨骼肌肌管中钙稳态，进而降低氧化应激，减少胞外乳酸产生和细胞凋亡的发生；体内验证了日粮中添加1% Gln可提高急性热应激肉鸡胸肌中HSP70表达，降低肌浆Ca²⁺浓度，改善机体氧化还原状态和能量储备，从而提高肉品质，降低类PSE肉发生率。

3.肉鸡木质化胸肌的发生机理的深入研究

率先调研发现我国白羽肉鸡中度至重度木质肉（Wooden breast，WB）发生率约为30.8%；揭示出糖代谢和氨基酸代谢差异、离子紊乱以及氧化应激等是造成WB的重要因素；证实了TLRs介导NF-κB信号是WB中炎症反应发生的重要路径；明确了TGF-β/Smad信号通路激活、胶原蛋白合成和交联以及MMPs/TIMPs系统紊乱是导致WB纤维化发生的主要路径；创新性发现了患WB肉鸡可能发生多器官系统功能障碍。

1. Stress effects on meat quality: a mechanistic perspective. Tong Xing, Feng Gao, Ronald Keith Tume, Guanghong Zhou, Xinglian Xu*. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 2019, 18: 380-401.

2. Physiochemical properties, protein and metabolite profiles of muscle exudate of chicken meat affected by wooden breast myopathy. Tong Xing, Xue Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Jiaolong Li, Lin Zhang, Feng Gao*. Food Chemistry, 2020, 316: 126271.

3. Phosphoproteome analysis of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins in stress-induced dysfunctional broiler pectoralis major muscle. Tong Xing, Zerun Zhao, Xue Zhao, Su Zhuang*, Xinglian Xu*. Food Chemistry, 2020, 319: 126531.

4. Effect of high intensity ultrasound on the gelation properties of wooden breast meat with different NaCl contents. Tong Xing, Ying Xu, Jun Qi, Xinglian Xu, Xue Zhao*. Food Chemistry, 2021, 347: 129031.

5. Proteome analysis using isobaric tags for relative and absolute analysis quantitation (iTRAQ) reveals alterations in stress-induced dysfunctional chicken muscle. Tong Xing, Chong Wang, Xue Zhao, Chen Dai, Guanghong Zhou, Xinglian Xu*. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2017, 65: 2913-2922.

6. Different oxidative status and expression of calcium channel components in stress-induced dysfunctional chicken muscle. Tong Xing, Xue Zhao, Peng Wang, Hongqiang Chen, Xinglian Xu*, Guanghong Zhou. Journal of Animal Science, 2017, 95: 1565-1573.

7. Characteristics and incidence of broiler chicken wooden breast meat under commercial conditions in China. Tong Xing, Xue Zhao, Lin Zhang, Jiaolong Li, Guanghong Zhou, Xinglian Xu, Feng Gao*. Poultry Science, 2020, 99(1): 620-628.

8. Enhanced cytokine expression and upregulation of inflammatory signaling pathways in broiler chickens affected by wooden breast myopathy. Tong Xing, Dan Luo, Xue Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Jiaolong Li, Lin Zhang, Feng Gao*. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2021, 101.1: 279-286.

9. Enhanced transforming growth factor-beta signaling and fibrosis in the pectoralis major muscle of broiler chickens affected by wooden breast myopathy. Tong Xing, Zerun Zhao, Xue Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Lin Zhang, Feng Gao*. Poultry Science, 2021, 100: 100804.

10. Hepatic oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in broiler chickens with wooden breast myopathy. Tong Xing, Xiaona Pan, Lin Zhang, Feng Gao*. Frontiers in Physiology, 2021, 12: 659777.