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Title: Genomic regions showing copy number variations associate with resistance or susceptibility to gastrointestinal nematodes in Angus cattle

Author
item HOU, YALI - University Of Maryland
item Liu, Ge - George
item Bickhart, Derek
item MATUKUMALLI, LAKSHMI - Collaborator
item Li, Congjun - Cj
item SONG, JIUZHOU - University Of Maryland
item GASBARRE, LOUIS - Collaborator
item Van Tassell, Curtis - Curt
item Sonstegard, Tad

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/23/2011
Publication Date: 10/20/2011
Citation: Hou, Y., Liu, G., Bickhart, D.M., Matukumalli, L.K., Li, C., Song, J., Gasbarre, L.C., Van Tassell, C.P., Sonstegard, T.S. 2011. Genomic regions showing copy number variations associate with resistance or susceptibility to gastrointestinal nematodes in Angus cattle [abstract]. Paper No. 6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Genomic structural variation is an important and abundant source of genetic and phenotypic variation. We previously reported an initial analysis of copy number variations (CNVs) in Angus cattle selected for resistance or susceptibility to gastrointestinal nematodes. In this study, we performed a large scale analysis of CNVs using SNP genotyping data from 472 animals of the same population. We detected 811 candidate CNV regions, which represent 141.8 Mb (~4.7%) of the genome. To investigate the functional impacts of CNVs, we created two groups of 100 individual animals with extremely low or high estimated breeding values (EBVs) of eggs per gram of feces (EPG), and referred to these groups as parasite resistant (PR) or parasite susceptible (PS), respectively. We identified 297 (~51 Mb) and 282 (~48 Mb) CNV regions from PR and PS groups respectively. Approximately 60% of the CNV regions were specific to the PS group or PR group of animals. Selected PR or PS specific CNVs were further experimentally validated by quantitative PCR (qPCR). A total of 297 PR CNV regions overlapped with 437 Ensembl genes enriched in immunity and defense, like WC1 gene which uniquely expresses on gamma/delta T cells in cattle. Network analyses indicated that the PR specific genes were predominantly involved in gastrointestinal disease, immunological disease, inflammatory response, cell-to-cell signaling and interaction, lymphoid tissue development and cell death. By contrast, the 282 PS CNV regions contained 473 Ensembl genes which are overrepresented in environmental interactions. Network analyses indicated that the PS specific genes were particularly enriched for inflammatory response, immune cell trafficking, metabolic disease, cell cycle, and cellular organization and movement.