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Title: Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome (Prrs) Host Genetics Consortium

Author
item Lunney, Joan
item ROWLAND, R R - KANSAS STATE U, MANHATTAN

Submitted to: International Symposium on Animal Genomics for Animal Health
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/3/2007
Publication Date: 10/22/2007
Citation: Lunney, J.K., Rowland, R.R. 2007. Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome (Prrs) Host Genetics Consortium. Proceedings International Symposium on Animal Genomics for Animal Health, Paris, France.p. 16.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A PRRS Host Genetics Consortium has been formed in the US; its objectives are to use genotyping and phenotyping tools to determine if there are host genes controlling resistance/susceptibility to PRRSV infection. The general plan is to use the nursery pig model of primary response to infection, i.e., infect sets of hundreds of piglets at ~28 days age with type 2 North American PRRSV using a defined infection protocol. The infection will be followed for 35-42 days, regularly collecting blood samples and weight data for phenotyping, and relevant tissue samples at kill. Samples will be sent to testing labs so that basic phenotypic data on viral levels and immune responses are tested and collated into the Central Consortium database. Genomic DNA for all tested pigs will be prepared for genotyping and conserved in a DNA repository. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) testing is likely in year 2 of the project. Additional testing for MHC/SLA class I and II typing; for targeted candidate gene SNPs will also be pursued. The plan is to perform testing on 1000s of pigs so that genetic responses can be evaluated statistically and QTL identified. All access to samples is open and dependent on data sharing. This Consortium project should identify genomic regions or candidate genes which encode PRRS resistance/susceptibility quantitative trait loci (QTL); and uncover unique PRRSV resistance mechanisms and virus-host interactions, thus highlighting alternate vaccine and therapeutic approaches. Funding from US NPB Swine Health and Animal Science and Consortium members.