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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Avian Disease and Oncology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #333774
Title: Comparative transcriptomics of genetically divergent lines of chickens in response to Marek’s disease virus challenge at cytolytic phase

Author
item DONG, KUNZHE - Orise Fellow
item CHANG, SHUANG - Shandong Agricultural University
item XIE, QINGMEI - South China Agricultural University
item Black Pyrkosz, Alexis
item Zhang, Huanmin

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/22/2017
Publication Date: 6/7/2017
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5700702
Citation: Dong, K., Chang, S., Xie, Q., Black Pyrkosz, A.A., Zhang, H. 2017. Comparative transcriptomics of genetically divergent lines of chickens in response to Marek’s disease virus challenge at cytolytic phase. PLoS One. 12(6):e0178923. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178923.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178923

Interpretive Summary: Marek’s disease (MD) remains an economically significant threat to poultry industry worldwide. Genetic resistance to MD constitutes an alternative approach to augment current control measures (vaccination and management) battling against MD. This study took the advantage of two highly inbred lines of chickens coupled with use of the cutting edge technology in genomics study, known as next generation RNA sequencing, to explore genes that confer MD. A total of 203 genes were identified with expressional characteristics that differed between the Marek’s disease virus (MDV) challenged and the non-challenged groups of the two lines of chickens. Of the identified genes, 153 genes were reported before from similar studies; 50 genes were identified for the first time. All or majority of these identified genes may confer MD. This finding provides additional insights on genetics in relation to MD resistance and benefits the poultry industry in knowledge-based control of the disease.

Technical Abstract: Marek's disease (MD), caused by Marek's disease virus (MDV), remains an economically significant threat to the poultry industry worldwide. Genetic resistance to MD is a promising alternative strategy to augment current control measures (vaccination and management). However, only a few functional genes reportedly conferring MD resistance have been identified. Here, we performed a comparative transcriptomics analysis of two highly inbred yet genetically divergent lines of chickens (line 63 and 72) that are resistant and susceptible to MD, respectively, in response to a very virulent plus strain of MDV (vv+MDV) challenge at cytolytic phase. A total of 203 DEGs in response to MDV challenge were identified in the two lines. Of these, 96 DEGs were in common for both lines, in addition to 36 and 71 DEGs that were specific for line 63 and 72, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis results showed the DEGs were significantly enriched in GO terms and pathways associated with immune response. Especially, the four DEGs, FGA, ALB, FN1, and F13A1 that reportedly facilitate virus invasion or immunosuppression, were found to be significantly up-regulated in the susceptible line 72 but down-regulated in the resistant line 63 birds. These results provide new resources for future studies to further elucidate the genetic mechanism conferring MD resistance.