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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400966
Research Project: National Animal Germplasm Program

Location: Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research

Title: Lentivirus susceptibility in Brazilian and US sheep with TMEM154 mutations

Author
item RODRIGUES, CAMILA - University Of Brasilia
item FARIA, D - University Of Brasilia
item LACERDA, T - University Of Brasilia
item PAVIA, S - Embrapa
item CAETANO, A - Embrapa
item Blackburn, Harvey
item MCMANUS, CONCEPTA - University Of Brasilia

Submitted to: Genes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/22/2022
Publication Date: 12/26/2022
Citation: Rodrigues, C.S., Faria, D.A., Lacerda, T.S., Pavia, S.R., Caetano, A.R., Blackburn, H.D., McManus, C. 2022. Lentivirus susceptibility in Brazilian and US sheep with TMEM154 mutations. Genes. 14(1). Article e70. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14010070.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14010070

Interpretive Summary: Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) affect sheep and goats worldwide. The major gene that may be related to SRLV infections is the Transmembrane Protein Gene 154 (TMEM154). This study evaluated genetic differences among Brazilian and U.S. sheep breeds. There were 25 TMEM154 haplotypes distributed across the Brazilian breeds, and four (4) haplotypes in the North American breeds. Haplotypes associated with susceptibility were present in almost all breeds, which suggests that genetic testing can help improve herd health and productivity by selecting non-susceptible animals as founders of the next generations. The procedures used for genotyping Fluidigm and KASP were reliable assays when compared with Beadchip arrays. Further studies are necessary to understand the unknown role of TMEM154 mutations, host-pathogen interaction and new genes associated with the clinical condition.

Technical Abstract: Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) affect sheep and goats worldwide. The major gene that may be related to SRLV infections is the Transmembrane Protein Gene 154 (TMEM154). This study estimated the haplotype frequencies of the TMEM154 gene in the USA (USDA-ARS) and Brazil (Embrapa) Gene Banks by two different SNP genotyping methodologies, Fluidigm and KASP. We also genotyped the ZNF389_ss748775100 deletion variant in Brazilian flocks. 1040 blood samples and 112 semen samples from 15 Brazilian breeds were genotyped with the Fluidigm assay for SNP ZNF389_ss748775100 and 12 TMEM154 SNPs. 484 blood samples from the Santa Inês breed and 188 semen samples from 14 North American sheep breeds were genotyped with KASP for 6 TMEM154 SNPs. All samples from Brazilian breeds had the “TA/TA” genotype for the ZNF389_ss748775100 mutation. There were 25 TMEM154 haplotypes distributed across the Bra-zilian breeds, and four (4) haplotypes in the North American breeds. Haplotypes associated with susceptibility were present in almost all breeds, which suggests that genetic testing can help improve herd health and productivity by selecting non-susceptible animals as founders of the next generations. Fluidigm and KASP are reliable genotyping assays when compared with Beadchip arrays. Further studies are necessary to understand the unknown role of TMEM154 mutations, host-pathogen interaction and new genes associated with the clinical condition.