Genome-wide scan of gastrointestinal nematode resistance in closed Angus population selected for minimized influence of MHC

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 24;10(3):e0119380. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119380. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Genetic markers associated with parasite indicator traits are ideal targets for study of marker assisted selection aimed at controlling infections that reduce herd use of anthelminthics. For this study, we collected gastrointestinal (GI) nematode fecal egg count (FEC) data from post-weaning animals of an Angus resource population challenged to a 26 week natural exposure on pasture. In all, data from 487 animals was collected over a 16 year period between 1992 and 2007, most of which were selected for a specific DRB1 allele to reduce the influence of potential allelic variant effects of the MHC locus. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) based on BovineSNP50 genotypes revealed six genomic regions located on bovine Chromosomes 3, 5, 8, 15 and 27; which were significantly associated (-log10 p=4.3) with Box-Cox transformed mean FEC (BC-MFEC). DAVID analysis of the genes within the significant genomic regions suggested a correlation between our results and annotation for genes involved in inflammatory response to infection. Furthermore, ROH and selection signature analyses provided strong evidence that the genomic regions associated BC-MFEC have not been affected by local autozygosity or recent experimental selection. These findings provide useful information for parasite resistance prediction for young grazing cattle and suggest new candidate gene targets for development of disease-modifying therapies or future studies of host response to GI parasite infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / genetics*
  • Cattle Diseases / immunology
  • Cattle Diseases / parasitology*
  • Disease Resistance
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / genetics
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / immunology
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / parasitology
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / veterinary*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genome-Wide Association Study / veterinary
  • Male
  • Nematoda
  • Nematode Infections / genetics
  • Nematode Infections / immunology
  • Nematode Infections / veterinary*
  • Parasite Egg Count / veterinary

Substances

  • Biomarkers

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by Projects 1265-31000-093-00 and 104-00 from USDA-ARS, and a TS trust agreement with Merial-Igenity (1265-32000-084-01T). TSS, LCG and CVT received the funding. ESK was partially supported by a grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (No. PJ008196), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.