title: Histone methylation analysis and pathway predictions in chickens after MDV infection.
abstract: Marek's disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disease in chicken induced by Marek's disease virus (MDV). Although studies have focused on the genetic differences between the resistant and susceptible chicken, less is known about the role of epigenetic factors in MD. In this study, genome-wide histone modifications in the non-MHC-associated resistant and susceptible chicken lines were examined. We found that tri-methylation at histone H3 Lys4 (H3K4me3) enrichment is positively correlated with the expression of protein coding genes as well as microRNA (miRNA) genes, whereas tri-methylation at histone H3 Lys27 (H3K27me3) exhibits a negative correlation. By identifying line-specific histone modifications in MDV infection, we found unique H3K4me3 islands in the resistant chicken activated genes, which are related to immune response and cell adhesion. Interestingly, we also found some miRNAs from unique H3K27me3 patterns in the susceptible chickens that targeted genes involved in 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-receptor and adrenergic receptor pathways. In conclusion, dynamic line-specific histone modifications in response to MDV infection suggested that intrinsic epigenetic mechanisms may play a role in MD-resistance and -susceptibility.
authors: Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Luo
authors: Apratim
authors: A
authors: Mitra
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Tian
authors: Shuang
authors: S
authors: Chang
authors: Huanmin
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: Kairong
authors: K
authors: Cui
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Yu
authors: Keji
authors: K
authors: Zhao
authors: Jiuzhou
authors: J
authors: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D060467:Disease Resistance; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D023281:Genomics; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism; D008380:Marek Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008745:Methylation; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs; D008239:Lysine