Variable exon usage of differentially-expressed genes associated with resistance of sheep to Teladorsagia circumcincta.
The resistance and susceptibility of sheep to the common abomasal nematode parasite, Teladorsagia circumcincta is strongly associated with the differential polarization of the immune response. Resistant animals control larval colonization by the production of a protective antibody response regulated by Th2 T cells. Susceptible sheep respond to infection by developing an inflammatory Th1/Th17 response that fails to control infection. Previous microarray analysis identified genes associated with T cell polarization that were differentially expressed between the resistant and susceptible sheep. RT-qPCR confirmed the microarray data for ALOX15 and IL13. Both ALOX15 exon 9 and IL13 exon 4 were significantly increased in resistant animals and copy number RT-qPCR showed that expression levels of these exons were significantly negatively correlated with quantitative phenotypic traits, including abomasal worm counts and faecal egg counts. Sequencing of the intronic regions 5' to these genes failed to identify any potential genetic links to differential exon usage.
The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
Hazel
H
Wilkie
The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
Siyang
S
Xu
The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
Anton
A
Gossner
The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK. Electronic address: john.hopkins@ed.ac.uk.
John
J
Hopkins
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001093:Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D014251:Trichostrongyloidea; D014252:Trichostrongyloidiasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D018793:Interleukin-13; D001093:Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase
Cytokines; Gene variants; Resistance; Sheep; Teladorsagia