Association of INOS, TRAIL, TGF-b2, TGF-b3, and IgL Genes with Response to Salmonella enteritidis in Poultry

Several candidate genes were selected, based on their critical roles in the host’s response to intracellular bacteria, to study the genetic control of the chicken response to Salmonella enteritidis (SE). The candidate genes were: inducible nitric oxide synthase (INOS), tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL), transforming growth factor b2 (TGF-b2), transforming growth factor b3 (TGF-b3), and immunoglobulin G light chain (IgL). Responses to pathogenic SE colonization or to SE vaccination were measured in the Iowa Salmonella response resource population (ISRRP). Outbred broiler sires and three diverse, highly inbred dam lines produced 508 F1 progeny, which were evaluated as young chicks for either bacterial load isolated from spleen or cecum contents after pathogenic SE inoculation, or the circulating antibody level after SE vaccination. Fragments of each gene were sequenced from the founder lines of the resource population to identify genomic sequence variation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified, then PCR-RFLP techniques were developed to genotype the F1 resource population. Linear mixedmodels were used for statistical analyses. Because the inbred dam lines always contributed one copy of the same allele, the heterozygous sire allele effects could be assessed in the F1 generation. Association analyses revealed significant effects of the sire allele of TRAIL-StyI on the spleen (P \u3c 0:07) and cecum (P \u3c 0:0002) SE bacterial load. Significant effects (P \u3c 0:04) were found on the cecum bacterial load for TGF-b3-BsrI. Varied and moderate association was found for SE vaccine antibody response for all genes. This is the first reported study on the association of SNP in INOS, TRAIL, TGF-b2, TGF-b3, and IgL with the chicken response to SE. Identification of candidate genes to improve the immune response may be useful for marker-assisted selection to enhance disease resistance

Genetic lines differ in Toll-like receptor gene expression in spleens of chicks inoculated with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis

Toll-like receptors (TLR) recognize evolutionarily conserved molecular motifs (pathogen-associated molecular patterns) of infectious microbes and initiate innate immune response upon activation with relevant pathogens. This study investigated the acute effect of Salmonella Enteritidis challenge on TLR mRNA expression in cecum and spleen of birds from 3 distinct genetic lines. Chicks from broiler, Leghorn, and Fayoumi lines were inoculated or mock-inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The mRNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR4, and TLR5 genes were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR of cecum and spleen tissue harvested at 2 or 18 h postinoculation (PI). There were no significant genetic line effects on TLR mRNA expression in spleen or cecum of mock-infected birds, or in the cecum of infected birds. Genetic line effect was significant (P \u3c 0.05) on TLR mRNA expression in the spleen of Salmonella Enteritidis- infected birds. The Fayoumi line had higher TLR2 and TLR4 expression than Leghorn, higher TLR2 mRNA expression than broiler, and the broiler line had higher TLR5 expression than Leghorn and Fayoumi. In Salmonella Enteritidis-infected birds, the TLR2 expression in both cecum and spleen and TLR4 expression in spleen were significantly higher at 18 h PI than 2 h PI. The results demonstrate a significant genetic line effect on TLR expression in the spleen of Salmonella Enteritidis-infected birds, which may partly explain genetic variability in immune response to Salmonella Enteritidis

Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Gene Polymorphism Associations with Growth, Body Composition, Skeleton Integrity, and Metabolic Traits

Molecular genetic selection on individual genes is a promising method to genetically improve economically important traits in chickens. A resource population was developed to study the genetics of growth, body composition, skeletal integrity, and metabolism traits. Broiler sires were crossed to dams of 2 diverse, highly inbred lines (Leghorn and Fayoumi), and the F1 birds were intermated by dam line to produce broiler-Leghorn and broiler-Fayoumi F2 offspring. Growth, body composition, skeletal integrity, and hormonal and metabolic factors were measured in 713 F2 individuals. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF1) was selected for study as a biological and positional candidate gene. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified between the founder lines in the IGF1 promoter region, and a PCR-RFLP assay was developed. A mixed model was used to statistically analyze associations of IGF1-SNP1 with phenotypic traits. The IGF1-SNP1 had significant associations with most recorded traits, except metabolic traits. Strong interactions between the IGF1 gene and genetic background on growth traits in the 2 F2 populations suggest that genetic interaction is an important aspect for consideration before using the IGF1-SNP1 in marker-assisted selection programs. Several beneficial effects (improved growth, increased breast muscle weight, decreased abdominal fat, and enhanced skeletal integrity) associated with 1 allele indicate the presence of 1 or more loci near IGF1-SNP1 controlling biologically diverse and economically important traits in chickens