Summary
Resistance to infectious diseases is influenced by environmental factors as well as genetic constitution. Qualitative and quantitative inheritance of resistance is known for a variety of poultry diseases. However, genes directly responsible for resistance or susceptibility have not yet been identified. In this paper the direct and correlated responses to selection for antibody production to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) are presented and the strategy to identify the genes responsible for antibody production to SRBCs will be discussed. After seven generations of selection for antibody production to SRBCs we have obtained high (H) and low (L) antibody titer producing lines of ISA Warren origin. Differences in antibody production (titer 7.1 versus 2.1 for H and L lines in the seventh generation) became significant (P<0.5) from the first selection onwards. Upon contact exposure to Marek’s disease virus the H line showed 20–30% less mortality than the L line (P<0.001). The divergence in H and L lines demonstrates that genetic variation in immune responsiveness and disease resistance exists and exemplifies genetic differences between breeds and crosses in poultry production. As has previously been demonstrated in the mouse, genes contributing to these immunological and pathological differences between H and L lines may belong to polymorphic immunoglobulin (Ig) loci and/or loci of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). To establish the role of these loci in the chicken, F1 and F2 generations will be obtained by crossing the H and L lines. In the F1 and F2 hybrids background genes of H and L lines will be randomly distributed, with the application of serological techniques for identifying Ig-allotypes and MHC-alleles it will then become possible to determine the effects of the individual alleles on SRBC antibody production and resistance to Marek’s disease.
After seven generations of selection for antibody production to SRBCs we have obtained high (H) and low (L) antibody titer producing lines of ISA Warren origin. Differences in antibody production (titer 7.1 versus 2.1 for H and L lines in the seventh generation) became significant (P<0.5) from the first selection onwards. Upon contact exposure to Marek1s disease virus the H line showed 20-30% less mortality than the L line (P<0.001).
The divergence in H and L lines demonstrates that genetic Variation in immune responsiveness and disease resistance exists and exemplifies genetic differences between breeds and crosses in poultry production. As has previously been demonstrated in the mouse, genes contributing to these immunological and pathological differences between H and L lines may belong to polymorphic Immunoglobulin (Ig) loci and/or loci of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). To establish the role of these loci in the chicken, F1 and F2 generations will be obtained by crossing the H and L lines. In the F1 and F2 hybrids background genes of H and L lines will be randomly distriButed. with the application of serological techniques for identifying Ig-allotypes and MHC-alleles it will then become possible to determine the effects of the individual alleles on SRBC antibody production and resistance to Marek*s disease.
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© 1989 ECSC,EAEC,Brussels and Luxembourg
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van der Zijpp, A.J., Nieuwland, M.G.B. (1989). The Biozzi Model Applied to the Chicken. In: Improving Genetic Disease Resistance in Farm Animals. Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, vol 52. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1057-7_18
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1057-7_18
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