ARS | Publication request: CHICKEN LINES AT THE USDA-ARS AVIAN DISEASE AND ONCOLOGY LABORATORY TO RESOLVE GENES DETERMINING RESISTANCE TO DISEASE

Submitted to: National Poultry Breeders Roundtable
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: July 6, 1999
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The resolution of genes determining resistance to disease is described regarding chicken lines developed and/or maintained by the Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory (ADOL). This description includes a summary of: (1) existing selected and inbred lines differing for resistance to viral induced tumors, i.e. Marek's disease (MD) and lymphoid leukosis (LL), and of the use of inbred and line crosses to define relevant disease resistanc genes; e.g. TV, ALVE, B, R, LY4, TH1, BU1 and IGG1; (2) the development of TVB*/ALVE congenic lines to establish the affects of endogenous virus expression on resistance to avian leukosis virus (ALV), and methods to detect ALVE expression; (3) the development of B congenic lines for defining the influence of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on MD resistance and vaccinal immunity, for producing B antisera, and for evaluating DNA sequences of class I and II genes; and (4) the current development of 6C.7 recombinant congenic strains (RCS) to define the role of non-MHC genes influencing susceptibility to MD and LL tumors, immune competence, and epistatic effects of genes. The procedures of pedigree mating to avoid or maintain inbreeding, and of blood-typing to assure genetic purity of the lines, are also described.