ARS | Publication request: Loci on Bos taurus chromosome 2 and Bos taurus chromosome 26 are linked with bovine respiratory disease and associated with persistent infection of bovine viral diarrhea virus

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 2, 2010
Publication Date: April 2, 2011
Citation: Neibergs, H., Zanella, R., Casas, E., Snowder, G.D., Wenz, J., Neibergs, J.S., Moore, D. 2011. Loci on Bos taurus chromosome 2 and Bos taurus chromosome 26 are linked with bovine respiratory disease and associated with persistent infection of bovine viral diarrhea virus. Journal of Animal Science. 89:907-915.

Interpretive Summary: Diseases are an important factor affecting productivity of the beef industry. As part of a larger study to detect the location of genes associated with economically important traits in cattle, the objective of the present study was to identify the location of genes influencing incidence of diseases in cattle. Two populations were used in this study. The first population was used to identify regions on bovine chromosomes 2 and 26 harboring genes associated with bovine respiratory disease (pneumonia). These chromosomal regions were also associated with persistent infection of bovine viral diarrhea in a second population. These results replicate evidence that genes on bovine chromosomes 2 and 26 are associated with the expression of diseases in cattle.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to identify loci linked with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and subsequently to determine if these same loci were associated with bovine viral diarrhea virus persistent infection (BVD-PI) in BVD-PI calves or their dams. A genome-wide linkage study using 312 microsatellites was conducted to identify loci linked with BRD in a Brahman X Hereford (BH) sire half-sib family. Disease incidence was recorded from birth to slaughter by daily monitoring. Linkage was suggestive for a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on BTA2 (F = 7.32) and BTA26 (F = 10.35). Six and 7 markers were added and genotyped between 110-126 cM on BTA2 and 41-71 cM on BTA26, respectively, in the intervals where linkage was found. These markers were used to re-evaluated the BH family and evaluate 3 additional crossbred half-sib families. Linkage was found with BRD on BTA2 (F = 4.94, P < 0.01) with a peak at 110 cM and on BTA26 (F = 4.03, P < 0.05) with peaks at 42 and 52 cM. The same markers were then tested for an association with BVD-PI in 1) BVD-PI calves compared to unaffected calves of the same age and from the same herd or 2) dams of BVD-PI compared to unaffected calves. Sixty commercial beef cow-calf herds were tested for persistent infection of BVD virus and 79 calves from 8 ranches were BVD-PI. Four of 6 markers were associated (P = 4.8 x 10-9 to P = 0.01) with BVD-PI on BTA2 and 4 of 7 markers were associated (P = 0.008 to P = 0.04) with BVD-PI on BTA26 when comparing BVD-PI calves to unaffected calves. The comparison of BVD-PI dams with unaffected calves detected associations with BVD-PI with all markers tested on BTA2 (P = 3 x 10-9 to P = 0.005) and with 3 of 7 markers on BTA26 (P = 1.4 x 10-6 to P = 0.006).