Genomic variants from RNA-seq for goats resistant or susceptible to gastrointestinal nematode infection

PLoS One. 2021 Mar 15;16(3):e0248405. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248405. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are an important constraint in small ruminant production. Genetic selection for resistant animals is a potential sustainable control strategy. Advances in molecular genetics have led to the identification of several molecular genetic markers associated with genes affecting economic relevant traits. In this study, the variants in the genome of Creole goats resistant or susceptible to GIN were discovered from RNA-sequencing. We identified SNPs, insertions and deletions that distinguish the two genotypes, resistant and susceptible and we characterized these variants through functional analysis. The T cell receptor signalling pathway was one of the top significant pathways that distinguish the resistant from the susceptible genotype with 78% of the genes involved in this pathway showing genomic variants. These genomic variants are expected to provide useful resources especially for molecular breeding for GIN resistance in goats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Resistance / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases* / genetics
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases* / parasitology
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases* / veterinary
  • Goat Diseases* / genetics
  • Goat Diseases* / parasitology
  • Goats* / genetics
  • Goats* / parasitology
  • Male
  • Nematode Infections* / genetics
  • Nematode Infections* / veterinary
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • RNA-Seq*

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Project MALIN (La Région Guadeloupe and Fonds Européens FEDER). H.M.A was supported by a doctoral fellowship from the project European Graduate School in Animal Breeding and Genetics.