Influence of the Major Histocompatibility-Complex (MHC) on nematode resistance in sheep Infections with gastrointestinal nematodes like O. circumcincta are a major cause of losses in sheep production. Due to the declining effectiveness of anthelmitic treatment, the search for alternative control strategies, like the use of genetically resistant flocks, is becoming more important. Resistance of animals to nematode infections is genetically determined. The faecal egg count is the trait most widely used to monitor nematode resistance. Since MHC-genes play a central role in immunity, we examined the association of MHC-DRB1-alleles and microsatellite markers located in as well as around the MHC-locus with faecal egg counts following natural infection with predominantly O. circumcincta in a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep. The exon 2 of the DRB1-locus (major candidate gene) was genotyped via sequence specific oligonucleotide hybridisation. Using an ABI PRISM® 377 DNA Sequencer we established a high resolution system (reference strand mediated conformation analysis, RSCA) for the analysis of exon 2 in ovine DQB-alleles. We amplified, cloned und sequenced the exon 2 of DQB-alleles. Typing families and DRB1-DQB-haplotypes indicates the accuracy of allele detection by the RSCA typing system. For statistical analysis we used two different linear models. The regression model considers additive effects of alleles. With an other model, which considers the genotypes directly, we tested for deviation from additive allele effects, dominance and overdominance. Regression analysis showed a significant association of the DRB1-alleles D, F, G und T with a reduction in faecal egg counts. The second model indicates that the heterozygotes IC, ID, IF and IL show lower faecal egg counts than the average of the corresponding homozygotes. The deviation from additive allele effects was statistically significant. This could result from dominant or overdominante heterozyotes at the DRB1-locus. Because MHC-heterozygotes will be able to present a broader array of antigens and thus resist a broader array of pathogens, they are more resistant to infectious diseases. For the other microsatellites there was no evidence of a significant effect of certain genotypes on faecal egg counts.
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Influence of the Major Histocompatibility-Complex (MHC) on nematode resistance in sheep Infections with gastrointestinal nematodes like O. circumcincta are a major cause of losses in sheep production. Due to the declining effectiveness of anthelmitic treatment, the search for alternative control strategies, like the use of genetically resistant flocks, is becoming more important. Resistance of animals to nematode infections is genetically determined. The faecal egg count is the trait most widely...
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