Abstract
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a widespread zoonotic infection targeting the livestock sector, especially in developing countries, and posing a risk to humans and animal populations. Its recent prevalence in river buffaloes has been estimated as higher as 33.7%. In emergent countries like Pakistan, there is likeliness of human-livestock interfaces extensively and lacking of effective preventive measures that illustrate the risk of spreading the infection at a remarkable rate. The river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is an upkeep host of Mycobacterium bovis and is responsible for disease transmission among buffaloes and other livestock species. In this study, potential molecular biomarkers in the Interferon-gamma gene (IFNg) were identified after genomic screening of river buffaloes. Unique genomic loci in river buffalo proved the novelty of the genomic structure of this phenomenal animal but also highlighted its significance in natural immunity against the Mycobacterium. A total of eight single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified in the coding region of IFNg. The SNPs in the exonic region were all transitions, i.e., the conversion of purines to purines. These SNPs were analyzed for Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium, chi2 test, gene diversity, and protein structural conformation. Pathway analysis in tuberculosis revealed that IFNg inhibits the antigen-presenting cells (APC) through JAK and STAT pathways. Network analysis of IFNg proteins in both species showed strong associations among the immunity-related proteins (interleukins, tissue necrosis factors) and receptors of interferons. The identified polymorphic sites might be novel-potentiated markers for the selection of animals with superior immune response against bTB and can be exploited as promising genomic sites for breeding the resistant animal herds to combat Mycobacterium infection in a long run.
Highlights
Bovine tuberculosis is a widespread infectious disorder affecting animals as well as humans
The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the interferon-gamma gene in Nili Ravi buffalo
Among all the eight SNPs identified, four were transitions (p:274G > A, p:294 T > C, p:336G > A, and p:342 T > C) and remaining were transversions (p:264G > C, p:433 T > A, p:1441A > C, and p:1545G > C) (Table 3). p:294 T > C and p:433 T > A were nonsignificant (P < 0:05) and were obeying Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE). p:294 T > C was observed having the highest value for chi2; 0.243009 (>0.05)
Summary
Bovine tuberculosis is a widespread infectious disorder affecting animals as well as humans. A major cause of this infection is a slow-growing, obligatory bacterium, which exists inside the cells, Mycobacterium bovis. This microbe is referred to as a well-adapted and “successful” pathogen. Several countries have been affected by its devastation in terms of economic losses and reduced herd health at livestock farms [1]. Many advanced countries have opted for the use of pasteurization in order to reduce the spread of infection, but the disease continues to cause economic/production losses when poorly controlled. The Office International des Epizooties categorized bTB as a
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