The duck genome and transcriptome provide insight into an avian influenza virus reservoir species

Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2013 papers

Abstract

The duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is one of the principal natural hosts of influenza A viruses. We present the duck genome sequence and perform deep transcriptome analyses to investigate immune-related genes. Our data indicate that the duck possesses a contractive immune gene repertoire, as in chicken and zebra finch, and this repertoire has been shaped through lineage-specific duplications. We identify genes that are responsive to influenza A viruses using the lung transcriptomes of control ducks and ones that were infected with either a highly pathogenic (A/duck/Hubei/49/05) or a weakly pathogenic (A/goose/Hubei/65/05) H5N1 virus. Further, we show how the duck's defense mechanisms against influenza infection have been optimized through the diversification of its β-defensin and butyrophilin-like repertoires. These analyses, in combination with the genomic and transcriptomic data, provide a resource for characterizing the interaction between host and influenza viruses.

Related Papers

• → Seasonal nutrition variability and trophic differentiation of ducks on Baikal(2020)1 cited
• Seasonal dynamics of the invasive cycle of nematodes and acanthocephalans in the wild (Anas platyrhynchos L.) and domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos f. dom.).(1990)
• → Experimental West Nile Virus Infection in Aigamo Ducks, A Cross between Wild Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and Domestic Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos var. domesticus)(2009)
• → A Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, increase in the Maritimes: Implications to Black Ducks, Anas rubripes(1995)