ILLINOIS REFERENCE AND RESOURCES FAMILIES

Disease susceptibility continues to be a major cause of economic losses to dairy producers. This project aimed to identify the structure and organization of immune-response associated genes within the cattle major histocompatiblity complex by DNA sequencing. The specific objectives of this project were:

1) to identify and characterize genes and gene products that influence reproduction, disease resistance, milk and meat production efficiency, composition and quality;

2) to develop methods for statistical mapping and characterization of ecomomic trait loci using granddaughter, daughter, and other designs;

3) to develop methods to use molecular markers for quantitiative traits in applied breeding programs.

PUBLICATIONS:

Major histocompatibility complex class II DR-restricted memory CD4(+) T lymphocytes recognize conserved immunodominant epitopes of Anaplasma marginale major surface protein 1a. Brown W.C., T.C. McGuire, W. Mwangi, K.A. Kegerreis, H. Macmillan, H.A. Lewin and G.H. Palmer. 2002. Infection and Immunuty 70:5521-5532.

DNA encoded FLT3 ligand and GM-CSF increase dendritic cell recruitment to the inoculation site and enhance antigen-specific CD4+ T cell responses induced by DNA vaccination of outbred animals. Mwangi W., W.C. Brown, H.A. Lewin, C.J. Howard, J.C. Hope, T.V. Baszler, P. Caplazi, J. Abbot and G.H. Palmer. 2002. Journal of Immunology 169:3837-3846.

Detection of quantitative trait loci influencing dairy traits using a model for Longitudinal data. Rodriguez-Zas S.L., B.R. Southey, D.W. Heyen and H.A. Lewin. 2002. Journal of Dairy Science 85:2681-2691.

Interval and composite interval mapping of somatic cell score, milk yield and components in dairy cattle. Rodriguez-Zas S.L., B.R. Southey, D.W. Heyen and H.A. Lewin. 2002. Journal of Dairy Science 85:3081-3091.