Comparative Genomic Analysis of Warthog and Sus Scrofa Identifies Adaptive Genes Associated with African Swine Fever

Wen Feng; Lei Zhou; Pengju Zhao; Heng Du; Chenguang Diao; Yu Zhang; Zhen Liu; Wenjiao Jin; Jian Yu; Jianlin Han; Edward Okoth; Raphael Mrode; Jian-Feng Liu

doi:10.3390/biology12071001

Biology (Jul 2023)

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Warthog and Sus Scrofa Identifies Adaptive Genes Associated with African Swine Fever

Wen Feng,
Lei Zhou,
Pengju Zhao,
Heng Du,
Chenguang Diao,
Yu Zhang,
Zhen Liu,
Wenjiao Jin,
Jian Yu,
Jianlin Han,
Edward Okoth,
Raphael Mrode,
Jian-Feng Liu

Affiliations

Wen Feng: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Lei Zhou: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Pengju Zhao: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Heng Du: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Chenguang Diao: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yu Zhang: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Zhen Liu: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Wenjiao Jin: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Jian Yu: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Jianlin Han: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Edward Okoth: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Raphael Mrode: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Jian-Feng Liu: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12071001
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 7
p. 1001

Abstract

Read online

Background: As warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) have innate immunity against African swine fever (ASF), it is critical to understand the evolutionary novelty of warthogs to explain their specific ASF resistance. Methods: Here, we present two completed new genomes of one warthog and one Kenyan domestic pig as fundamental genomic references to elucidate the genetic mechanisms of ASF tolerance. Results: Multiple genomic variations, including gene losses, independent contraction, and the expansion of specific gene families, likely molded the warthog genome to adapt to the environment. Importantly, the analysis of the presence and absence of genomic sequences revealed that the DNA sequence of the warthog genome had an absence of the gene lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) on chromosome 2 compared with the reference genome. The overexpression and siRNA of LDHB inhibited the replication of the African swine fever virus. Combined with large-scale sequencing data from 42 pigs worldwide, the contraction and expansion of tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) gene families revealed that TRIM family genes in the warthog genome are potentially responsible for its tolerance to ASF. Conclusion: Our results will help improve the understanding of genetic resistance to ASF in pigs.

Published in Biology

ISSN: 2079-7737 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/biology

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords