Differential Transcriptional Response To Staphylococcus aureus Infection In Two Divergent Lines Of Sheep Selected On Milk Somatic Cell Score

Abstract

The milk somatic cell score (SCS) is an indirect indicator of mastitis, currently used as a selection criterion of dairy ruminants that leads to decreased intra-mammary infection prevalence. In the present study, gene expression profiles after Staphylococcus stimulations were determined in three cell types of mastitis resistant and susceptible ewes. The comparisons of the lists of the differentially-expressed genes allowed identification of commonly-regulated genes among cell types. These results lead to identify a subset of genes involved in pathogen-related receptor signaling. These genes may play an important role in recognition of pathogens and may improve resistance to intramammary infections.