IDENTIFICATION OF SELECTION SIGNATURES FOR RESPONSE TO ALEUTIAN MINK DISEASE VIRUS INFECTION USING WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCE DATA

Abstract

Aleutian disease (AD) has been a devastating disease in the mink industry, while our knowledge about the genetic background of American mink (Neovison vison) response against Aleutian mink disease virus (ADMV) is limited. This thesis aimed to identify candidate regions and genes involved in the response against AMDV. A total of 85 American mink genotyped by whole genome sequencing (WGS) assay were grouped in three studies based on counter immunoelecterophoresis (CIEP), VP2 ELISA, and AMDV-G ELISA tests records. Signatures of selection were identified using fixation index (FST), nucleotide diversity (θπ), and cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) tests. A total of 342 candidate regions harboring 130 genes were detected. We identified genes related to immune response (e.g., RAB32), heart (e.g., CAP2), respiratory (e.g., RXFP1), reproduction (e.g., CFAP206), and nervous (e.g., CEP85L) system functions and development. Our findings highlight the molecular basis of the selection process against AMDV infection in American mink.