Sector of Immunogenetics of Pig.

(1) Staff:

• Victor I. Ermolaev, Ph.D., Head of the Sector
• Ivan G. Gorelov, Ph.D.
• Margarita A. Savina, Ph.D.
• Nataliay V. Ermakova.

(2) Subject of Research:

(3) General Results 1993-1995:

The main result was obtained in the studies of the expression of alpha-macrogobulin genes in pig. In population and families studies it was established, that in animals with allogroup AM1,2,3 and corresponding haplotype, allotype AM1 is absent in some cases (Yermolaev et al., 1992, Anim. Bred. Genet.,v.109, N 1,p.42-50). Such allogroup seems as incomplete (AM2,3). All this animals (about 50 from 500 with complete allogroup AM1,2,3) were heterozygotes, however. In special crosses were obtained offsprings from parents with incomplete allogroup AM2,3. Phenotypically some of them were AM1,2,3, i.e. they outwardly manifested allotype AM1. This is a case of inheritance and manifestation which is more similar to recessive, than codominant. Such pattern is relatively rare for AM1 gene of the AM1,2,3 haplotype. Codominance occurs in the majority of other crosses with the involvement of AM1,2,3, haplotype and four other identified early. This finding means, that there are factors and mechanisms, which repress constitutively expressed A2M gene, but not repress closely linked genes for A1M with markers AM2, and AM3. Because all observed cases were in heterozygotes, it is base for hypothesis , that one gene is suppressed by allelic to it. Expansion of family date and study of the mechanism of such deep repression is a main goal of our future investigation.

We have also some other fields of interests: population genetics of pig breeds, wild boars, selection of minipig, traslocation 16/17, genetic control of immunoglobulins and lipoproteins (see list of publications).

(4) Publication:

1. Graphodatsky A.S., Biltueva L.S., Filippov V.A., Eremina V.R., Lushnikova T.P., Shumny T.V., Ermolaev V.I. (1993). Localization of ESD and A2M genes to Sheep chromosome 3 by in situ hybridization. Cytogenetics and Cell Genetics 62:156-158.
2. Gorelov I.G., Savina M.A., Biltueva L.S. (1994). Immuno- and cytogenetic monitoring under selection of laboratory mini-pig. Genetika 30(Suppl):35. (Rus.)
3. Ermolaev V.I., Savina M.A., Mitichashvili R.S., Gorelov I.G. (1995). Low expression of certain serum protein alloantigens participating in specific and non specific immunity in pig. In: 46-th Annual Meeting of the European association for animal production. Prague, Chechia, p.293.
4. Gorelov I.G. (1994). Incidence of antibodies of pig A blood group system in the sera of certain animals indigenous to the Altai mountains. In: 25 Inter. Conf. of Anim. Genet., Prague, p.A05.
5. Gorelov I.G. (1994). Biology of wild boars in Siberia. Novosibirsk, CGI.
6. Ermolaev V.I., Popova N.A., Bovkun L.A., Tsertsvadze D.K., Savina M.A. (1995). Shift of concentration of two mink serum alpha-macroglobulins under artificial infection with Aleutian disease virus (ADV). In: 4th Vet. Imm. Symp., Davis, USA. p.Ab409.
7. Ermolaev V.I., Savina M.A., Skosirsky S.V. (1995). Relationship between Mustelidae and Phocidae families: an immunogenetic aspect. In: 2nd European Congres of Mammology. Southampton, England.
8. Gorelov I.G., Savina M.A., Ermolaev V.I. (1995). Morphological and immunogenetic features boars of Siberia. In: 2nd European Congress of Mammalogy. Southampton, England.
9. Savina M.A., Skosyrski S.V., Gorelov I.G., Ermolaev V.I. (1995). Gradients in the concentrations of Lpr1 and G1 allotypes in the sera of allotypes in the sera of some wild boar subspecies from Europe and Asia. In: 2nd European Congress of Mammalogy. Southampton, England.
10. Gorelov I.G. (1995). A comparative estimation of certain adjuvants in immunization of pigs with erytrocyte antigens. In: 4-th Veterinary Immunology Simposium. Davis, USA.
11. Gorelov I.G., Orlova G.V., Savina M.A., Ermakova N.V., Kaldybaev S.U. (1995). Immunogenetic analysis of Semirechenskaya pig breed. In: 46-th Annual Meeting of the Europ. association for animal production. Prague, Chechia.
12. Savina M.A., Gorelov I.G., Orlova G.V., Ermakova N.V., Novikov A.A., Ermolaev V.I. (1995). Immunogenetic pecularities of Tsivilskaya pig breed. In: 46-th Annual Meeting of the European association for animal production. Prague, Chechia.
13. Mitichashvili R.S., Savina M.A., Gorelov I.G., Ermolaev V.I. (1995). Low expression of certain serum protein alloantigens participating in specific and non specific immunity in pig. In: Abs. of 4-th Veterinary Immunology Simposium, Davis, USA.

(5) Participation in State and International Programs:

• State program "New Trends in Genetics" (2 grants)
• Regional programm "Siberia"

(6) Subjects of Scientific Collaboration:

At present we can allotype more than 20 allotypes of pig serum proteins, and about 50 blood group antigenes. Their majority has a classical codominant pattern of inheritance and expression. There are increasing evidences for nonstandard behaviour of some markers. We observed weaker expression of some allotypes, which in genetic terms appears as a recessive marker. We established such cases for two allotypes of AM-system of alpha-macroglobulins, one allotype of IgGH system of immunoglobulins and one alotype of alphaglobulin. Those facts indicate that there are a strong repression of certain alloantigens under natural conditions. In heterozygotes alloantigenic expression differs significantly from equaly expressed, postulated by classical immunigenetics. We proposed that mechamisms of observed phenoumenon may be an immunological supression or the gene imprinting. In both cases asymmetrical profile expression of allelic genes in heterozygotes pigs produce deviation from basal levels of some proteins and may effect functional activity corresponding systems of specific and non specific immunity in pig.

Studies of pig with repressed allotypes are intresting from practical point of view (selection for resistence), as well as from theoretical (investigation of gene expression). Both those directions may be the subjects for joint investigation.