The Feline Major Histocompatibility Complex

Authors

  • Katrina Marie Morris

Abstract

The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a region of the genome encoding genes essential to the immune system. The cat MHC has been recently sequenced and analysed, which will allow for future research into the diversity and associations of feline MHC genes. This will have applications in both cats and other felids such as cheetahs. The cheetah MHC is of interest to researchers due to its very low polymorphism as deduced from skin graft experimentation. This lack of MHC diversity has resulted in difficulties with breeding cheetahs in captivity. Development of MHC-linked markers will enable us to determine the polymorphism of cheetah MHC alleles and will have applications in studying mating preferences. A link between mating preferences and MHC loci has been established in a range of species, but has not yet been studied in any feline species. MHC-linked markers will also have applications in studying the association between particular MHC genes and feline diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus and feline diabetes. This will have an influence on the prevention and treatment of both feline and human disease

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Published

2009-07-28

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2009)

Section

Review Article

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