Genetic Resistance to Mycobacterium Bovis in Cattle

Bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, remains a persistent threat to animal health, agricultural economies and public health. Variability in disease susceptibility among cattle breeds and individuals has prompted investigations into the host genomic architecture that underpins resistance. Genetic resistance arises from allelic variation influencing innate and adaptive immune pathways, with contributions from cytokine signalling, pathogen recognition receptors and antigen processing machinery. Selective breeding programmes aim to incorporate resistance traits alongside production characteristics, drawing on genomic information to estimate breeding values. Advances in high-throughput genotyping, whole-genome sequencing and transcriptomics have accelerated the identification of candidate genes and genomic regions associated with reduced disease severity and enhanced immune responsiveness. Integrative approaches that combine genome-wide association analysis, expression quantitative trait loci mapping and functional studies in cultured macrophages are revealing networks of genes that modulate macrophage activation, interferon-γ production and granuloma formation. Ultimately, translating these findings into breeding decisions offers a complementary strategy for control of bovine tuberculosis, reduces reliance on culling and vaccination and contributes to one health objectives.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have leveraged whole-genome sequencing and functional genomics to elucidate the genetic determinants of resistance. One investigation applied integrative genomics to peripheral blood transcriptomes and dense SNP panels from infected and control animals, identifying thousands of cis-eQTLs that modulate expression of immune-related genes. A transcriptome-wide association study highlighted over a hundred candidate genes, including regulators of macrophage activation and antigen processing, which correlate with susceptibility phenotypes. Another work compared the genomes of African zebu breeds, noted for lower bovine tuberculosis incidence, with European taurine breeds. Selection signature analyses pinpointed deleterious missense variants and copy-number differences in key innate-immunity genes such as TLR2, IFNGR1 and IRAK4, implicating these loci in differential resistance. These studies converge on pathways governing cytokine signalling and granuloma formation, providing a refined set of targets for genetic improvement programmes.

Genetic Resistance to Mycobacterium Bovis in Cattle publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in genetic resistance to mycobacterium bovis in cattle across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): A single base-pair variation in the genome that may affect gene function or regulation.

Quantitative trait locus (QTL): A genomic region containing genetic variants that contribute to variation in a quantitative phenotype.

Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL): A locus at which genetic variation influences the expression level of one or more genes.

Genome-wide association study (GWAS): An analysis that scans the genome for SNPs associated with a particular trait across a population.

Heritability: The proportion of phenotypic variance in a trait attributable to genetic differences among individuals.

References

1. Integrative genomics sheds light on the immunogenetics of tuberculosis in cattle. Communications Biology (2025).
2. Exploring the genetic factors behind the discrepancy in resistance to bovine tuberculosis between African zebu cattle and European taurine cattle. Scientific Reports (2024).
3. Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Quantitative Trait Loci and Candidate Genes Associated with High Interferon-gamma Production in Holstein Cattle Naturally Infected with Mycobacterium Bovis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
4. A genome-wide association study for genetic susceptibility to Mycobacterium bovis infection in dairy cattle identifies a susceptibility QTL on chromosome 23. Genetics Selection Evolution (2016).