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Quantitative genetics in the study of virus-induced disease
Martin T Ferris1, Mark T Heise2
1Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Advances in Virus Research
|December 31, 2013
Summary
Host genetics significantly influence viral disease severity. Researchers explore experimental systems and animal models to overcome challenges in studying human genetic factors in viral infections.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Genetics
- Immunology
Background:
- Viral variants and host genetics are key determinants of infectious disease severity.
- Identifying host genetic factors in humans is challenging due to environmental variables, rare variants, temporal dynamics, and ethical limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the history and development of experimental approaches for identifying host genetic contributions to viral disease.
- To discuss recent advances in studying complex genetic networks underlying host responses to infection.
- To highlight the importance of animal models for investigating host genetics in viral infections.
Main Methods:
- Historical review of genetic association studies in human populations.
- Description of experimentally tractable systems for genetic research.
- Discussion of recent advances in network analysis for host-pathogen interactions.
Main Results:
- Experimental approaches have been developed to overcome limitations in human genetic studies.
- Insights into host genetic contributions to disease responses have been gained through various systems.
- Complex genetic networks influencing host responses to infection are increasingly investigable.
Conclusions:
- Robust animal models are crucial for directly controlling and assessing host genetic roles in viral infection outcomes.
- Connecting findings from experimental systems to human infections is essential for understanding disease.
- Further research into host-pathogen genetic interactions will advance infectious disease management.
Keywords:
AssociationComplex traitGWASGenetic mappingGenetic reference populationLinkageQTLViral diseaseMore Related Videos
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