2008 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Porcine respiratory and the reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) Host Genetics Consortium: A proposal to develop a consortium to study the role of host genetics and resistance to PRRSV infection. 1. Use genotyping and phenotyping tools to determine if there are host genes controlling resistance/susceptibility to fPRRSV infection 2. Verify genetic variation in response to PRRSV, via improved health, survivability and growth 3. Identify relative importance of different phenotypes and their heritability, that predict respons to PRRSV infection. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) This is a multi-year program project that is funded by a consortium representing the National Pork Board (NPB), USDA and private companies. The consortium represents the first-of-its-kind approach to food animal infectious disease research. Even though the budget is for one year it is expected that the NPB will suppport the project at a similar level for a total of three years. Additional funds could be available from the USDA, CSREES, PRRS CAP2 grant. Companies are expeccted to support the project at a level of $1 million for the three year period. Most of the contributions will be in-kind. Funding for the first year is in two parts. The first is the infection and sample collection from pigs, which will be conducted at K-State. The second part is the allocation of funding for two subcontracts. One subcontrct will involve the creation of a relational database (Iowa State); the second will be cytokine testing and sample cataloging (ARS, USDA). 3.Progress Report The PRRS Host Genetics Consortium was established. With National Pork Board (NPB) funding, BARC APDL scientists have been working with Kansas State University, Iowa State University, and University of Nebraska scientists to study the role of host genetics and resistance to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) infection. Using a Nursery Pig Model, the first infections are planned for August 2008 at the Kansas State animal facility. All samples will be barcoded and a subset sent to BARC for testing of serum cytokine responses and for DNA preparations for later genotyping. A Central Consortium relational database has been designed by Iowa State and BARC scientists to track data associated with each pig and each biologic sample for the thousands of pig samples collected over the course of the PRRS Host Genetics Consortium project. It will be a data repository for. 1)all pig genotypic data, including parentage information, date of birth, allelic information [the genotypic information, microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data],. 2)sample barcodes for access to location and availability, and. 3)all phenotypic information, e.g., results of all assays performed on each sample (e.g., viral, antibody and cytokine levels at each sampling point). The database is now being tested using data collected previously through the PRRS CAP1 funded “Big Pig” set of samples are being used as a “data training set”. The Consortium database will be secure; all data collected through the project will be available to project members prior to publication and then to general public after original publication. This national project will help to identify the role of host genes in PRRSV resistance or susceptibility as well as the ability of some pigs to grow normally despite being PRRSV infected. It should help pig breeding companies to identify and provide more disease resistant pigs to producers. Disseminating progress on this grant is through regular email and phone contact with the participating labs and pig breeding companies discussing project plans, reviewing database design and presentation options. This research conforms to National Program 103 Component II. Genetic and Biological Determinants of Disease Susceptibility c) Mucosal Diseases of Livestock and Poultry, and Component IV. Countermeasures to Prevent and Control Respiratory Diseases b) Porcine Respiratory Diseases.