Project Number: 5428-32630-011-01
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Dec 06, 2006
End Date: Aug 01, 2010

Objective:
To identify genetic markers associated with susceptibility or resistance to larkspur poisoning in cattle, using methyllycaconitine (MLA) toxicity in mice. The identification of markers in mice will provide the basis for future experiments to identify genetic factors that correlate with resistance to larkspur toxicity in cattle.

Approach:
The LD50 of MLA in numerous strains of mice will be determined using a modified up and down method. The LD50 data will be utilized as the phenotypic data to be analyzed with a computer algorithm to identify genetic polymorphisms that correlate with the phenotypic differences observed in the strains. The genetic differences will be confirmed by resequencing the identified genes in the resistant and susceptible strains. Whereupon, additional toxicity studies will be performed to validate the role of the discovered factor(s) in regulating susceptibility/resistance to MLA toxicity.