Award details

Quantification of host and pathogen RNA and DNA using real time PCR technology

Reference	REI20610
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Anthony Nash
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Edinburgh
Department	Veterinary Pathology
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	32,857
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/10/2003
End date	31/03/2004
Duration	6 months

Abstract

Real time PCR technology has become an essential tool in microbiology research. The ability to quantify gene expression during microbial infection has enabled detailed pictures to emerge of how microbes cause disease and how they persist in the host. Application of real time PCR underpins many of the microbiology research programmes in Edinburgh. This includes a) the work of several groups investigating mechanisms of gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis and persistence. Examples include the role of novel genes of ovine herpesvirus-2 and murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) in viral pathogenesis (host evasion strategies) and latency. b) The application of real time PCR to validate gene expression profiles derived from microarray experiments currently ongoing in a number of systems. This includes pathogenesis of Mareks disease virus infection of chickens, the neuropathology associated with scrapie infection and the innate immune evasion strategies of MHV-68. Using these systems it will be possible to exploit gene expression at the single cell level in order to define the dynamic state of virus latency. c) Defining the tropism and molecular basis of persistence associated with E coli O157:H7 in cattle. d) Molecular basis of disease caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, the intracellular pathogen that is the causative agent of infectious intestinal hyperplasma of pigs and other species. e) Epidemiology, diagnosis and evolution of blood borne viruses. This involves interaction with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service on small single-strand DNA (SSSDNA) viruses. A recent collaboration between the SNBTS and Edinburgh virologists has been to examine the diversity of SSSDNA viruses in veterinary species e.g. porcine circovirus. In all of these studies access to real time PCR technology has become a routine requirement for progressing these and other research programmes. Therefore the request for REI support for a Roche LightCycler real time PCR machine is viewed as essential for maintaining virology and bacteriology research in Edinburgh at an internationally competitive level.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Research Equipment Initiative 2003 (RE2) [2003]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search