Liver Transcriptome Responses to Heat Stress and NDV Infection in Genetically Distinct Chicken Inbred Lines

Heat stress results in reduced productivity, anorexia and mortality in chickens. The objective of the study was to identify genes and signal pathways associated with heat stress in chicken livers through RNA-Seq analysis using two highly inbred chicken lines (Leghorn and Fayoumi). This study offers more information on the liver transcriptome profile to provide a better understanding of how chickens respond to heat stress in the relatively heat resilient and susceptible inbred chicken lines. By focusing on differential gene expression with treatments of these two lines, this research showed that Leghorns mainly performed metabolic regulation while Fayoumis regulated both immune and metabolic functions in response to heat stress and NDV infection. Some genes such as solute carrier family genes could be potential genetic targets regulated by Fayoumis to maintain physical hemostasis with heat stress.