Transcriptome analysis in bursa tissue of chicken lines under NDV infection and heat stress

Using two genetically distinct and highly inbred layer lines, Fayoumi and Leghorn, we explored how different genetic backgrounds affect the bursal response to a treatment of simultaneous Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection at 6 days post-infection while under chronic heat stress. The bursa is a primary lymphoid organ within birds and is crucial for the development of B cells. We performed RNA-seq targeting histone modifications on bursa tissue collected at 6DPI from both lines in order to compare and identify genes associated with NDV resistance under heat stress.