Transcriptional response of bovine moncocyte-derived macrophages to infection with strains of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) are important pathogens of cattle, causing bovine tuberculosis and Johne’s disease respectively. M. bovis and MAP infect residential macrophages in the lung and intestines respectively and subvert the macrophage biology to create a survival niche. To investigate this interaction we simultaneously studied the transcriptional response of bovine monocyte-derived macrophages to infection with two strains of M. bovis (AF2122/97 and G18) and two strains of MAP (C & L1). 120 samples were analysed in total; derived from six biological replicates (i.e. cells isolated from six cattle). Cells were left uninfected (medium only controls) or infected with either a M. bovis strain (AF2122/97 or G18) or a MAP strain (C or L1). Cells were harvested at 2, 6, 24 and 48h post infection.