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Genetic regulation of resistance to intracellular pathogens

Nature volume 297, pages 506–509 (1982)Cite this article

Abstract

Natural resistance of mice to infections with Salmonella typhimurium and Leishmania donovani is regulated by chromosome 1 gene(s) designated Ity and Lsh, respectively1,2. Given the fact that these two microorganisms are taxonomically and antigenically distinct, and yet the host response to them is regulated by the same locus or complex3,4, one might expect that the resistance to other intracellular pathogens would be controlled similarly. Innate resistance of inbred mice to infection with Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) is regulated by a single, dominant, autosomal gene designated Bcg which is known to exist in two allelic forms: resistant Bcgr and susceptible Bcgs (ref. 5). The distribution of Bcgr and Bcgs alleles, among a total of 14 inbred and 38 recombinant inbred (BXD and BXH) strains, matches exactly that established for resistant and susceptible alleles of Lsh (gene controlling resistance to Leishmania donovani) and Ity (gene controlling resistance to Salmonella typhimurium), suggesting that resistance to all these pathogens is controlled by the same chromosome 1 locus. The existence of such a chromosomal locus is further supported by the Bcg–Lsh and Bcg–Ity linkage as established by formal backcross analysis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Montreal General Hospital Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1A4, Canada

    Emil Skamene, Philippe Gros & Carole St Charles

  2. Département de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Adrien Forget

  3. Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1Y6, Canada

    Patricia A. L. Kongshavn

  4. Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609, USA

    Benjamin A. Taylor

Authors
  1. Emil Skamene
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  2. Philippe Gros
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  3. Adrien Forget
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  4. Patricia A. L. Kongshavn
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  5. Carole St Charles
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  6. Benjamin A. Taylor
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Skamene, E., Gros, P., Forget, A. et al. Genetic regulation of resistance to intracellular pathogens. Nature 297, 506–509 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/297506a0

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