Integrated transcriptomics, proteomics, and pathway enrichment analysis in the spleen and skin of chickens reveal tissue-specific roles for the Marek's disease virus conserved herpesvirus protein kinase.

ABSTRACT: Conserved herpesvirus protein kinases (CHPK) are conserved among the Orthoherpesviridae. Marek's disease virus (MDV) CHPK is dispensable for replication in chicken splenocytes but essential for replication in epithelial skin cells, where the virus is shed. We hypothesized that 1) MDV alters cellular gene expression in both tissues, 2) the responses differ between the spleen and skin, and 3) CHPK regulates these responses. To test these hypotheses, we collected spleen and epithelial skin tissues from chickens infected with wild-type MDV (vCHPKwt) or a CHPK-null MDV (vΔCHPK). RNA sequencing revealed significant differences in cellular gene expression between mock- and vCHPKwt-infected tissues. Pronounced differences were noted in the spleen, while the skin exhibited minimal changes. Function

SUBMITTER: Akbar H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12720345 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature