Temporal dysregulation of genes in lamb testis cell during sheeppox virus infection

The present study was aimed to elucidate the host-virus interactions using RNA-Seq analysis at 1 h and 8 h of post-infection of sheeppox virus (SPPV) in lamb testis cell. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the underlying mechanisms linked to the host immune responses were obtained. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) illustrated the interaction between the DEGs and their involvement in cell signalling responses. Highly connected hubs viz. AURKA, CHEK1, CCNB2, CDC6 and MAPK14 were identified through PPI network analysis. IPA analysis showed that IL-6- and ERK5-mediated signalling pathways were highly enriched at both time points. The TP53 gene was identified to be the leading upstream regulator that directly responded to SPPV infection, resulting in downregulation at both time points. The study provides an overview of how the lamb testis genes and their underlying mechanisms link to growth and immune response during SPPV infection.

Automated summary

This study aimed to elucidate the host-virus interactions and underlying mechanisms in lamb testis cells infected with sheeppox virus (SPPV) at 1 h and 8 h post-infection using RNA-Seq analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their involvement in host immune responses were identified. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) revealed the interaction between DEGs and their role in cell signaling responses. Several highly connected hubs were identified, and IL-6- and ERK5-mediated signaling pathways were found to be highly enriched. The TP53 gene was identified as the leading upstream regulator responding to SPPV infection. Overall, this study provides an overview of lamb testis genes and their underlying mechanisms involved in growth and immune response during SPPV infection.