Eimeria tenella is a parasitic disease that has the greatest economic impact on poultry production. It has produced about $800 million lost worldwide and $450 million for the American broiler industry. It infects the chicken’s ceca causing lesions and resulting in lack of weight gain. This research was designed to evaluate whether amino acid transported system is affected by Eimeria tenella. Ross Heritage broilers were divided in two treatment groups: control and infected (10,000 oocysts). Both groups had food (23% protein crumbles) and water ad libitum. Each group had 36 birds infected on day 21 post-hatch and ceca samples were collected to 6 birds from each group at days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14. Genes expression of APN, ATB0, +, B0AT, EAAT3, rBAT on the brushborder membrane and CAT1, LAT1, SNAT1, SNAT2 and y+LAT1 on the basolateral membrane of the gut lumen were measured. The samples were processed by extraction of RNA DNase treatment, cDNA synthesis, and qRT-PCR via absolute quantitation. By day 7 of infection there was a decrease in expression of every gene, but SNAT 2. These results showed that amino acids are not getting into the gut epithelial cells on infected birds, causing lack of weight.

mRNA expression of amino acid transporters in Eimeria tenella infected broilers

249th National Meeting (2015)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.