By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis – A team of scientists led by Washington University in St. Louis has identified a counterpart gene in chickens that aids the human immune system. Researchers believe the findings will lead to more effective methods of fighting disease.
The team identified a gene in chickens that controls a protein called interleukin 26, which is also found in the human immune response system.
LaDeana Hillier with Washington University's Genome Sequencing Center says the findings are promising in light of the avian flu epidemic that's ravaging Southeast Asia.
"Fortunately, the genome sequence is expected to help us discover genes that give us enhanced natural resistance to infection in birds, and thus we can hopefully better understand and develop new vaccine strategies," Hillier said. "It's probably not today or tomorrow, but hopefully soon."
The findings of the study are reported in the December 9 edition of the journal Nature.