Enhancing the resilience of the pork industry: A genome wide screen for key cellular factors in African swine fever virus entry and their potential applications

Lead Applicant: Ray Lu

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 1

Funding Cycle: 2024/2025

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) represents a critical threat to the pork industry. To address this, the proposed research utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to conduct a genome wide screen in swine IPAM cells to identify cellular proteins essential for ASFV entry. A safe model without live ASFV will be established, which mimics early viral infection. The functional nature of identified cellular proteins will be assessed. Applications of these findings to breeding ASFV-resistant pigs, vaccine development, and devising therapeutic strategies will be explored. The outcome of this study will bolster the pork industry's readiness against ASFV, enhancing the sustainability and productivity of the agri-food sector in Ontario.