Influence of Maternal BLV Infection on miRNA and tRF Expression in Calves.

Small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNA) and tRNA-derived fragments (tRF), are known to be involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Research has provided evidence that small RNAs may influence immune development in calves. Bovine leukosis is a disease in cattle caused by Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) that leads to increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens.

Identification of BoLA Alleles Associated with BLV Proviral Load in US Beef Cows.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) causes enzootic bovine leukosis, the most common neoplastic disease in cattle. Previous work estimates that 78% of US beef operations and 38% of US beef cattle are seropositive for BLV. Infection by BLV in a herd is an economic concern for producers as evidence suggests that it causes an increase in cost and a subsequent decrease in profit to producers.