A University of Guelph researcher has been studying the genes associated with immune responsiveness in
pigs to help to develop healthier animals. Prof. Bonnie Mallard of the Ontario Veterinary College’s
Department of Pathobiology wanted to develop some lines of pigs where she knew exactly what the genes were at the very important genetic locus known as the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). A locus is a position on a chromosome, the threadlike structures found in the cell’s nucleus, which carry genetic information in the form of genes. Genes within this locus are very important in regulating
immune response and disease resistance.