3 key genes in carnivores that are critical for gut health were found to have lost their function

[Grim Reaper 6]

Carnivorous animals lack key genes needed to detect and respond to infection by pathogens, a study has found.

Farming large numbers of carnivores, like mink, could allow the formation of undetected ‘disease reservoirs,’ in which a pathogen could spread to many animals and mutate to become a risk to human health. Research led by the University of Cambridge has discovered that carnivores have a defective immune system, which makes them likely to be asymptomatic carriers of disease-causing pathogens. Three key genes in carnivores that are critical for gut health were found to have lost their function. If these genes were working, they would produce protein complexes called inflammasomes to activate inflammatory responses and fight off pathogens. The study was published recently in the journal Cell Reports.

https://scitechdaily.com/farmed-carnivores-may-become-hidden-disease-reservoirs-posing-risk-to-human-health/