573METHYLATION ANALYSIS OF FUT1 PROMOTER AND ITS EFFECT ON GENE EXPRESSION IN WEANED PIGLETSEscherichia coli (E. coli) F18 is mainly responsible for post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) in piglets. Resistance to E. coli F18 depends on expression of receptors on intestinal epithelial cells. FUT1 gene plays an important role in catalysing the formation of E. coli F18 receptor in porcine intestinal tissue. To probe into the molecular mechanisms of E. coli F18 resistance in weaned piglets, we detected the mRNA expression and methylation level in Sutai E. coli F18-resistant and susceptible individuals by qPCR and Bisulfite ampliconsequencing (BSAS). Results showed that the expression of FUT1 was not significant in intestinal tissues of resistant individuals and susceptible individuals (p>0.05), meanwhile there was no significant correlation between methylation status and mRNA expression of FUT1 gene. Therefore, we speculated the activity of FUT1 enzyme might have no concern with its expression level.wbbao@yzu.edu.cnResearch752017Escherichia coli F18,FUT1,MethylationSen Wu,Shiqin Wang, Jiayun Wu,Shenglong Wu,Wenbin BaoKey Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China,Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China,Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China,Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China,Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics, Breeding, Reproduction and Molecular Design, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China