**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CATTLE ARE IMPORTANT FOOD ANIMALS AND ARE ALSO RAISED TO PRODUCE MILK IN THE US AND THE WORLD. BOVINE HERPESVIRUS 1 (BOHV-1)NORMALLY INFECT CATTLE VIA THE NOSE, EYE, MOUTH: HOWEVER, BOHV-1 CAN ALSO BE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED. VIRUS GROWTH IN CATTLE CANLEAD TO REDDENING OF THE EYES AND NOSE, FEVER, SEVERE NASAL CONGESTION, SWELLING OF THE UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT, AND TEMPORARYIMMUNE SUPPRESSION. CONSEQUENTLY, INFECTED ANIMALS BECOME ILL AND DO NOT EAT OR DRINK VERY MUCH, WHICH COMPLICATES RECOVERYFROM INFECTION. BOHV-1 IS ALSO A COFACTOR OF BOVINE RESPIRATORY DISEASE (BRD), THE MOST IMPORTANT DISEASE IN CATTLE, WHICH COSTSCATTLE PRODUCERS IN THE US MORE THAN ONE BILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR IN LOSSES. BRD CAN LEAD TO LIFE-THREATENING LUNG INFECTIONS,PNEUMONIA. BOHV-1 INFECTIONS CAN ALSO CAUSE ABORTIONS IN PREGNANT CATTLE. DURING VIRAL GROWTH, BOHV-1 SPREADS TO THEPERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM WHERE IT ESTABLISHES AND MAINTAINS A LIFE-LONG LATENT INFECTION IN SENSORY NEURONS. DURING LATENCY, THEVIRUS DOES NOT GROW BUT IT PERSISTS IN LATENTLY INFECTED NEURONS. STRESS, AS A RESULT OF DRAMATIC WEATHER CHANGES AND SHIPPINGCATTLE LONG DISTANCES, CAN TRIGGER BOHV-1 TO GROW (REACTIVATION FROM LATENCY). THE FOCUS OF STUDIES IN THIS GRANT IS TO UNDERSTANDHOW BOHV-1 ESTABLISHES AND MAINTAINS LATENT INFECTIONS IN NEURONS. RECENT STUDIES REVEALED THE VIRUS REPROGRAMS EXPRESSIONOF CERTAIN BOVINE GENES IN NEURONS TO PREVENT CELL DEATH, ENSURE LATENTLY INFECTED NEURONS PERFORM NORMAL FUNCTIONS, ANDINTERFERE WITH VIRAL GENE EXPRESSION FOLLOWING LOW LEVELS OF STRESS. UNDERSTANDING THESE PROCESSES WILL ALLOW US TO DEVELOP NEWSTRATEGIES TO MANIPULATE THE VIRUS AND DEVELOP VACCINE VIRUSES THAT DO NOT RESPOND TO STRESS AND REACTIVATE FROM LATENCY. THISMAY REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF DISEASE CAUSED BY BOHV-1, IN PARTICULAR BRD.