PLEK and infection: The 10 genes in milk somatic cells (MSC) showing the greatest increase in expression post infection between 5.6 and 3.2 fold (Table 2) play an important role in (i) immune and inflammatory response (NFKB1, TNFAIP6, BASP1, IRF1, PLEK, BATF3); (ii) the regulation of innate resistance to pathogens (PTX3); and (iii) the regulation of cell metabolism (CYTH4, SLC2A6, ARG2).