Abstract
To determine whether an association between specific combinations of polymorphisms in the PrP gene of sheep and natural scrapie exists, we applied denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to analyze the PrP genes of 69 scrapie-affected and 176 healthy sheep predominantly of the Texel breed. We found six PrP allelic variants representing different combinations of polymorphisms at codons 136, 154, 171, and 211. Based on the triplet sequences present at codons 136, 154, and 171, these alleles were designated PrPVRQ, PrPARR, PrPARQ, PrPARH, PrPAHQ, and PrPARQQ211. Among the 245 sheep, 15 different PrP genotypes or allele pairs were present. The distribution of the allelic variants revealed that the PrPVRQ allele is associated with a high incidence of natural scrapie and the PrPARR allele with a low incidence. The PrPARQ and PrPARH alleles were not associated with disease incidence. Nevertheless, a number of scrapie-affected sheep were homozygous for the PrPARQ allele. Whether in these sheep factors other than the PrP genotype play a more decisive role in inducing the disease than in sheep with a PrPVRQ allele remains to be established. The frequencies of the PrPAHQ and the PrPARQQ211 alleles were too low to draw any conclusions.
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Belt, P.B.G.M., Bossers, A., Schreuder, B.E.C., Smits, M.A. (1996). PrP Allelic Variants Associated with Natural Scrapie. In: Gibbs, C.J. (eds) Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. Serono Symposia USA Norwell, Massachusetts. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2406-8_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2406-8_21
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