PrP genotype contributes to determining survival times of sheep with natural scrapie

1 Departments of Bacteriology and 2 Pathobiology and Epidemiology, DLO-Institute for Animal Science and Health (ID-DLO), PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands Several allelic variants of the sheep PrP gene are associated with scrapie susceptibility. However, it is not known whether, and to wh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of general virology 1996-10, Vol.77 (10), p.2669-2673
Main Authors: Bossers, Alex, Schreuder, Bram E. C, Muileman, Ida H, Belt, Peter B. G. M, Smits, Mari A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
DNA - analysis
Genotype
Polymorphism, Genetic
Prions - genetics
Scrapie - etiology
Scrapie - mortality
Sheep
Sheep Diseases - etiology
Sheep Diseases - mortality
Survivors
Time Factors
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Summary:1 Departments of Bacteriology and 2 Pathobiology and Epidemiology, DLO-Institute for Animal Science and Health (ID-DLO), PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands Several allelic variants of the sheep PrP gene are associated with scrapie susceptibility. However, it is not known whether, and to what extent, the PrP genotype contributes to determining survival times of scrapie sheep. We therefore determined the PrP genotype and life spans of over 50 Flemish and Swifter sheep within a single scrapie-affected flock. Eighty-three per cent of the scrapie sheep were homozygous for the PrP VQ allele (polymorphic amino acids at codons 136 and 171 are indicated) and these sheep died from scrapie at a mean age of 25 months. In sheep heterozygous for PrP VQ , development of scrapie was delayed or did not occur. Sheep with at least one PrP AR allele, including PrP VQ /PrP AR sheep, did not develop scrapie. No scrapie sheep were found without a PrP VQ allele. We conclude that the PrP genotype contributes to determining survival times of sheep with natural scrapie. Additionally, we describe two novel sheep PrP allelic variants. Received 26 February 1996; accepted 13 June 1996.
ISSN:0022-1317
1465-2099
DOI:10.1099/0022-1317-77-10-2669