NR AOWB
AU Lühken,G.; Buschmann,A.; Groschup,M.H.; Erhardt,G.
TI Analysis of Prion Protein (PrP) Polymorphisms in German TSE-positive Sheep Flocks
QU International Conference - Prion diseases: from basic research to intervention concepts - TSE-Forum, 08.10.-10.10.2003, Gasteig, München - Poster session - DG-20
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB
Scrapie/TSE in sheep flocks is associated with polymorphisms at codons 136, 154 and 171 of the prion protein (PrP) gene, but the scrapie/TSE susceptibility of distinct genotypes seems to differ between breeds and also between countries. The aim of the study was to investigate this situation for German sheep of different breeds affected by scrapie/TSE.
The TSE-affected sheep were identified by immunoblot and/or immunohistochemistry. After DNA-extraction from brain tissue of TSE-positive sheep and tongue tissue or leukocytes of TSE-negative or clinical healthy flock mates, polymorphisms at codons 136 (A;V), 154 (H; R) and 171 (R; Q; H) were identified as haplotype by two restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses.
In TSE-positive flocks of breeds without the AHQ allele (i.e. composed of Suffolk, Deutsches Schwarzköpfiges Fleischschaf, Coburger Fuchsschaf), TSE-affected sheep had mainly the genotype ARQ/ARQ, while in flocks where the AHQ allele was present (i.e. Merinolandschaf, Texel), TSE-affected sheep had at least one AHQ allele. The VRQ allele, known to be most susceptible to natural scrapie/TSE, has not been found in any of TSE-positive sheep, although healthy/TSE-negative VRQ-sheep existed in some of the investigated flocks.
The results indicate that the sheep breed and/or the specific situation in a country has to be considered by selection against TSE-susceptibility on the basis of PrP genotypes.
AD G. Lühken, G. Erhardt, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Germany; A. Buschmann, M.H. Groschup, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals, Germany
SP englisch
PO Deutschland