Comparative analysis of the Shadoo gene between cattle and buffalo reveals significant differences.

ABSTRACT:

Background

While prions play a central role in the pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, the biology of these proteins and the pathophysiology of these diseases remain largely unknown. Since no case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has ever been reported in buffalo despite their phylogenetic proximity to cattle, genetic differences may be driving the different susceptibilities of these two species to BSE. We thus hypothesized that differences in expression of the most recently identified member of the prion family or Shadoo (SPRN) gene may relate to these species-specific differences.

Principal findings

We first analyzed and compared the polymorphisms of the SPRN gene (~4.4 kb), including the putative promoter, coding and 3' regions, and further

SUBMITTER: Zhao H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3468620 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature