PrP genetics in ruminant transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

Wilfred Goldmann

Scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and chronic wasting disease (CWD) are prion diseases in ruminants with considerable impact on animal health and welfare. They can also pose a risk to human health and control is therefore an important issue. Prion protein (PrP) genetics may be used to control and eventually eradicate animal prion diseases. The PrP gene in sheep and other representatives of the order Artiodactyles has many polymorphisms of which several are crucial determinants of susceptibility to prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). This review will present the current understanding of PrP genetics in ruminants highlighting similarity and difference between the species in the context of TSE.

Mots clés: scrapie; transmissible spongiform encephalopathy; PrP; genetics; ruminant

Domaines: Biologie moléculaire; Génétique animale; Biologie cellulaire; Interactions cellulaires [q-bio.CB]; Microbiologie et Parasitologie; Immunologie; Neurosciences [q-bio.NC]; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Biologie animale

Wilfred Goldmann. PrP genetics in ruminant transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Veterinary Research, 2008, 39 (4), pp.1-14. ⟨10.1051/vetres:2008010⟩. ⟨hal-00902911⟩