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

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.

Identification of five allelic variants of the sheep PrP gene and their association with natural scrapie.

Scrapie is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of sheep that belongs to the group of prion diseases found in humans and animals. The host encoded prion protein (PrP) plays a central role in the disease process. In the PrP genes of man, mice and sheep, polymorphisms have been found that are associated with disease susceptibility and pathogenesis.