Distribution of prion protein genotypes in breeds of sheep in New Zealand |
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Authors: | MA Lee TR Manley BC Glass RM Anderson SJ Wilson JS O'Keefe |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Economics , University of Otago , Dunedin, PO Box 56, New Zealand;2. AgResearch, Invermay Agricultural Centre , Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel, New Zealand E-mail: tim.manley@agresearch.co.nz;3. Investigation and Diagnostic Centre Wallaceville , Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry , PO Box 40742, Upper Hutt, New Zealand |
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Abstract: | AIM: To use an established high through-put genotyping procedure to gain an estimate of the frequency of alleles of the prion protein (PrP) gene in some common sheep breeds in New Zealand. METHODS: Using a genotyping procedure based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight (MALDI-TOF), DNA samples from 3,024 sheep from New Zealand, including breeds such as Romney, Texel, Coopworth, Merino and mixedbreed, were isolated, genotyped and the results analysed. RESULTS: The 15 scrapie genotypes commonly reported, and derived from the five commonly reported allelic variants (ARR, ARQ, AHQ, ARH and VRQ), were all observed in the samples analysed. The estimates were indicative of the frequencies in the population of alleles present in breeds of sheep in New Zealand. There was a significant difference between the frequencies of alleles between breeds, but the ARQ, followed by the ARR allele, were, except in Carwell sheep, the most common alleles present. CONCLUSION: This study gave an indication of the percentages of PrP gene alleles in sheep in New Zealand, including data previously unreported from breeds in this country. It is of interest because of the relatively large size of the sheep population in New Zealand compared with many countries, and it provides some useful information on the genetic susceptibility or resistance of the sheep population in New Zealand to scrapie. The frequencies of the alleles can be different for an individual breed compared between countries. |
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Keywords: | Scrapie prion sheep genotype susceptibility ovine |
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