The association of a codon 136 PrP gene variant with the occurrence of natural scrapie

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Abstract
Incidence of both experimental and natural scrapie in sheep has been associated with polymorphisms of the PrP gene. In case/ control studies the PrP allele which encodes valine at codon 136 (Val136) is found in 96–100% of naturally infected scrapie sheep of Shetland, Scottish Halfbred and Bleu du Maine breeds. In contrast, in healthy animals from the same flocks, the most frequent allele encodes Ala136 (91–100% of sheep). However Val136 does not correlate with incidence of scrapie in two other flocks — Poll Dorsets and Suffolks — and there may therefore be breed differences in PrP genotypes affected by scrapie.