ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2009, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (5): 780-784.doi:

• 研究简报 • Previous Articles    

Analysis on Polymorphisms of the Prion Protein Gene in Local Sheep Species of Inner Mongolia, China

WANG Yi-qin1,2，QIN Zhen-kui3*，BAO Yong-gan2，KOU Fu-jun2，
JING Wen-kui2，QIAO Jun-wen1，ZHAO De-ming1*   

  1. 1.National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;2.Erlianhot EntryExit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Erlianhot 011100,China;3.Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123, China
  • Received:1900-01-01 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2009-05-25 Published:2009-05-25

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Abstract: We investigated prion protein gene(PRNP) polymorphisms in three sheep breeds in Inner Mongolia, China. Blood samples were collected from 46 Ujumqin, 34 Sunite and 22 Mongolian sheep. The genetic DNA of PRNP of each sheep was extracted, amplified, and sequenced, and amino acid alignment was determined. Polymorphism was detected at 8 codons, among which M157I, Q220H and R223K have not been previously reported. The frequency of the amino acid residues ARQ/ARQ at codons 136, 154 and 171, which is associated with medium-high susceptibility to scrapie, was 74.5%, and the frequency of scrapie-resistant amino acid residues ARR/ARR was 7.9%. The highly susceptible amino acid residues VRQ/VRQ at these codons were not detected from the tested sheep. Of the 3 sheep breeds, Ujumqin sheep had the highest frequency (15.2%) of scrapie-resistant amino acid sequence, ARR/ARR at codons 136, 154 and 171, accounting for 87.5% sheep that carry these polymorphisms. Our findings are of special importance for both live sheep export and sheep breeding.