Characterization of a prion protein (PrP) gene from rabbit; a species with apparent resistance to infection by prions |
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| Affiliation: | 1. University of Leicester and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom;2. Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Institute of Health, Klinik und Hochschulambulanz für Neurologie und Centrum für Schlaganfallforschung Berlin (CSB), 10117 Berlin, Germany;3. CRTD, DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany;4. Medical Research Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China;5. Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany;6. Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany;7. Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg, Campus Neuruppin, 16816, Neuruppin, Germany;8. Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Institute of Health, Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, 10117 Berlin, Germany;1. School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China;2. New Drug Research and Development Center, North China Pharmaceutical Group Corporation, National Microbial Medicine Engineering and Research Center, Shijiazhuang 050015, China;3. Research Center for Marine Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China;4. Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioresources Utilization, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China |
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| Abstract: | The prion protein gene (PrP) encodes a cellular protein of unknown function. A conformational isoform of this protein is involved in the neurodegenerative prion diseases. To facilitate the identification of structurally and antigenically important regions within the PrP molecule, the rabbit PrP open reading frame (ORF) was cloned and characterised. There is 82–87% identity at the nucleotide sequence level and 88–93% identity at the amino acid (aa) sequence level, between the rabbit gene and PrP sequences of other mammals. The rabbit gene shares structural and organisational features common to all known PrP genes signifying that it is the rabbit PrP gene. Comparison of the rabbit PrP aa sequence with PrP aa sequences from different species revealed several potential epitopes. Two anti-ovine PrP peptide Ab raised in rabbits, 168-92 and 98-92, confirmed that two separate cross-reacting epitopes segregate with single aa differences between rabbit and sheep PrP at positions 43 and 99 of the rabbit PrP polypeptide. The presence of these epitopes correlates with the species recognition patterns of previously published Ab. The usefulness of the rabbit PrP gene sequence in predicting antigenic regions within the PrP proteins of various species is illustrated. The structure of the rabbit PrP protein in relation to rabbits' apparent resistance to infection by prions is discussed. |
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