BSE: Science & research - Does genetic variation affect susceptibility to BSE in cattle?
Polymorphisms (variations) of the gene that encodes the prion protein (the PRNP gene) are associated with differing susceptibilities to variant CJD in humans and scrapie in sheep. In contrast to sheep, very few PRNP polymorphisms have been found in cattle and none have been shown to be associated with differential susceptibility to BSE (1,2).
Investigation of polymorphisms in PRNP gene in BARB animals
The incidence of BSE in cattle has shown a progressive decline in line with the removal of meat and bone meal (MBM) from animal feed. However, a relatively small number of cases have occurred in cattle born after the reinforced feed ban in 1996 (BARB cases). A study was conducted to investigate whether there was any genetic variation at the PRNP gene in BARB animals. No polymorphisms were identified that could be associated with increased susceptibility to BSE in the BARB cases (3, project SE0239).
References
1. Goldman et al. (1991) Journal of General Virology 72: 201-204
2. Neilbergs et al. (1994) Animal Genetics 25:313-317
3. Saunders et al. (2007) Journal of General Virology 88: 1374-1378
Page last modified: 7 March, 2008