A differentially expressed prion gene mRNA is found in prion-infected mouse brains and in N2A cells but not in uninfected mice.
The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies comprise a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by the conversion of the normal host cellular prion protein (PrPC) to the abnormal protease-resistant isoform PrPSC. Distinct alterations of transcriptional regulation during disease progression could not be observed. The regulation of transcription 5' and 3' to the previously described cap sites of the prion gene mRNA as well as usage of internal short ORF's was investigated. We identified a mRNA species which is expressed differentially in prion-infected mice and in N2A cells. This mRNA is detectable neither in uninfected mice nor in early stages of the disease. The novel mRNA contains two short open reading frames which encode two small peptides with a calculated molecular weight of 2.1 kDA and 0.7 kDa. These peptides were also found to be expressed in vitro and in vivo.
Schröder
B
B
Department of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich Institute, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, Langen, 63225, Germany. B.Schroeder@uni-frankfurt.de
Groschup
M
M
Hunsmann
G
G
Bodemer
W
W
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D018450:Disease Progression; D005091:Exons; D007438:Introns; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D017931:DNA Primers; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger