Survival of scrapie agent after exposure to sodium dodecyl sulphate and heat.
Fifty mg aliquots of macerated mouse-brain infected with the 22A strain of scrapie agent were treated by exposing them without mechanical mixing to (a) distilled water for 2 h, (b) 5% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) for 2 h, (c) autoclaving at 121 degrees C for 15 min in distilled water, (d) autoclaving at 121 degrees C for 15 min in 5% SDS, or (e) boiling in 5% SDS for 15 min. Prior to injection into mice, all samples were washed by a procedure that is described and was shown not to reduce infectivity titres. Although the infectivity titre of the sample that was autoclaved in SDS was reduced considerably, infectivity was present in all of the samples exposed to cold or hot SDS.
Neuropathogenesis Unit, Institute for Animal Health, Edinburgh, UK. david-m.taylor@bbsrc.ac.uk
D M
DM
Taylor
K
K
Fernie
I
I
McConnell
P J
PJ
Steele
D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D051379:Mice; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012608:Scrapie / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate