Comparative analysis of the prion protein (PrP) gene in cetacean species.
The partial PrP gene sequence and the deduced protein of eight cetacean species, seven of which have never been reported so far, have been determined in order to extend knowledge of sequence variability of the PrP genes in different species and to aid in speculation on cetacean susceptibility to prions. Both the nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequences have been analysed in comparison with some of the known mammalian PrPs. Cetacean PrPs present typical features of eutherian PrPs. The PrP gene from the species of the family Delphinidae gave identical nucleic acid sequences, while differences in the PrP gene were found in Balaenopteridae and Ziphidae. The phylogenetic tree resulting from analysis of the cetacean PrP gene sequences, together with reported sequences of some ungulates, carnivores and primates, showed that the PrP gene phylogenesis mirrors the species phylogenesis. The PrP gene of cetaceans is very close to species where natural forms of TSEs are known. From an analysis of the sequences and the phylogenesis of the PrP gene, susceptibility to or occurrence of prion diseases in cetaceans can not be excluded.
Acutis
Pier Luigi
PL
CEA (National Reference Centre for TSEs), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, 10154 Turin, Italy. pierluigi.acutis@izsto.it
Peletto
Simone
S
Grego
Elena
E
Colussi
Silvia
S
Riina
Maria Vittoria
MV
Rosati
Sergio
S
Mignone
Walter
W
Caramelli
Maria
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002591:Cetacea / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011328:Prions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D011328:Prions