title: Molecular characterization of the Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) PRNP putative promoter.
abstract: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting deer (Odocoileus spp.), moose (Alces alces), and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni). Leucine homozygosity at elk PRNP codon 132 has been associated with reduced CWD susceptibility. However, naturally acquired CWD has been detected in elk possessing the 132 Leu/Leu genotype. Recent human and bovine studies indicate that PRNP regulatory polymorphisms may also influence TSE occurrence. Therefore, we generated sequences for the elk PRNP putative promoter (2.2 kb), exon 1 (predicted; 54 bp), intron 1 (predicted; 193 bp), and exon 3 (771 bp). Promoter prediction analysis using CpGProD yielded a single elk PRNP promoter that was homologous to regions of known promoter activity in cow and sheep. Molecular interrogation of the elk PRNP putative promoter revealed 32 diallelic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). No variation was detected within the predicted exon 1 or intron 1 sequences. Evaluation of elk PRNP exon 3 revealed 3 SNPs (63Y, 312R, 394W-->Met/Leu). Bayesian haplotype reconstruction resulted in 3 elk PRNP haplotypes, with complete linkage disequilibrium observed between all PRNP putative promoter SNPs and codon 132. The results of this study provide the initial genomic foundation for future comparative and haplotype-based elk PRNP studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4467, USA. cseabury@cvm.tamu.edu
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Seabury
authors.forename: Clare A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Joe W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Templeton
authors.forename: Joseph B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dyar
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Derr
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Adelson
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Donald S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Duane C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Kraemer
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Womack
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003120:Colorado; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D003670:Deer / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D034081:Wasting Disease, Chronic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011328:Prions; D004247:DNA