title: Distinct proteinase K-resistant prion protein fragment in goats with no signs of disease in a classical scrapie outbreak.
abstract: Considerable efforts have been directed toward the identification of small-ruminant prion diseases, i.e., classical and atypical scrapie as well as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Here we report the in-depth molecular analysis of the proteinase K-resistant prion protein core fragment (PrP(res)) in a highly scrapie-affected goat flock in Greece. The PrP(res) profile by Western immunoblotting in most animals was that of classical scrapie in sheep. However, in a series of clinically healthy goats we identified a unique C- and N-terminally truncated PrP(res) fragment, which is akin but not identical to that observed for atypical scrapie. These findings reveal novel aspects of the nature and diversity of the molecular PrP(res) phenotypes in goats and suggest that these animals display a previously unrecognized prion protein disorder.
authors: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Ilias G
authors: IG
authors: Bouzalas
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Lörtscher
authors: Chrysostomos I
authors: CI
authors: Dovas
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Oevermann
authors: Jan P M
authors: JP
authors: Langeveld
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Papanastassopoulou
authors: Orestis
authors: O
authors: Papadopoulos
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Zurbriggen
authors: Torsten
authors: T
authors: Seuberlich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D019286:Endopeptidase K / Q000378:metabolism*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006041:Goats; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D011328:Prions / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D011328:Prions; D019286:Endopeptidase K