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Nguyen TTD, Zayed M, Kim YC, Jeong BH. The First Genetic Characterization of the SPRN Gene in Pekin Ducks ( Anas platyrhynchos domesticus). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1588. [PMID: 38891635 PMCID: PMC11171214 DOI: 10.3390/ani14111588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by an accumulation of misfolded prion protein (PrPSc) in brain tissues. The shadow of prion protein (Sho) encoded by the shadow of prion protein gene (SPRN) is involved in prion disease progress. The interaction between Sho and PrP accelerates the PrPSc conversion rate while the SPRN gene polymorphisms have been associated with prion disease susceptibility in several species. Until now, the SPRN gene has not been investigated in ducks. We identified the duck SPRN gene sequence and investigated the genetic polymorphisms of 184 Pekin ducks. We compared the duck SPRN nucleotide sequence and the duck Sho protein amino acid sequence with those of several other species. Finally, we predicted the duck Sho protein structure and the effects of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using computational programs. We were the first to report the Pekin duck SPRN gene sequence. The duck Sho protein sequence showed 100% identity compared with the chicken Sho protein sequence. We found 27 novel SNPs in the duck SPRN gene. Four amino acid substitutions were predicted to affect the hydrogen bond distribution in the duck Sho protein structure. Although MutPred2 and SNPs&GO predicted that all non-synonymous polymorphisms were neutral or benign, SIFT predicted that four variants, A22T, G49D, A68T, and M105I, were deleterious. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about the genetic and structural characteristics of the duck SPRN gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi-Thuy-Duong Nguyen
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, 820-120, Hana-ro, Iksan 54531, Republic of Korea (M.Z.)
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohammed Zayed
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, 820-120, Hana-ro, Iksan 54531, Republic of Korea (M.Z.)
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
- Department of Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
| | - Yong-Chan Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Hoon Jeong
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, 820-120, Hana-ro, Iksan 54531, Republic of Korea (M.Z.)
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
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Zhao H, Wang SQ, Qing LL, Liu LL, Zhang YP. Expression of BSE-associated proteins in the CNS and lymphoreticular tissues of cattle and buffalo. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11434-016-1130-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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3
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Jiang X, Xue Y, Zhou H, Li S, Zhang Z, Hou R, Ding Y, Hu K. Evaluation of reference gene suitability for quantitative expression analysis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in the mandibular condyle of sheep. Mol Med Rep 2015; 12:5633-40. [PMID: 26238421 PMCID: PMC4581798 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.4128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Reference genes are commonly used as a reliable approach to normalize the results of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and to reduce errors in the relative quantification of gene expression. Suitable reference genes belonging to numerous functional classes have been identified for various types of species and tissue. However, little is currently known regarding the most suitable reference genes for bone, specifically for the sheep mandibular condyle. Sheep are important for the study of human bone diseases, particularly for temporomandibular diseases. The present study aimed to identify a set of reference genes suitable for the normalization of qPCR data from the mandibular condyle of sheep. A total of 12 reference genes belonging to various functional classes were selected, and the expression stability of the reference genes was determined in both the normal and fractured area of the sheep mandibular condyle. RefFinder, which integrates the following currently available computational algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and the comparative ΔCt method, was used to compare and rank the candidate reference genes. The results obtained from the four methods demonstrated a similar trend: RPL19, ACTB, and PGK1 were the most stably expressed reference genes in the sheep mandibular condyle. As determined by RefFinder comprehensive analysis, the results of the present study suggested that RPL19 is the most suitable reference gene for studies associated with the sheep mandibular condyle. In addition, ACTB and PGK1 may be considered suitable alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China
| | - Yang Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral Biology, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China
| | - Hongzhi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China
| | - Shouhong Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442008, P.R. China
| | - Zongmin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China
| | - Rui Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China
| | - Yuxiang Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China
| | - Kaijin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China
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Wang S, Zhao H, Zhang Y. Advances in research on Shadoo, shadow of prion protein. CHINESE SCIENCE BULLETIN-CHINESE 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s11434-014-0129-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Zhang J, Guo Y, Xie WL, Xu Y, Ren K, Shi Q, Zhang BY, Chen C, Tian C, Gao C, Dong XP. Disruption of glycosylation enhances ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation of Shadoo in Scrapie-infected rodents and cultured cells. Mol Neurobiol 2014; 49:1373-84. [PMID: 24390475 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8612-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Shadoo (Sho) is an N-glycosylated glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored protein that is expressed in the brain and exhibits neuroprotective properties. Recently, research has shown that a reduction of Sho levels may reflect the presence of PrPSc in the brain. However, the possible mechanism by which prion infection triggers down-regulation of Sho remains unclear. In the present study, Western blot and immunohistochemical assays revealed that Sho, especially glycosylated Sho, declined markedly in the brains of five scrapie agent-infected hamsters and mice at the terminal stages. Analyses of the down-regulation of Sho levels with the emergence of PrPSc C2 proteolytic fragments did not identify close association in all tested scrapie-infected models. To further investigate the mechanism of depletion of Sho in prion disease, a Sho-expressing plasmid with HA tag was introduced into a scrapie-infected cell line, SMB-S15, and its normal cell line, SMB-PS. Western blot assay revealed dramatically decreased Sho in SMB-S15 cells, especially its glycosylated form. Proteasome inhibitor MG132 reversed the decrease of nonglycosylated Sho, but had little effect on glycosylated Sho. N-acetylglucosamine transferase inhibitor tunicamycin efficiently reduced the glycosylations of Sho and PrPC in SMB-PS cells, while two other endoplasmic reticulum stress inducers showed clear inhibition of diglycosylated PrPC, but did not change the expression level and profile of Sho. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation of HA-Sho illustrated ubiquitination of Sho in SMB-S15 cells, but not in SMB-PS cells. We propose that the depletions of Sho in scrapie-infected cell lines due to inhibition of glycosylation mediate protein destabilization and subsequently proteasome degradation after modification by ubiquitination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chang-Bai Road 155, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
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6
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Coulon M, Wellman CL, Marjara IS, Janczak AM, Zanella AJ. Early adverse experience alters dendritic spine density and gene expression in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in lambs. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:1112-21. [PMID: 23265310 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Revised: 10/22/2012] [Accepted: 10/22/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In the laboratory, prenatal stress produces alterations in the structure and function of corticolimbic neurons. Here we report changes in gene expression and corticolimbic dendritic spine morphology in the offspring of pregnant ewes subjected to aversive interactions with human handlers during the last five weeks of pregnancy (AVS) compared to control dams that received gentle handling (GEN). AVS lambs had higher spine density on pyramidal neurons in area CA1 of the hippocampus and in medial prefrontal cortex compared to GEN lambs, as well as a lower ratio of mushroom spines to stubby and thin spines in area CA1. Expression of genes involved in brain development and spine morphogenesis was decreased in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in AVS compared to GEN lambs. This study is the first demonstration that an ecologically relevant aversive experience in a field setting alters neuronal structure similarly to previous reports from laboratory settings and that even for animals domesticated over 12,000 years ago, an apparently mild stressor, resulting from human-animal interactions, can have similarly profound impacts on corticolimbic morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie Coulon
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway.
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7
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Zhao H, Liu LL, Du SH, Wang SQ, Zhang YP. Comparative analysis of the Shadoo gene between cattle and buffalo reveals significant differences. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46601. [PMID: 23071594 PMCID: PMC3468620 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2012] [Accepted: 09/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While prions play a central role in the pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, the biology of these proteins and the pathophysiology of these diseases remain largely unknown. Since no case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has ever been reported in buffalo despite their phylogenetic proximity to cattle, genetic differences may be driving the different susceptibilities of these two species to BSE. We thus hypothesized that differences in expression of the most recently identified member of the prion family or Shadoo (SPRN) gene may relate to these species-specific differences. Principal Findings We first analyzed and compared the polymorphisms of the SPRN gene (∼4.4 kb), including the putative promoter, coding and 3′ regions, and further verified the entire ORF and putative promoter. This yielded a total of 117 fixed differences, remarkably: 1) a 12-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in the hydrophobic domain of the cattle but not buffalo gene, introducing a four amino acid expansion/contraction in a series of 5 tandem Ala/Gly-containing repeats; 2) two fixed missense mutations (102Ser→Gly and 119Thr→Ala), and three missense mutations (92Pro>Thr/Met, 122Thr>Ile and 139Arg>Trp) in the coding region presenting different (P<0.05) genotypic and allelic frequency distributions between cattle and buffalo; and, 3) functional luciferase-reporter experiments for the predicted promoter region, consistent with a significantly higher activity in buffalo than cattle. Supporting these findings, immunoblotting revealed higher relative expression levels of Sho protein in cerebrum from buffalo than from cattle. In addition, for cattle, highest Sho expression was detected in obex, as compared to cerebrum or cerebellum. Significance Our findings support Sho as a non-PrP specific marker for prion infections, with obex as the best tissue source for the detection of Sho in TSE rapid tests. Moreover, these discoveries may prove advantageous for further understanding the biology of prion diseases.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Binding Sites
- Brain/metabolism
- Buffaloes/genetics
- Cattle/genetics
- Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform/genetics
- Gene Components
- Gene Expression
- Gene Frequency
- Genes, Reporter
- INDEL Mutation
- Luciferases, Renilla/biosynthesis
- Luciferases, Renilla/genetics
- Mutation, Missense
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Organ Specificity
- Polymorphism, Genetic
- Protein Structure, Tertiary
- Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhao
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resource, Yunnan University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lin-Lin Liu
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resource, Yunnan University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shou-Hui Du
- School of Life Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Si-Qi Wang
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resource, Yunnan University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ya-Ping Zhang
- Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resource, Yunnan University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail:
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Peletto S, Bertuzzi S, Campanella C, Modesto P, Maniaci MG, Bellino C, Ariello D, Quasso A, Caramelli M, Acutis PL. Evaluation of internal reference genes for quantitative expression analysis by real-time PCR in ovine whole blood. Int J Mol Sci 2011; 12:7732-47. [PMID: 22174628 PMCID: PMC3233434 DOI: 10.3390/ijms12117732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2011] [Accepted: 11/01/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of reference genes is commonly accepted as the most reliable approach to normalize qRT-PCR and to reduce possible errors in the quantification of gene expression. The most suitable reference genes in sheep have been identified for a restricted range of tissues, but no specific data on whole blood are available. The aim of this study was to identify a set of reference genes for normalizing qRT-PCR from ovine whole blood. We designed 11 PCR assays for commonly employed reference genes belonging to various functional classes and then determined their expression stability in whole blood samples from control and disease-stressed sheep. SDHA and YWHAZ were considered the most suitable internal controls as they were stably expressed regardless of disease status according to both geNorm and NormFinder software; furthermore, geNorm indicated SDHA/HPRT, YWHAZ/GAPDH and SDHA/YWHAZ as the best reference gene combinations in control, disease-stressed and combined sheep groups, respectively. Our study provides a validated panel of optimal control genes which may be useful for the identification of genes differentially expressed by qRT-PCR in a readily accessible tissue, with potential for discovering new physiological and disease markers and as a tool to improve production traits (e.g., by identifying expression Quantitative Trait Loci). An additional outcome of the study is a set of intron-spanning primer sequences suitable for gene expression experiments employing SYBR Green chemistry on other ovine tissues and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Peletto
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; E-Mails: (S.B.); (C.C.); (P.M.); (M.G.M.); (M.C.); (P.L.A.)
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +39-011-2686245; Fax: +39-011-2686322
| | - Simone Bertuzzi
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; E-Mails: (S.B.); (C.C.); (P.M.); (M.G.M.); (M.C.); (P.L.A.)
| | - Chiara Campanella
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; E-Mails: (S.B.); (C.C.); (P.M.); (M.G.M.); (M.C.); (P.L.A.)
| | - Paola Modesto
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; E-Mails: (S.B.); (C.C.); (P.M.); (M.G.M.); (M.C.); (P.L.A.)
| | - Maria Grazia Maniaci
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; E-Mails: (S.B.); (C.C.); (P.M.); (M.G.M.); (M.C.); (P.L.A.)
| | - Claudio Bellino
- Department of Animal Pathology, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; E-Mail:
| | - Dario Ariello
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale TO3, Sanità Animale, 10098 Rivoli, Italy; E-Mail:
| | - Antonio Quasso
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale AT, Sanità Animale, 14100 Asti, Italy; E-Mail:
| | - Maria Caramelli
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; E-Mails: (S.B.); (C.C.); (P.M.); (M.G.M.); (M.C.); (P.L.A.)
| | - Pier Luigi Acutis
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Turin, Italy; E-Mails: (S.B.); (C.C.); (P.M.); (M.G.M.); (M.C.); (P.L.A.)
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Serrano M, Moreno-Sánchez N, González C, Marcos-Carcavilla A, Van Poucke M, Calvo JH, Salces J, Cubero J, Carabaño MJ. Use of Maximum Likelihood-Mixed Models to select stable reference genes: a case of heat stress response in sheep. BMC Mol Biol 2011; 12:36. [PMID: 21849053 PMCID: PMC3175163 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2199-12-36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2011] [Accepted: 08/17/2011] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Reference genes with stable expression are required to normalize expression differences of target genes in qPCR experiments. Several procedures and companion software have been proposed to find the most stable genes. Model based procedures are attractive because they provide a solid statistical framework. NormFinder, a widely used software, uses a model based method. The pairwise comparison procedure implemented in GeNorm is a simpler procedure but one of the most extensively used. In the present work a statistical approach based in Maximum Likelihood estimation under mixed models was tested and compared with NormFinder and geNorm softwares. Sixteen candidate genes were tested in whole blood samples from control and heat stressed sheep. Results A model including gene and treatment as fixed effects, sample (animal), gene by treatment, gene by sample and treatment by sample interactions as random effects with heteroskedastic residual variance in gene by treatment levels was selected using goodness of fit and predictive ability criteria among a variety of models. Mean Square Error obtained under the selected model was used as indicator of gene expression stability. Genes top and bottom ranked by the three approaches were similar; however, notable differences for the best pair of genes selected for each method and the remaining genes of the rankings were shown. Differences among the expression values of normalized targets for each statistical approach were also found. Conclusions Optimal statistical properties of Maximum Likelihood estimation joined to mixed model flexibility allow for more accurate estimation of expression stability of genes under many different situations. Accurate selection of reference genes has a direct impact over the normalized expression values of a given target gene. This may be critical when the aim of the study is to compare expression rate differences among samples under different environmental conditions, tissues, cell types or genotypes. To select reference genes not only statistical but also functional and biological criteria should be considered. Under the method here proposed SDHA/MDH1 have arisen as the best set of reference genes to be used in qPCR assays to study heat shock in ovine blood samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Serrano
- Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal, INIA, Ctra, de la Coruña km 7,5, Madrid, Spain.
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10
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Lampo E, Van den Broeck W, Willemarck N, Van Poucke M, Casteleyn CR, De Spiegelaere W, Van Zeveren A, Peelman LJ. Distribution of the Shadoo protein in the ovine brain assessed by immunohistochemistry. Res Vet Sci 2010; 90:372-8. [PMID: 20667569 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2010.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2009] [Revised: 06/14/2010] [Accepted: 06/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Shadow of prion protein is a gene potentially involved in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. However, the Shadoo protein encoded by this gene has not yet been studied in sheep, an important species in prion matters. Therefore, we developed a polyclonal antibody against ovine Shadoo and assessed the presence and distribution of this protein in the ovine brain by immunohistochemistry. The strongest staining level was found in the cerebellum (especially in the Purkinje cells) and in the pons, but cerebrum, hippocampus, pituitary gland, medulla oblongata, thalamus and hypothalamus were also immunopositive. Remarkably, a typical granular pattern was seen in most of the tested brain tissues, which might indicate that Shadoo is primarily expressed at synapses. The results of this study and the availability of an ovine anti-Shadoo antibody can contribute to future research on the function of Shadoo and on its potential involvement in prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Lampo
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
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11
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Lampo E, Duchateau L, Schepens B, Van Poucke M, Saelens X, Erkens T, Van Zeveren A, Peelman LJ. Identification of polymorphisms in the ovine Shadow of prion protein (SPRN) gene and assessment of their effect on promoter activity and susceptibility for classical scrapie. Anim Genet 2009; 41:169-78. [PMID: 19917049 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2009.01984.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Shadow of prion protein (SPRN) is an interesting candidate gene thought to be involved in prion pathogenesis. In humans, an association has already been discovered between mutations in SPRN and the incidence of variant and sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. However, in sheep, the effect of mutations in SPRN is largely unknown. Therefore, we analysed the presence of mutations in the entire ovine SPRN gene, their association with scrapie susceptibility and their effect on SPRN promoter activity. In total, 26 mutations were found: seven in the promoter region, four in intron 1, seven in the coding sequence and eight in the 3' untranslated region. The mutations detected in the coding sequence and the promoter region were subsequently analysed in more detail. In the coding sequence, a polymorphism causing a deletion of two alanines was found to be associated with susceptibility for classical scrapie in sheep. Furthermore, a functional analysis of deletion constructs of the ovine SPRN promoter revealed that the region 464 to 230 bp upstream of exon 1 (containing a putative AP-2 and putative Sp1 binding sites) is of functional importance for SPRN transcription. Six mutations in the SPRN promoter were also found to alter the promoter activity in vitro. However, no association between any of these promoter mutations and susceptibility for classical scrapie was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Lampo
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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12
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Young R, Passet B, Vilotte M, Cribiu EP, Béringue V, Le Provost F, Laude H, Vilotte JL. The prion or the related Shadoo protein is required for early mouse embryogenesis. FEBS Lett 2009; 583:3296-300. [PMID: 19766638 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2009] [Accepted: 09/14/2009] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The prion protein PrP has a key role in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies but its biological function remains largely unknown. Recently, a related protein, Shadoo, was discovered. Its biological properties and brain distribution partially overlap that of PrP. We report that the Shadoo-encoding gene knockdown in PrP-knockout mouse embryos results in a lethal phenotype, occurring between E8 and E11, not observed on the wild-type genetic background. It reveals that these two proteins play a shared, crucial role in mammalian embryogenesis, explaining the lack of severe phenotype in PrP-knockout mammals, an appreciable step towards deciphering the biological role of this protein family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Young
- INRA-UMR1313, Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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13
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Stewart P, Shen C, Zhao D, Goldmann W. Genetic analysis of the SPRN gene in ruminants reveals polymorphisms in the alanine-rich segment of shadoo protein. J Gen Virol 2009; 90:2575-2580. [PMID: 19515828 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.011494-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases in ruminants, especially sheep scrapie, cannot be fully explained by PRNP genetics, suggesting the influence of a second modulator gene. The SPRN gene is a good candidate for this role. The SPRN gene encodes the shadoo protein (Sho) which has homology to the PRNP gene encoding prion protein (PrP). Murine Sho has a similar neuroprotective activity to PrP and SPRN gene variants are associated with human prion disease susceptibility. SPRN gene sequences were obtained from 14 species in the orders Artiodactyla and Rodentia. We report here the sequences of more than 20 different Sho proteins that have arisen due to single amino acid substitutions and amino acid deletions or insertions. All Sho sequences contained an alanine-rich sequence homologous to a hydrophobic region with amyloidogenic characteristics in PrP. In contrast with PrP, the Sho sequence showed variability in the number of alanine residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Stewart
- Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Neuropathogenesis Division, Roslin, Midlothian, UK
| | - Cuicui Shen
- National TSE Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agriculture University, Beijing, PR China.,Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Neuropathogenesis Division, Roslin, Midlothian, UK
| | - Deming Zhao
- National TSE Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agriculture University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Wilfred Goldmann
- Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Neuropathogenesis Division, Roslin, Midlothian, UK
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