Comparative analysis of the prion protein open reading frame nucleotide sequences of two wild ruminants, the moufflon and golden takin.

The prion protein (PrP) nucleotide sequences of two ruminants were determined in order to elucidate the differences in susceptibility to spongiform encephalopathy agents in each species. The nucleotide sequences of PrP coding regions of the moufflon and the golden takin encompassed 771 bp in length. The PrP gene sequences of the golden takin were closely related to those of sheep with one amino acid difference. The PrP gene sequence of the moufflon was identical to that of sheep. The similarities between the PrP genes of these two animals and sheep imply that the species barriers between these animals are small or non-existent. These PrP genes could be used to establish transgenic mice with higher susceptibility to prion-related diseases.