Abstract
ABSTRACT Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a well-described transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of the Cervidae family, is associated with the aggregation of an abnormal isoform (PrPCWD) of the naturally occurring host prion protein (PrPC). Variations in the PrP gene (PRNP) have been associated with CWD rate of infection and disease progression. We analysed 568 free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from 9 CWD-positive Michigan counties for PRNP polymorphisms. Sampling included 185 CWD-positive, 332 CWD non-detected, and an additional 51 CWD non-detected paired to CWD-positives by sex, age, and harvest location. We found 12 polymorphic sites of which 5 were non-synonymous and resulted in a change in amino acid composition. Thirteen haplotypes were predicted, of which 11 have previously been described. Using logistic regression, consistent with other studies, we found haplotypes C (OR = 0.488, 95% CI = 0.321–0.730, P < 0.001) and F (OR = 0.122, 95% CI = 0.007–0.612, P < 0.05) and diplotype BC (OR = 0.340, 95% CI = 0.154–0.709, P < 0.01) were less likely to be found in deer infected with CWD. As has also been documented in other studies, the presence of a serine at amino acid 96 was less likely to be found in deer infected with CWD (P < 0.001, OR = 0.360 and 95% CI = 0.227–0.556). Identification of PRNP polymorphisms associated with reduced vulnerability to CWD in Michigan deer and their spatial distribution can help managers design surveillance programmesand identify and prioritize areas for CWD management.
Highlights
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a well described, fatal, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of the Cervidae family, is associated with the aggregation of an abnormal isoform (PrPCWD) of the naturally occurring host prion protein (PrPC) [1,2,3]
We examined the current frequency of polymorphisms within the prion gene (PRNP) polymorphisms among CWD-positive and non-detected deer in 9 CWDpositive Michigan counties, one county in the Upper Peninsula and 8 contiguous counties in cen tral Michigan
PRNP sequences were determined for 568 free-ran ging white-tailed deer from 9 CWD-positive Michigan counties
Summary
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a well described, fatal, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of the Cervidae family, is associated with the aggregation of an abnormal isoform (PrPCWD) of the naturally occurring host prion protein (PrPC) [1,2,3]. First characterized in 1980 based on clinical and pathological findings in Colorado captive mule deer [2], CWD has since spread within the United States, been found in Canada and Europe, and been detected in imported cervids in Korea [4,5,6,7]. CWD is efficiently transmitted both horizontally [8,9,10,11] and vertically [12] with effective transmission between cervid species [6,13,14]. Cervid populations provide social and cultural benefits through hunting and view ing, and ecological contributions to biodiversity, they serve as a financial keystone species for conserva tion and management making their potential decline of considerable management concern
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