Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Rapid, Seamless Generation of Recombinant Poxviruses using Host Range and Visual Selection
09:25

Rapid, Seamless Generation of Recombinant Poxviruses using Host Range and Visual Selection

Published on: May 24, 2020

vCJD prion acquires altered virulence through trans-species infection

Masahiro Asano1, Shirou Mohri, James W Ironside

  • 1Division of CJD Science and Technology, Department of Prion Research, Center for Translational and Advanced Animal Research on Human Diseases, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo, Aoba, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|February 17, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) transmission was studied in mice with humanized PrP genes. Human heterozygotes at codon 129 may be susceptible to vCJD, indicating a risk for secondary infections.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Prion Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prions.
  • All vCJD patients identified to date are homozygous for methionine at codon 129 of the PrP gene.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of codon 129 polymorphism on susceptibility to BSE and vCJD prions.
  • To assess the risk of vCJD infection in individuals with different PrP genotypes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized humanized knock-in mice expressing human PrP transgenes.
  • Infected mice peripherally and assessed prion susceptibility using splenic follicular dendritic cell assays and Western blotting.

Main Results:

  • Humanized mice showed low susceptibility to BSE prions, with only Met/Met homozygotes exhibiting weak susceptibility.
  • vCJD prions were transmitted to humanized mice with Met/Met and Met/Val genotypes.
  • Mice with Val/Val genotype were not susceptible to vCJD prions.

Conclusions:

  • Codon 129 polymorphism significantly impacts susceptibility to vCJD prions.
  • Human heterozygotes (Met/Val) at codon 129 are susceptible to vCJD, suggesting a risk for secondary transmission.

More Related Videos

Generating Recombinant Avian Herpesvirus Vectors with CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing12:21

Generating Recombinant Avian Herpesvirus Vectors with CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing

Published on: January 7, 2019

Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors06:02

Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors

Published on: September 13, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence01:20

Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a variety of strategies to establish infections, including the secretion of extracellular enzymes that act as potent virulence factors. These enzymes facilitate bacterial colonization of host tissues and help evade immune surveillance. By targeting structural components of host tissues and interfering with immune mechanisms, these enzymes play a pivotal role in disease progression.Extracellular Enzymes Facilitating Tissue Invasion: Several bacterial pathogens secrete...
Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms02:18

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms02:18

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
Regulation of Bacterial Virulence01:28

Regulation of Bacterial Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a range of regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of virulence genes in response to environmental and host-derived signals. These mechanisms ensure that virulence factors are expressed only under favorable conditions, thereby optimizing infection and survival strategies.Mechanisms of Virulence RegulationKey regulatory strategies include:Two-Component Systems: These consist of a membrane-bound sensor kinase and a cytoplasmic response regulator. Environmental...
Horizontal Gene Transfer01:27

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a process where genetic material moves between organisms within the same generation, unlike vertical gene transfer, which occurs from parent to offspring. HGT plays a crucial role in microbial evolution, adaptation, and survival, particularly in shared environments like the human gut.Mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, prophages, integrons, insertion sequences, and transposons facilitate this process. HGT occurs through three primary mechanisms:...