Rabbit linkage group VIII: the alleles of the prt gene

The prt gene which is linked to the rabbit immunoglobulin kappa-light chain gene, ab, has two phenotypes, PRT+ and PRT-. These phenotypes can be distinguished only when serum proteins from different rabbits are separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The serum protein profiles for PRT+ rabbits show a band that is located on the anodal side of transferrin. This band is missing in the serum profiles of PRT- rabbits. However, the PRT protein is present in these rabbits. An antiserum which reacts with PRT from PRT+ rabbits detects two electrophoretic variants of PRT which are located in areas of the polyacrylamide gel obscured by other serum proteins. These results and other suggest that the prt gene has three alleles, the prta allele encoding the protein found in PRT+ rabbits and the prtb and prtc alleles encoding the two electrophoretic variants found in PRT- rabbits.