The project involves the analysis of genotypes that affect sheep susceptibility to scrapie. Six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are known in the prion protein gene (PrP) that cause altered composition of the protein and are considered to influence susceptibility to the infectious agent that causes scrapie. Some of the variants are thought to increase susceptibility while others provide protection against infection. In the project, Matís will receive biological samples from sheep from farmers, isolate DNA from them, amplify the section of the PrP gene where these variants are found, sequence using Sanger sequencing, and finally analyse the relevant variants.
The project is part of a government and farmer policy aimed at eradicating scrapie in Icelandic sheep. Through systematic genotype analysis and the selective breeding that follows, genotypes considered to provide protection against scrapie can be introduced into the sheep population.
The estimated number of samples is 180,000 over the duration of the contract.
