Prion protein gene polymorphism and blood lymphocyte profile in cows naturally infected with bovine leukemia virus.

The polymorphic loci of the bovine prion protein (PRNP) gene, comprising 23-bp insertion/deletion (23-bp indel) within the promoter sequence and 12-bp insertion/deletion (12-bp indel) within the intron 1 sequence, are located in regions which play a key role in gene expression. The objective of this study was to determine whether the 23-bp and 12-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism within the PRNP gene leads to significant differences in the blood lymphocyte profile and to investigate changes in the composition of these cells in cattle naturally infected with Bovine Leukemia Virus. An analysis of the effect of the bovine PRNP gene polymorphism on the blood lymphocyte profile revealed considerable differences between animals with the 23-bp indel genotypes, and small and statistically non-significant differences between those with the 12-bp indel genotypes. 23-bp del/del homozygotes had a significantly lower percentage of T lymphocytes with the phenotypes CD2 (P < 0.01), CD8 (P < 0.01) and WC1-N2 (P < 0.05), and a higher ratio of CD4 to CD8 T lymphocytes, compared to animals with the 23-bp ins/ins genotype. The obtained results indicate that the 23-bp indel polymorphism, in contrast to the 12-bp indel polymorphism, has a significant effect on changes in the blood lymphocyte profile. The size of blood lymphocyte subpopulations was also found to change under the influence of enzootic bovine leukosis. The direction of those changes in EBL-positive animals is consistent with that observed in 23-bp del/del homozygotes, which may testify to the adverse effect of this genotype on immunological efficiency.

Deletion/insertion polymorphism of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in Polish red cattle, Polish White-backed cattle and European bison (Bison bonasus L., 1758).

The aim of the present study was to identify deletion/insertion polymorphism of the bovine prion protein (PRNP) gene within the promoter sequence (23 bp indel), intron 1 (12 bp indel) and the 3' end untranslated region (14 bp indel). The experiment was performed on three groups of animals protected under a genetic resources conservation program: 139 Polish Red (PR) cows, 79 Polish White-backed cows and 50 European bison (Bison bonasus L., 1758). White-backed cattle were characterized by a higher frequency of ins/del heterozygotes and a relatively lower frequency of ins/ins homozygotes within the promoter sequence region (23 bp indel), compared to Polish Red cattle. At the polymorphic locus of intron 1 (12 bp indel) the genetic structure of both cattle populations was similar. Monomorphism, expressed by the occurrence of one genotype variant in each of the analyzed sequence regions, was observed in European bison. Five haplotypes were found in Polish White-backed cows, four haplotypes in Polish Red cows and only one in analyzed group of bison. Differences between the observed and expected number of PRNP haplotypes were recorded in Polish Red cattle.

Co-segregation of alleles at a microsatellite locus within the macrophage expressed lysozyme gene and levels of serum lysozyme activity in two half-sib families of Polish black and white lowland cattle.

Alleles at a microsatellite locus within the macrophage expressed lysozyme gene were shown to co-segregate with lysozyme activity in two half-sib families of Polish Black and White Lowland cattle. The bimodal distribution of lysozyme activities in both progeny groups is concordant with the occurrence of the alternative paternal alleles. The microsatellite is linked to a locus for high lysozyme activity that accounts for 70-95% of the phenotypic variation of both offspring groups considering the lysozyme activities of animals being older than 1 month.

Genetic and non-genetic determination of repeatability of blood and milk indices in black-and-white cows.

A herd of cows of the same age, kept in a stable system under controlled environmental conditions, was used to estimate the repeatability of diagnostic blood and milk indices in several stages of the I, II and III lactation. Attention was paid to genetic and non-genetic sources of phenotypic variation. Statistically significant values of the regression coefficient were found for the following milk parameters: fat and protein content, milk density, calcium, potassium and lysozyme levels, as well as the following blood parameters: leucocytes' number, lymphocytes and neutrophils number, uric acid content, leucocytes acid phosphatase activity, lysozyme and blood serum alkaline phosphatase activity. Examined indices were analysed which proved to be suitable for prognostic and breeding application.