Abstract: The prion protein was encoded by the prion protein (PRNP) gene which was the major gene for affecting mad cow disease or BSE. In the present study,the PCR method was used to amplify the PRNP gene from the hybrids between Gayal (Bos frontalis) and Yunnan Yellow cattle (Bos taurus). The sequence was deposited in the GenBank under accession number HQ875337. The PCR products were sequenced bi-directly. By sequence analysis,the length of open read frame (ORF) of the PRNP gene was 795 bp,which encodes a protein of 264 amino acids,including a signal region,a octapeptide repeat,three α-helices,two β-sheets,a hydrophobic region,a disulfide bridge, a glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol (GPI) anchor site. The homology of both nucleotide and amino acid sequences with other cattle was more than 97%. All this will provide the molecular basal data for breakthrough of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy among different animal species.

Key words: prion protein(PRNP) gene; hybrid; sequence analysis