The PrP-like protein Doppel gene in sheep and cattle: cDNA sequence and expression

cDNAs encoding the ovine and bovine prion protein-like protein Doppel (Dpl) have been cloned. Sequencing revealed cDNAs of 2.85 and 3.31 kb from ovine and bovine testicular tissue, in accordance with observations of single tr anscripts of 3.2 and 3.6 bb on Northern blots. Sequence alignments showed a very high degree of identity between the sheep and cattle Dpl cDNAs, excep t for a 0.4-kb stretch in the bovine 3 ' untranslated region and the termin al 3 ' end of the sequences. The expression pattern of the Dpl gene (Prnd) in adult tissues from both species was compared by Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses. The Prnd gene was ex pressed strongly in testicular tissue, whil e low levels of expression were seen in other tissues. The open reading fr arne of the ovine and bovine sequences encodes a 178-amino acid protein wit h 95% sequence identity between the two species. predicted structural featu res are in close agreement with previous reports for mouse, human, and rat Dpl.