BBSRC Portfolio Analyser
Award details
Development and application of an antisense based system to study the biological function of PrP in the hippocampus
Reference
BS410546
Principal Investigator / Supervisor
Dr Nikki Macleod
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Dr Peter Estibeiro
Institution
University of Edinburgh
Department
Biomedical Sciences
Funding type
Research
Value (£)
135,274
Status
Completed
Type
Research Grant
Start date
01/06/1999
End date
01/12/2000
Duration
18 months
Abstract
Mice lacking a functional prn-p gene do not develop spongiform encephalopathy when challenged with scrapie-infected material, indicating an important role for the gene product. Yet, PrP knockout mice have failed to yield a consistent phenotype. Possible reasons for this surprising result may be incomplete functional knockout of the gene product or the compensatory up- or down-regulation of other genes. A strategy that may be more revealing than germ line knockout might be the acute knockdown of gene expression through the use of antisense sequences. Organotypic hippocampal cultures will be exposed to PrP antisense sequences and the consequences of rapid PrP depletion on normal cell functions, such as copper binding, cell metabolism, membrane properties, pre- and post-synaptic mechanisms, synaptic plasticity and protein phosphorylation will be assayed by electrophysiological and biochemical means.
Summary
unavailable
Committee
Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics
X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority
X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative
Biology of Spongiform Encephalopathies - Phase 4 (BS4) [1998]
Funding Scheme
X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
I accept the
terms and conditions of use
(opens in new window)
export PDF file
back to list
new search