Cloning of the canine GALC cDNA and identification of the mutation causing globoid cell leukodystrophy in West Highland White and Cairn terriers

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Genomics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1006/geno.1996.0220· OSTI ID:466661

Victoria, T; Rafi, M A; Wenger, D A ^[1]

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1. Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

Globoid cell leukodystrophy, or Krabbe disease, is a severe, autosomal recessive disorder resulting from a deficiency of galactocerebrosidase (GALC) activity. GALC is responsible for the lysosomal catabolism of certain galactolipids, including galactosylceramide and psychosine. In addition to the human patients, there are several naturally occurring animal models for this disease, including the twitcher mouse, West Highland White terriers (WHWT), and Cairn terriers. All species have deficient GALC activity and have the characteristic pathological findings in the nervous system. We now describe the cloning of the canine GALC cDNA and the identification of the disease-causing mutation in both terrier breeds. The 2007-bp open reading frame is 88% identical to that in human, and the deduced amino acid sequence is about 90% identical. However, the 3{prime}-untranslated region is about 1 kb shorter than that in the human. Two nucleotide changes were found in affected dogs, an A to C transversion at cDNA position 473 (Y158S) and a C to T transition at position 1915 (P639S). Expression studies in COS-1 cells demonstrated that the A rapid test for the identification of the genotype at that position has been developed, and over 100 WHWT and Cairn terriers have been screened. This will allow breeders to mate their dogs selectivity and will permit the establishment of a colony of dogs for use in therapy trials. 30 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 466661
• Journal Information: Genomics, Journal Name: Genomics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 33; ISSN 0888-7543; ISSN GNMCEP
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
DNA SEQUENCING
DNA-CLONING
DOGS
GENE MUTATIONS
GENE REGULATION
GENES
GENOTYPE
HEREDITARY DISEASES
METABOLIC DISEASES
NUCLEOTIDES
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION
RECESSIVE MUTATIONS