Journal Article

Genetic Variation and Strain Dynamics in Chronic Wasting Disease

Gregg, Kristen B., Zemlyankina, Irina, Gilch, Sabine, Yilmaz, Gokhan, Hannaoui, Samia, Razcon-Echeagaray, Melissa

2025

Overview

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease of cervids marked by growing strain diversity and variation in host susceptibility. Central to this complexity are prion protein gene (Prnp) polymorphisms, which can modulate pathogenesis by altering the ability of cellular prion protein (PrPC) to misfold into infectious prions (PrPSc), or by promoting the emergence of novel strains. Studies in cervids and transgenic rodent models demonstrate that individual polymorphisms influence PrP stability, conversion efficiency, and the selection of PrPSc conformers, with most variants conferring partial resistance but none offering complete protection. These host–strain interactions define transmission barriers and disease phenotype. Understanding how Prnp genotypes shape CWD strain diversity is essential for predicting transmission dynamics, refining surveillance, and assessing zoonotic potential as the disease continues to expand geographically and genetically.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
• Subject: Adaptation / Amino acids / Analysis / Animal models / Animals / Cervidae / Chronic wasting disease / chronic wasting disease (CWD) / CWD strain diversity / Deer / Disease / Disease transmission / Diseases / Efficiency / Elk / Genetic aspects / Genetic diversity / Genetic Variation / Genotype / Health aspects / host-strain interactions / Humans / Influence / Phenotypes / Polymorphism / Polymorphism, Genetic / Prion protein / Prion Proteins - genetics / prion strains / Prions / Prnp polymorphisms / Propagation / Protein folding / Proteins / Review / Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy / Wasting Disease, Chronic - genetics / Wasting Disease, Chronic - transmission / Zoonoses