Abstract: The prion protein PrP has a key role in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies but its biological function remains largely unknown. Shadoo is a new protein which encoded by the SPRN gene, exhibiting domain organization similar to the N-terminus of PrP. The key factor to study the prion protein is Shadoo because of it’s biological properties and brain distribution partially overlap that of PrP. In this review, we described the relationship between Shadoo protein and PrP proteins in gene structure, protein function and prion infections.

Key words: prion protein; Shadoo protein; gene structure; protein function 