Prion Protein (PRNP)

PRNP is a gene that codes for a protein called the prion protein (PrP), which is expressed in the brain and several other tissues.The human PRNP gene is located on the short (p) arm of chromosome 20 between the end (terminus) of the arm and position 12, from base pair 4,615,068 to base pair 4,630,233. PRNP has also recently been designated CD230 (cluster of differentiation 230).

Although the precise function of PrP is not yet known, it is possibly involved in the transport of ionic copper to cells from the surrounding environment. Researchers have also proposed roles for PrP in cell signaling or in the formation of gaps between nerve cells (synapses) where cell-to-cell communication occurs.