MBP-PrP could be used to detect recombinant His-tagged PrP (Fig. 6B, left panel lane marked HP) and intact PrP in both scrapie positive and negative brain homogenates (Fig. 6A, left panel lanes marked nt), albeit with a lower sensitivity under the standard Western blot conditions using monoclonal antibody 9A2 (Fig. 6A, compare left and right panel). This evidence concerns the gene MBP and scrapie.