Figure 2. Western blot characterization of the inocula used to inoculate reindeer and brainstem samples from representative reindeer from each experimental group in study of chronic wasting disease transmission. Scrapie prion protein (PrP^Sc) immunodetection using the monoclonal antibody 6H4. Positive Western blot results demonstrate a 3-band pattern (diglycosylated, highest; monoglycosylated, middle; and nonglycosylated, lowest) that is characteristic of prion diseases. Lanes: 1, biotinylated protein marker; 2 and 3, indirect contact reindeer (animals no. 20 and 21, respectively); 4 and 5, reindeer inoculated intracranially with CWD^md (animals no. 15 and 12 respectively); 6, CWD^md inoculum; 7, direct contact reindeer (no. 7, cohoused with CWD^wtd-inoculated reindeer); 8, reindeer (no. 5) inoculated intracranially with CWD^wtd; 9, CWD^wtd inoculum; 10, reindeer (no. 10) inoculated intracranially with CWD^elk; 11, CWD^elk inoculum; 12, marker. CWD, chronic wasting disease; CWD^elk, CWD-affected elk; CWD^md, CWD-affected mule deer; CWD^wtd, CWD-affected white-tailed deer combined with brain material from experimentally challenged white-tailed deer.