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A Prion
in short, is a rogue protein that possesses the innate ability to transmit disease
and propagate itself by inducing conformational changes in normal protein
molecules….
What
makes this topic so fascinating to me and I hope to you as well is how
these lean mean biological machines might somehow in the future be used to
treat disease or maybe develop tissues or organs.
I know
that most of this seems like science fiction in this day, but what the
heck, I guess that’s why you are looking at my website.
Prions
have been found in yeast, animals and humans, suggesting some sort of evolutionary
role. Prions are known to cause fatal neurodegenerative disorders in
animals and humans. However, in yeast the two prion proteins known URE3 and
Sup35 do not cause cell damage or death.
Prions
are infectious protein molecules that do not require any detectable nucleic
acid to transmit disease. This has been proved in experimental animal
models. The entire concept of how protein only can induce disease has
intrigued several scientists. Some of the major players in this field
include
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