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Questions and Answers
What is the main function of the prion protein in humans and animals?
What is the main function of the prion protein in humans and animals?
- It plays a vital role in cell division and growth.
- It is the primary component of the immune system.
- It is responsible for the formation of toxic aggregations in the brain.
- Its normal role is not yet understood. (correct)
What is the main difference between prions and viruses/bacteria in causing diseases?
What is the main difference between prions and viruses/bacteria in causing diseases?
- Prions are not made up of DNA, unlike viruses and bacteria. (correct)
- Prions only affect the brain, while viruses and bacteria target other organs.
- Prions are much smaller than viruses and bacteria.
- Prions are more easily transmitted than viruses and bacteria.
How do scientists theorize that HIV jumped from chimpanzees to humans?
How do scientists theorize that HIV jumped from chimpanzees to humans?
- Through accidental laboratory exposure.
- Through exposure to contaminated blood.
- Through genetic mutations that allowed the virus to adapt to humans. (correct)
- Through the consumption of infected chimpanzee meat.
What is the primary reason why scientists find it difficult to understand how prions cause different strains of diseases?
What is the primary reason why scientists find it difficult to understand how prions cause different strains of diseases?
What scientific theory explains the cause of mad cow disease and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies?
What scientific theory explains the cause of mad cow disease and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies?
Why is it difficult to induce prion diseases in mammals by injecting them with a pure solution of prion proteins?
Why is it difficult to induce prion diseases in mammals by injecting them with a pure solution of prion proteins?
Besides mad cow disease, which other ailments could potentially be explained by researching prions?
Besides mad cow disease, which other ailments could potentially be explained by researching prions?
What was Stanley Prusiner's contribution to the field of prion research?
What was Stanley Prusiner's contribution to the field of prion research?
What is the significance of the research conducted by Jonathan Weissman and Peter Chien?
What is the significance of the research conducted by Jonathan Weissman and Peter Chien?
Why was the research on yeast particularly important for understanding prion diseases?
Why was the research on yeast particularly important for understanding prion diseases?
Which of the following statements accurately describes the 'protein-only' hypothesis?
Which of the following statements accurately describes the 'protein-only' hypothesis?
In the context of the provided text, what does the term 'promiscuous' refer to?
In the context of the provided text, what does the term 'promiscuous' refer to?
What is the main implication of the research by Dr. Weissman and his team in relation to the spread of prion diseases?
What is the main implication of the research by Dr. Weissman and his team in relation to the spread of prion diseases?
What is the main reason why scientists are still unsure about the exact cause of certain prion diseases?
What is the main reason why scientists are still unsure about the exact cause of certain prion diseases?
What is the role of the Sup35 protein in yeast?
What is the role of the Sup35 protein in yeast?
What is the significance of the observation that mice are resistant to infection by brain matter from infected hamsters?
What is the significance of the observation that mice are resistant to infection by brain matter from infected hamsters?
Flashcards
Prion Theory
Prion Theory
A hypothesis that prions, misfolded proteins, cause infectious diseases.
Psi-plus
Psi-plus
A condition in baker's yeast where misfolded Sup35 protein disrupts function.
Chimaeric Protein
Chimaeric Protein
A protein combining parts from different prion genes to study infections across species.
Promiscuous Protein
Promiscuous Protein
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Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Mammalian Prion Resistance
Mammalian Prion Resistance
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Protein-Only Hypothesis
Protein-Only Hypothesis
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Prion
Prion
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Mad Cow Disease
Mad Cow Disease
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Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
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Stanley Prusiner
Stanley Prusiner
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Pathogenic Shape
Pathogenic Shape
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Strain Variation
Strain Variation
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Prion Transmission
Prion Transmission
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Prion Protein Function
Prion Protein Function
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Study Notes
Prion Proteins and Brain Disorders
- Prions are misshapen proteins linked to brain-destroying disorders like mad-cow disease.
- They can spread between species.
- The exact origins and infectious mechanisms are still unclear.
- Stanley Prusiner won a Nobel Prize in 1997 for his discovery of prions.
Prion Hypothesis and Common Diseases
- The prion hypothesis suggests misfolded prion proteins cause diseases like mad cow by forming aggregates.
- These diseases include bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Alzheimer's, and Type II diabetes.
- Prion proteins are found naturally in humans and animals.
- The specific role of prion proteins in normal body functions is not known.
- Two mysteries of the hypothesis are the crossing of species and causation of multiple strains.
Prion Protein Mutations and Transmission
- Proteins, unlike viruses or bacteria, don't contain DNA and are not able to mutate and transmit genetic changes.
- However, random mutations in prion proteins can cause different strains of disease, like different strains of the common cold.
- Prions have the same amino acid sequence as normal proteins, but their shape differs. This shape difference is what allows for differing disease strains.
Yeast Research and Prion Transmission
- Yeast research is shedding light on prion transmission between species.
- Researchers successfully created a chimaera protein from yeast, capable of bridging the species barrier.
- This reveals that the process of prion transmission may be driven by the different protein shapes.
- Prion diseases in mammals are difficult to create in lab settings utilizing pure prion proteins. Often, infected animal brain matter is used to create a disease.
Prion-Only Hypothesis and Protein Buildup
- The "protein-only" hypothesis suggests nearly any protein can potentially create toxic buildups under specific conditions.
- A variety of proteins, including the muscle protein myoglobin, can exhibit similar prion-like behavior under specific conditions.
- Evolution might favor proteins less prone to such transformations, as the risk of buildup of misshapen proteins increases with aging, potentially contributing to age-related diseases.
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