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This article is about the infectious particles known as prions; for the bird, see Prion (bird).

A prion (IPA: audio) — short for proteinaceous infectious particle — is a unique type of infectious agent, as it is made only of protein. Prions are abnormally-structured forms of a host protein, which are able to convert normal molecules of the protein into the abnormal structure. Unlike other pathogens, prions cannot be denatured by protease, heat, radiation, and formalin treatments. Though the exact mechanisms of their actions and propagation are unknown, it is now commonly accepted that prions are responsible for a number of previously known but little-understood diseases classified as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). These include scrapie (a disease of sheep), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease). These diseases affect the structure of brain tissue and all are fatal and untreatable.

Proteins showing prion behaviour are also found in some fungi. Some fungal prions may not be associated with any disease state and may have an evolutionary advantage for their hosts. So far all prions discovered are believed to infect and propagate by formation of an amyloid fold. However, since any infectious protein particle would be defined as a prion, other mechanisms may be possible.

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分享 http://tinyurl.com/ykjmn3c (常見土壤礦物分解近乎無敵的 prion) http://plurk.com/p/2incp7
linlandyace (曼珠沙華) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:31:13 -0000
分享 http://tinyurl.com/ykjmn3c (常見土壤礦物分解近乎無敵的 prion) http://plurk.com/p/2incp7
@ElGatoCello but but....prion disease!
RBjmh (Jamerz) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:29:25 -0000
@ElGatoCello but but....prion disease!
The prion of Miss Jean Brodie #cowfilms
Eaterofsun (Oliver Morton) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:26:02 -0000
The prion of Miss Jean Brodie #cowfilms
Porterhouse Rules; Agent Kobe Banks; Grilling Miss Daisy; Packaged on the Fourth of July; #cowfilms #kindalame ...Prion Flux?
piers_hollott (piers_hollott) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:39:13 -0000
Porterhouse Rules; Agent Kobe Banks; Grilling Miss Daisy; Packaged on the Fourth of July; #cowfilms #kindalame ...Prion Flux?
PROTO - PRION GO GO! tifa anche tu per i prioni dentro al cervello che sconvolgeranno la razza umana (e non solo...) da dicembre al cinema!
tesi_antitesi (tesi_antitesi) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:18:06 -0000
PROTO - PRION GO GO! tifa anche tu per i prioni dentro al cervello che sconvolgeranno la razza umana (e non solo...) da dicembre al cinema!
Prion Son are studio bound!
PrionSon (PrionSon) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:58:13 -0000
Prion Son are studio bound!

 
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Deadly Conformations-Protein Misfolding in Prion Disease - Research article on prions.

500 L. Li Lab - Northwestern University - Studying prion proteins using yeast as a model organism.
Meta Description: [ We are interested in studying prion proteins using yeast as a model organism. We want to obtain information on their structural properties, their mutual interactions, and their interactions with other cellular factors, particularly, with molecular chap... ]

Prion Illustration - Computer graphic showing the replication and spread of prions in cells.
Meta Description: [ Mad Cow Disease Pictures: illustration of prion replication and spread at the cellular level, by Russell Kightley Media ]

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