Read the news article \"Prion Diseases: No Accomplice Needed”. Using this articl
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Question
Read the news article "Prion Diseases: No Accomplice Needed”. Using this article, your textbook, and any additional resources you choose answer the following questions. 1) What theoretically distinguishes infectious prions from microbes like viruses and bacteria? 2) Does this article support these distinguishing characteristic? 3) Where is the normal PrP protein found in the body, and what are lipids and cholesterol thought to do to this protein to make it infectious? please type the answer and use refrences
Explanation / Answer
1) The prions and bacteria and viruses are pathogens only way by which prions are distinguished form bacteria and viruses by presence of genetic material such as DNA and RNA which is presence tin bacteria and viruses, while prion contains protein molecules which can be misfolded and transform other health proteins changing the shape of tissues and cells leading to neurodegenerative disorder while prions and bacteria and viruses are pathogens on the other hand bacteria and viruses make the use of healthy cell system to make copies of virus and bacterial cells but prions transforms proteins molecules by misfolding them and causing diseased condition.
2) The article says about the PrP proteins which have the capacity to cause misfolding of healthy proteins. In this article the normal proteins were misfolded into PrP proteins which caused neurodegenerative disease in mice. In other experiment by group of scientist of Jiyan Ma PrP proteins was blended by other lipids, fatty acid molecules causing neurodegenerative disease of healthy mice within 130 days on contact with the prion which indicates the virulence of prion proteins
3) Prion are found on the cells of central nervous system but also seen in other healthy tissues once enters nervous system they might undergo changes of healthy proteins changing the function of proteins and causing the abnormal growth of tissues. Prions are activated by presence of cholesterol and lipids hence presence of more cholesterol and lipids will increases the activity of prions.
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