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A deadly disease that has affected the deer population in an estimated 24 states and two Canadian provinces could eventually spread to and infect humans, experts warn. Symptoms of the disease include drooling, stumbling, lack of coordination, lack of fear of people, aggression, and listlessness — which explains the “zombie” deer disease nickname. The symptoms are a result of a “malformed prion that kills neurons in the infected animal’s brain,” the University of Minnesota explains “It is probable that human cases of CWD associated with the consumption of contaminated meat will be documented in the years ahead. It is possible that number of human cases will be substantial and will not be isolated events,” he said, in part, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. “If Stephen King could write an infectious disease novel, he would write about prions like this,” he added. |
Time to buy a bat and some barbed wire.
So a drunk bro eh?
Time to buy a bat and some barbed wire.
What exactly is a prion? Similar to a virus, but not meeting the definition of virus?
Mad cow results from viral infection IIRC, one that involves reverse transcriptase like HIV viruses.
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disease but in deer. Prion related illnesses are incredibly scary.
What exactly is a prion? Similar to a virus, but not meeting the definition of virus?
Mad cow results from viral infection IIRC, one that involves reverse transcriptase like HIV viruses.
Ma cow comes from a prion.
Prions are proteins. Viruses are more complex but are essentially encapsulated nucleic acids.
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disease but in deer. Prion related illnesses are incredibly scary.
What exactly is a prion? Similar to a virus, but not meeting the definition of virus?
Mad cow results from viral infection IIRC, one that involves reverse transcriptase like HIV viruses.
It seems like whole ecosystems have changed. Crap like vines that they don't eat are covering the woodlands whereas cute little native plants are nowhere to be seen.
are the new prions created externally from the original prion?...
if the original prion is not there then there will be no newly created/replicated prions.
Very, very interesting and confusing.
are the new prions created externally from the original prion?...
if the original prion is not there then there will be no newly created/replicated prions.
Very, very interesting and confusing.
It's not my area, so someone else with more expertise can chime in, but IIRC the infectious prion protein converts similar proteins that are made by the cells they are infecting into the infectious prion. For example, there is protein A which, when folded (having a specific 3D structure) properly does it's job. When it's folded incorrectly (a specific incorrect structure) it's toxic (protein A1). When protein A1 infects a normal cell, say a brain cell in a person who eats the brain of the A1 person, then besides being toxic, the prion A1 converts the normal protein A (which is being made in copious amount by the brain cell) into protein A1, which can then be transferred when someone new eats this person's brain.
I think prions have been identified in plants, more specifically many grapevines in Israel, and were originally suspected to be viruses. In vines, they are vectored by sap sucking insects, often called leaf-hoppers. I'll see what I can dig up on prions.
So it's a conversion by the twisting and folfing of the normal protein molecule held together by that very weakforce whose name I forget.
So it's a conversion by the twisting and folfing of the normal protein molecule held together by that very weakforce whose name I forget.
Weak polar, hydrophilic interactions IIRC, lead to protein folding or conformation. Some protein "molecules" are actually aggregates of a few individual proteins that bond to each other, IIRC. Been a long time since biochem class.