WK17: Prions Flashcards
True or False:
Prions are found in the brains of all living animals and contain DNA or RNA, the building blocks of the genetic
code
False (no DNA or RNA)
Prions are lead to diseases that are characterized by __________ where neurons have died and by rapid loss of mental abilities.
holes in the brain
Type of prion everyone possesses
Wild type
Infection type of prion
densely folded
The normal PrP, which does not cause disease, has an _______ shape.
alpha helical
When mutated the PrP has a _________shape
beta-pleated sheet
Some researchers believe that the prions are formed when PrP associates with a foreign pathogenic nucleic acid this is called ______
virino hypothesis
True or False:
cellular protein PrP is the sole causative agent of prion diseases; there is no nucleic acid involved
True
Residue 178 in the PrP 27-30 contains an _______ residue whereas the PrP 33-35 protein has an _______ residue at this position
PrP 27-30: asparagine
PrP 33-35: aspartate
The ___ ____ kill thalamus neurons through
apoptosis, a programmed series of events that leads to cell death
amyloid fibrils
True or false:
Prions cannot be transmitted by eating and certainly not by inoculation either directly into the brain or into skin and muscle tissue
False (can be transmitted)
Inherited cases of ____ and ____ may result from mutations in the PrP gene, which gives rise to changes in the amino acid sequence of the PrP protein
CJD
GSS
Scrapie
sheep
transmissible mink encephalopathy
mink
chronic wasting disease
muledeer, elk
