Prions - the new infectious agent

• Authors: T. Gogiel
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

Prions are devoid of nucleic acids and they are composed mainly or exclusively of protein PrPSC, that is a conformational variant of the normal cellular prion protein PrPC, encoded by a chromosomal gene. Conversion of PrPC into PrPSC is a posttranslational process which is accompanied by the acquisition of high b-sheet content. Human prion diseases may be of sporadic, genetic or infectious origin. Human activity caused a 'mad cow disease' epidemic, iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and lately, a new variant of CJD, which is thought to be a result of transmission of bovine prions to humans. Prion diseases are always fatal, and there is a need to develop effective methods of prevention and therapy for these disorders.

Keywords

EN

BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY; BSE; CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE; PRION; PRION DISEASE

Discipline

• BIOTECHNOLOGY: BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Publisher: Committee of Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Biotechnologia
• Year: 1998
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 35-51

Contributors

author

T. Gogiel

• Document Type: article
• Publication order reference: T. Gogiel, Zaklad Biochemii Akademia Medyczna, ul. Mickiewicza 2, 15-230 Bialystok-8, Poland