What is the basic nature of Prion?: (A) DNA, (B) RNA, (C) Protein, (D) Polysacchride
Answer is C. Prions are proteinaceous and infectious in nature. The cellular form of the prion protein (PrPc) is encoded by the host's chromosomal DNA. PrPc is a sialoglycoprotein with a molecular weight of 33,000-35,000 and a high content of alpha helical secondary structure that is sensitive to proteases and soluble in detergent. PrPc is expressed on the surface of neurons a glycosylphosphatidyl inositol anchor in both infected and uninfected brains. Kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease, and fatal familial insomnia are prion mediated diseases in humans. Ref: Jawetz, Melnick, & Adelberg's Medical Microbiology, 25th Edition, Chapter 1