Well then , how about thisThe presence of the prion alters the surrounding healthy protein matrix such that a particular volume around the prion is no longer at its happiest low energy state . Like when a sand grain gets into a mollusk . Or when bubbles appear in solidifying glass really any inclusions in a regular crystal matrix . The glasscrystalline matrix around the bubblesinclusion has to contort around an obstacle making the normal , repetitive structure no longer the lowest energy state . All it takes then is to have the normal protein origami into a new shape which now does have a lower energy state , but lo and behold , it also looks a lot , if not exactly like the original prion that caused the issue in the first place . Obviously , this can ' t occur with any prion in any protein matrix . A very specific set of circumstances has to occur , otherwise prionic i n f e c t i onsmanifestationswhatever you want to call them , would be way more common rather than extremely rare .