mvp@hsv3.uucp (Mike Van Pelt) (01/04/91)
In article <Dec.31.18.35.03.1990.25921@athos.rutgers.edu> cphoenix@csli.stanford.edu (Chris Phoenix) writes: >Several years ago I heard of something called prions, which the >discussion of self-replicating chemicals reminded me of. I was told recently that prions were just a hypothesis, which turned out not to be true after all. I know I haven't seen anything about them in years -- Anyone else have more info? -- Mike Van Pelt Here lies a Technophobe, Headland Technology/Video 7 No whimper, no blast. ...ames!vsi1!headland!mvp His life's goal accomplished, Zero risk at last.
toms@fcs260c2.ncifcrf.gov (Tom Schneider) (01/07/91)
In article <Jan.3.21.51.17.1991.2385@athos.rutgers.edu> mvp@hsv3.uucp (Mike Van Pelt) writes: >I was told recently that prions were just a hypothesis, which >turned out not to be true after all. I know I haven't seen >anything about them in years -- Anyone else have more info? They were a hypothesis TO EXPLAIN CERTAIN DISEASES. They were not a "just a hypothesis" floating in the air. The diseases are rather strange, that have long incubation periods (years) and cause brain degeneration. One was called Kuru (spelling?). Apparently it was transmitted when certain peoples ate the brains of dead relatives. The factor did not appear to contain any nucleic acid. The last report I saw confirmed this. There does seem to be a gene in the body that makes something similar to the prion protein, but I don't have the latest information on this. Perhaps if an abnormal form of the prion protein enters the body, it triggers the body to create more copies of that abnormal form. One could dream up many reasonable mechanisms. For example, the abnormal form could be created by a bad RNA splicing event that only occurs when the protein itself is in the cell. Although this does not explain the origin of the disease, it does explain the continuation. The disease could have originated as a mistaken RNA splicing event. >Mike Van Pelt >Headland Technology/Video 7 >...ames!vsi1!headland!mvp Tom Schneider National Cancer Institute Laboratory of Mathematical Biology Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201 toms@ncifcrf.gov
heskett@titan.tsd.arlut.utexas.edu (Donald Heskett) (01/08/91)
Today's issue of the Wall St. Journal has a front page article on spongiform encephalopathy and talks briefly about prions as a possible infectious agent. It mentions one test in which candidate infectious material was held at over 600 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour...and remained, apparently, infectious; that doesn't sound like organic matter, much less genetic material.
toms@fcs260c2.ncifcrf.gov (Tom Schneider) (01/10/91)
I just came a review on prions from last September!
@article{Aiken1990,
author = "J. M. Aiken
and R. F. Marsh",
title = "The Search for Scrapie Agent Nucleic Acid",
journal = "Microbiology Reviews",
volume = "54",
pages = "242-246",
year = "1990"}
Kru was a disease of natives in New Guinea.
There is now evidence for genes in the host to be involved, but studies of the
infective agent itself have failed to identify a nucleic acid. Still! The
last sentence says it all for this modern mystery: "The search continues."
Tom Schneider
National Cancer Institute
Laboratory of Mathematical Biology
Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201
toms@ncifcrf.govgwilliam@mrc-crc.ac.uk (Gary Williams x3294) (01/12/91)
In article <Jan.9.15.30.10.1991.11777@athos.rutgers.edu>, toms@fcs260c2.ncifcrf.gov (Tom Schneider) writes: > > I just came a review on prions from last September! > ... > Kru was a disease of natives in New Guinea. > ... > There is now evidence for genes in the host to be involved, but studies of the > infective agent itself have failed to identify a nucleic acid. Still! The > last sentence says it all for this modern mystery: "The search continues." The last theory I heard of was that 'slow-viruses' or Prions (Kuru, Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease, Scrapie, Bovine Spongiform Encepalopathy etc.) are caused by a protein that is a natural product of the brain cells and which performs some essential function; however it has two forms. It is normally present as a trimer of three subunits. As an example, (Using a dimer because the ASCII character set isn't up to displaying trimers very well) let one subunit of the protein be represented by a '[' character, then the sticky bits of the protein that recognise itself to bind the dimer together would be the horizontal bits of the character and the dimer can be represented as '[]'. So the protein dimer are normally floating about in brain cells like: [] [] [] [] [] Now (says the theory) when the brain cell is infected with some material from an affected brain, the second form of the protein is introduced. This second form is a rod-like protein made from a chain of the subunits like this: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ Note that it has sticky bits at the ends of the chain. The proteins are constantly being knocked around in the thermal motion (37 C) of the cell contents and sometimes the dimers are knocked apart for an instant. In the normal state they would quickly re-bind, but when there is the rod-form around there is a small probability that the protein subunits will join onto the end of the rod of subunits instead of reforming the dimer, thus the rod grows. The general effect is much the same as if your car engine slowly started growing a steel girder inside itself. The cell dies - slowly. Big regions of dead cells appear in the brain. The brain looks spongy because it now has holes in. The affected individual starts having co-ordination problems etc. The condition is chronic and fatal. Questions: How does the cell's machinery construct the protein so that it forms the dimer (trimer) rather than the rod-form? Is there a difference in stability between these two forms? How did the rod-form originate? (Presumably a rare event can occur such that two dimers can bang into each other, disassemble and snap back in the rod-form) Are there more than one type of protein that has these two stable forms? (Many proteins occur in the form of two or more subunits bound together, eg Hemoglobin is formed from two alpha-type and two beta-type subunits) If so why don't we see more of these slow diseases? (Maybe we do but don't recognise them for what they are because cell damage is so much more obvious in the brain - would decay of the cartilage covering of the joints be called anything other than 'yet another type of osteoarthritis'?) For those of you interested in the esoterica of molecular biology, here are two DNA sequences for Human prions and one for Sheep. There are many more in the DNA databases, but your patience probably wouldn't stretch that far :-) ID HSPRP standard; RNA; PRI; 2415 BP. AC M13899; DT 20-MAY-1987 (last revised) DE Human prion protein (PrP) mRNA, complete cds. KW prion protein. OS Homo sapiens OC Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Vertebrata; Tetrapoda; Mammalia; OC Eutheria; Primates; Anthropoidea; Hominoidea; Hominidae. RN [1] (bases 1-2415) RA Kretzschmar H.A., Stowring L.E., Westaway D., Stubblebine W.H., RA Prusiner S.B., Dearmond S.J.; RT "Molecular cloning of a human prion protein cDNA"; RL DNA 5:315-324(1986). FH Key Location/Qualifiers FH FT mRNA <1. .2415 FT /note="PRP mRNA" FT CDS 50. .811 FT /note="prion protein precursor /map="20"" FT CDS 50. .115 FT /note="prion protein signal peptide" FT CDS 116. .808 FT /note="prion protein (PrP 33-35-C)" SQ Sequence 2415 BP; 666 A; 499 C; 578 G; 672 T; 0 other; embl:hsprp Length: 2415 January 11, 1991 13:38 Check: 4378 .. 1 CGGCGCCGCG AGCTTCTCCT CTCCTCACGA CCGAGGCAGA GCAGTCATTA 51 TGGCGAACCT TGGCTGCTGG ATGCTGGTTC TCTTTGTGGC CACATGGAGT 101 GACCTGGGCC TCTGCAAGAA GCGCCCGAAG CCTGGAGGAT GGAACACTGG 151 GGGCAGCCGA TACCCGGGGC AGGGCAGCCC TGGAGGCAAC CGCTACCCAC 201 CTCAGGGCGG TGGTGGCTGG GGGCAGCCTC ATGGTGGTGG CTGGGGGCAG 251 CCTCATGGTG GTGGCTGGGG GCAGCCCCAT GGTGGTGGCT GGGGACAGCC 301 TCATGGTGGT GGCTGGGGTC AAGGAGGTGG CACCCACAGT CAGTGGAACA 351 AGCCGAGTAA GCCAAAAACC AACATGAAGC ACATGGCTGG TGCTGCAGCA 401 GCTGGGGCAG TGGTGGGGGG CCTTGGCGGC TACATGCTGG GAAGTGCCAT 451 GAGCAGGCCC ATCATACATT TCGGCAGTGA CTATGAGGAC CGTTACTATC 501 GTGAAAACAT GCACCGTTAC CCCAACCAAG TGTACTACAG GCCCATGGAT 551 GAGTACAGCA ACCAGAACAA CTTTGTGCAC GACTGCGTCA ATATCACAAT 601 CAAGCAGCAC ACGGTCACCA CAACCACCAA GGGGGAGAAC TTCACCGAGA 651 CCGACGTTAA GATGATGGAG CGCGTGGTTG AGCAGATGTG TATCACCCAG 701 TACGAGAGGG AATCTCAGGC CTATTACCAG AGAGGATCGA GCATGGTCCT 751 CTTCTCCTCT CCACCTGTGA TCCTCCTGAT CTCTTTCCTC ATCTTCCTGA 801 TAGTGGGATG AGGAAGGTCT TCCTGTTTTC ACCATCTTTC TAATCTTTTT 851 CCAGCTTGAG GGAGGCGGTA TCCACCTGCA GCCCTTTTAG TGGTGGTGTC 901 TCACTCTTTC TTCTCTCTTT GTCCCGGATA GGCTAATCAA TACCCTTGGC 951 ACTGATGGGC ACTGGAAAAC ATAGAGTAGA CCTGAGATGC TGGTCAAGCC 1001 CCCTTTGATT GAGTTCATCA TGAGCCGTTG CTAATGCCAG GCCAGTAAAA 1051 GTATAACAGC AAATAACCAT TGGTTAATCT GGACTTATTT TTGGACTTAG 1101 TGCAACAGGT TGAGGCTAAA ACAAATCTCA GAACAGTCTG AAATACCTTT 1151 GCCTGGATAC CTCTGGCTCC TTCAGCAGCT AGAGCTCAGT ATACTAATGC 1201 CCTATCTTAG TAGAGATTTC ATAGCTATTT AGAGATATTT TCCATTTTAA 1251 GAAAACCCGA CAACATTTCT GCCAGGTTTG TTAGGAGGCC ACATGATACT 1301 TATTCAAAAA AATCCTAGAG ATTCTTAGCT CTTGGGATGC AGGCTCAGCC 1351 CGCTGGAGCA TGAGCTCTGT GTGTACCGAG AACTGGGGTG ATGTTTTACT 1401 TTTCACAGTA TGGGCTACAC AGCAGCTGTT CAACAAGAGT AAATATTGTC 1451 ACAACACTGA ACCTCTGGCT AGAGGACATA TTCACAGTGA ACATAACTGT 1501 AACATATATG AAAGGCTTCT GGGACTTGAA ATCAAATGTT TGGGAATGGT 1551 GCCCTTGGAG GCAACCTCCC ATTTTAGATG TTTAAAGGAC CCTATATGTG 1601 GCATTCCTTT CTTTAAACTA TAGGTAATTA AGGCAGCTGA AAAGTAAATT 1651 GCCTTCTAGA CACTGAAGGC AAATCTCCTT TGTCCATTTA CCTGGAAACC 1701 AGAATGATTT TGACATACAG GAGAGCTGCA GTTGTGAAAG CACCATCATC 1751 ATAGAGGATG ATGTAATTAA AAAATGGTCA GTGTGCAAAG AAAAGAACTG 1801 CTTGCATTTC TTTATTTCTG TCTCATAATT GTCAAAAACC AGAATTAGGT 1851 CAAGTTCATA GTTTCTGTAA TTGGCTTTTG AATCAAAGAA TAGGGAGACA 1901 ATCTAAAAAA TATCTTAGGT TGGAGATGAC AGAAATATGA TTGATTTGAA 1951 GTGGAAAAAG AAATTCTGTT AATGTTAATT AAAGTAAAAT TATTCCCTGA 2001 ATTGTTTGAT ATTGTCACCT AGCAGATATG TATTACTTTT CTGCAATGTT 2051 ATTATTGGCT TGCACTTTGT GAGTATCTAT GTAAAAATAT ATATGTATAT 2101 AAAATATATA TTGCATAGGA CAGACTTAGG AGTTTTGTTT AGAGCAGTTA 2151 ACATCTGAAG TGTCTAATGC ATTAACTTTT GTAAGGTACT GAATACTTAA 2201 TATGTGGGAA ACCCTTTTGC GTGGTCCTTA GGCTTACAAT GTGCACTGAA 2251 TCGTTTCATG TAAGAATCCA AAGTGGACAC CATTAACAGG TCTTTGAAAT 2301 ATGCATGTAC TTTATATTTT CTATATTTGT AACTTTGCAT GTTCTTGTTT 2351 TGTTATATAA AAAAATTGTA AATGTTTAAT ATCTGACTGA AATTAAACGA 2401 GCGAAGATGA GCACC ID HSPRP0A standard; RNA; PRI; 2420 BP. AC M13667; DT 30-JUN-1987 (last revised) DE Human prion protein 27-30 mRNA, complete cds. KW amyloid; prion; sialoglycoprotein. OS Homo sapiens OC Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Vertebrata; Tetrapoda; Mammalia; OC Eutheria; Primates; Anthropoidea; Hominoidea; Hominidae. RN [1] (bases 1-2420) RA Liao Y.C.J., Lebo R.V., Clawson G.A., Smuckler E.A.; RT "Human prion protein cDNA: Molecular cloning, chromosomal mapping, RT and biological implications"; RL Science 233:364-367(1986). CC A single prion protien gene is found on chromosome 20 per haploid CC genome. FH Key Location/Qualifiers FH FT mRNA <1. .2420 FT /note="PrP mRNA" FT CDS 77. .814 FT /note="prion protein" SQ Sequence 2420 BP; 669 A; 500 C; 583 G; 668 T; 0 other; embl:hsprp0a Length: 2420 January 11, 1991 13:38 Check: 4907 .. 1 CGAGCAGCCA AGGTTCGCCA TAATGACTGC TCTCGGTCGT GAGGAGAGGA 51 GAAGCTCGCG GCGCCGCGGC TGCTGGATGC TGGTTCTCTT TGTGGCCACA 101 TGGAGTGACC TGGGCCTCTG CAAGAAGCGC CCGAAGCCTG GAGGATGGAA 151 CACTGGGGGC AGCCGATACC CGGGGCAGGG CAGCCCTGGA GGCAACCGCT 201 ACCCACCTCA GGGCGGTGGT GGCTGGGGGC AGCCTCATGG TGGTGGCTGG 251 GGGCAGCCTC ATGGTGGTGG CTGGGGGCAG CCCCATGGTG GTGGCTGGGG 301 ACAGCCTCAT GGTGGTGGCT GGGGTCAAGG AGGTGGCACC CACAGTCAGT 351 GGAACAAGCC GAGTAAGCCA AAAACCAACA TGAAGCACAT GGCTGGTGCA 401 GCAGCTGGGG CAGTGGTGGG GGGCCTTGGC GGCTACATGC TGGGAAGTGC 451 CATGAGCAGG CCCATCATAC ATTTCGGCAG TGACTATGAG GACCGTTACT 501 ATCGTGAAAA CATGCACCGT TACCCCAACC AAGTGTACTA CAGGCCCATG 551 GATGAGTACA GCAACCAGAA CAACTTTGTG CACGACTGCG TCAATATCAC 601 AATCAAGCAG CACACGGTCA CCACAACCAC CAAGGGGGAG AACTTCACCG 651 AGACCGACGT TAAGATGATG GAGCGCGTGG TTGAGCAGAT GTGTATCACC 701 CAGTACGAGA GGGAATCTCA GGCCTATTAC CAGAGAGGAT CGAGCATGGT 751 CCTCTTCTCC TCTCCACCTG TGATCCTCCT GATCTCTTTC CTCATCTTCC 801 TGATAGTGGG ATGAGGAAGG TCTTCCTGTT TTCACCATCT TTCTAATCTT 851 TTTCCAGCTT GAGGGAGGCG GTATCCACCT GCAGCCCTTT TAGTGGTGGT 901 GTCTCACTCT TTCTTCTCTC TTTGTCCCGG ATAGGCTAAT CAATACCCTT 951 GGCACTGATG GGCACTGGAA AACATAGAGT AGACCTGAGA TGCTGGTCAA 1001 GCCCCCTTTG ATTGAGTTCA TCATGAGCCG TTGCTAATGC CAGGCCAGTA 1051 AAAGTATAAC AGCAAATAAC CATTGGTTAA TCTGGACTTA TTTTTGGACT 1101 TAGTGCAACA GGTTGAGGCT AAAACAAATC TCAGAACAGT CTGAAATACC 1151 TTTGCCTGGA TACCTCTGGC TCCTTCAGCA GCTAGAGCTC AGTATACTAA 1201 TGCCCTATCT TAGTAGAGAT TTCATAGCTA TTTAGAGATA TTTTCCATTT 1251 TAAGAAAACC CGACAACATT TCTGCCAGGT TTGTTAGGAG GCCACATGAT 1301 ACTTATTCAA AAAAATCCTA GAGATTCTTA GCTCTTGGGA TGCAGGCTCA 1351 GCCCGCTGGA GCATGAGCTC TGTGTGTACC GAGAACTGGG GTGATGTTTT 1401 ACTTTTCACA GTATGGGCTA CACAGCAGCT GTTCAACAAG AGTAAATATT 1451 GTCACAACAC TGAACCTCTG GCTAGAGGAC ATATTCACAG TGAACATAAC 1501 TGTAACATAT ATGAAAGGCT TCTGGGACTT GAAATCAAAT GTTTGGGAAT 1551 GGTGCCCTTG GAGGCAACCT CCCATTTTAG ATGTTTAAAG GACCCTATAT 1601 GTGGCATTCC TTTCTTTAAA CTATAGGTAA TTAAGGCAGC TGAAAAGTAA 1651 ATTGCCTTCT AGACACTGAA GGCAAATCTC CTTTGTCCAT TTACCTGGAA 1701 ACCAGAATGA TTTTGACATA CAGGAGAGCT GCAGTTGTGA AAGCACCATC 1751 ATCATAGAGG ATGATGTAAT TAAAAAATGG TCAGTGTGCA AAGAAAAGAA 1801 CTGCTTGCAT TTCTTTATTT CTGTCTCATA ATTGTCAAAA ACCAGAATTA 1851 GGTCAAGTTC ATAGTTTCTG TAATTGGCTT TTGAATCAAA GAATAGGGAG 1901 ACAATCTAAA AAATATCTTA GGTTGGAGAT GACAGAAATA TGATTGATTT 1951 GAAGTGGAAA AAGAAATTCT GTTAATGTTA ATTAAAGTAA AATTATTCCC 2001 TGAATTGTTT GATATTGTCA CCTAGCAGAT ATGTATTACC TTTCTGCAAT 2051 GTTATTATTG GCCTTGCACT GTGTAGTATT CTATGTAAAA ATATATATGT 2101 ATATAAAATA TATCATTGCA TAGGACAGAC TTAGGAGTTT TGTTTACAGC 2151 AGTTAACATC TGAAGTGTCT AATGCATTAA CTTTTGTAAG GTACTGAATA 2201 CTTAATATGT GGGAAACCCT TTTGCGTGGT CCTTAGGCTT ACAATGTGCA 2251 CTGAATCGTT TCATGTAAGA ATCCAAAGTG GACACCATTA ACAGGTCTTT 2301 GAAATATGCA TGTACTTTAT ATTTTCTATA TTTGTAACTT TGCATGTTCT 2351 TGTTTTGTTA TATAAAAAAA TTGTAAATGT TTAATATCTG ACTGAAATTA 2401 AACGAGCCAA GATGAGCACC ID OAPRP standard; DNA; MAM; 4226 BP. AC M31313; DT 22-JAN-1990 (last revised) DE Sheep prion protein (PrP) gene, complete cds. KW prion protein. OS Ovis aries OC Eukaryota; Animalia; Metazoa; Chordata; Vertebrata; Mammalia; OC Theria; Eutheria; Artiodactyla; Ruminantia; Pecora; Bovidae. RN [1] (bases 1-4226) RA Goldmann W., Hunter N., Foster J.D., Salbaum J.M., Beyreuther K., RA Hope J.; RT "Two alleles of a neural protein gene linked to scrapie in sheep"; RL Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87:2476-2480(1990). CC Draft entry and computer-readable sequence for [1] kindly submitted CC by W.Goldmann, 16-JAN-1990, for release after publication. FH Key Location/Qualifiers FH FT iDNA <1. .61 FT /note="prion protein (PrP) intron" FT CDS 72. .842 FT /note="prion protein (PrP) precursor" FT CDS 72. .144 FT /note="prion protein (PrP) signal peptide" FT CDS 145. .839 FT /note="prion protein (PrP)" SQ Sequence 4226 BP; 1283 A; 780 C; 966 G; 1197 T; 0 other; embl:oaprp Length: 4226 January 11, 1991 13:39 Check: 1989 .. 1 CTGCAGACTT TAAGTGATTC TTACGTGGGC ATTTGATGCT GACACCCTCT 51 TTATTTTGCA GAGAAGTCAT CATGGTGAAA AGCCACATAG GCAGTTGGAT 101 CCTGGTTCTC TTTGTGGCCA TGTGGAGTGA CGTGGGCCTC TGCAAGAAGC 151 GACCAAAACC TGGCGGAGGA TGGAACACTG GGGGGAGCCG ATACCCGGGA 201 CAGGGCAGTC CTGGAGGCAA CCGCTATCCA CCTCAGGGAG GGGGTGGCTG 251 GGGTCAGCCC CATGGAGGTG GCTGGGGCCA ACCTCATGGA GGTGGCTGGG 301 GTCAGCCCCA TGGTGGTGGC TGGGGACAGC CACATGGTGG TGGAGGCTGG 351 GGTCAAGGTG GTAGCCACAG TCAGTGGAAC AAGCCCAGTA AGCCAAAAAC 401 CAACATGAAG CATGTGGCAG GAGCTGCTGC AGCTGGAGCA GTGGTAGGGG 451 GCCTTGGTGG CTACATGCTG GGAAGTGCCA TGAGCAGGCC TCTTATACAT 501 TTTGGCAATG ACTATGAGGA CCGTTACTAT CGTGAAAACA TGTACCGTTA 551 CCCCAACCAA GTGTACTACA GACCAGTGGA TCGGTATAGT AACCAGAACA 601 ACTTTGTGCA TGACTGTGTC AACATCACAG TCAAGCAACA CACAGTCACC 651 ACCACCACCA AGGGGGAGAA CTTCACCGAA ACTGACATCA AGATAATGGA 701 GCGAGTGGTG GAGCAAATGT GCATCACCCA GTACCAGAGA GAATCCCAGG 751 CTTATTACCA AAGGGGGGCA AGTGTGATCC TCTTTTCTTC CCCTCCTGTG 801 ATCCTCCTCA TCTCTTTCCT CATTTTTCTC ATAGTAGGAT AGGGGCAACC 851 TTCCTGTTTT CATTATCTTC TTAATCTTTG CCAGGTTGGG GGAGGGAGTG 901 TCTACCTGCA GCCCTGTAGT GGTGGTGTCT CATTTCTTGC TTCTCTCTTG 951 TTACCTGTAT AATAATACCC TTGGCGCTTA CAGCACTGGG AAATGACAAG 1001 CAGACATGAG ATGCTATTTA TTCAAGTCCC ATTAGCTCAG TATTCTAATG 1051 TCCCATCTTA GCAGTGATTT TGTAGCAATT TTCTCATTTG TTTCAAGAAC 1101 ACCTGACTAC ATTTCCCTTT GGGAATAGCA TTTCTGCCAA GTCTGGAAGG 1151 AGGCCACATA ATATTCATTC AAAAAAACAA AACTGGAAAT CCTTAGTTCA 1201 TAGACCCAGG GTCCACCCTG TTGAGAGCAT GTGTCCTGTG TCTGCAGAGA 1251 ACTATAAAGG ATATTCTGCA TTTTGCAGGT TACATTTGCA GGTAACACAG 1301 CCATCTATTG CATCAAGAAT GGATATTCAT GCAACCTTTG ACTTATGGGC 1351 AGAGGACATC TTCACAAGGA ATGAACATAA TACAAAAGGC TTCTGAGACT 1401 AAAAAATTCC AACATATGGA AGAGGTGCCC TTGGTGGCAG CCTTCCATTT 1451 TGTATGTTTA AAGCACCTTC AAGTGATATT CCTTTCTTTA GTAACATAAA 1501 GTATAGATAA TTAAGGTACC TTAATTAAAC TACCTTCTAG ACACTGAGAG 1551 CAAATCTGTT GTTTATCTGG AACCCCAGGA TGATTTTGAC ATTGCTTAGG 1601 GATGTGAGAG TTGGACTGTA AAGAAAGCTG AGTGCTGAAG AGTTCATGCT 1651 TTTGAACTAT AGTGTTGGAG AAAACTCTTG AGAGTCCCTT GGACTGAAAG 1701 GAGATCAGTC CTGAATATTC ATTGGAAGGA CTGATGCTGA AGCTGAAACT 1751 CCAGTACTTT GGTCACCTGA TGGGAAGAAC TGAAGGCAGG AGGGATGCTA 1801 GGAAAGACTG AAGGCAGGAG GAGAAGGGGA CGACAGAGGA TGAGATGGCT 1851 AGATGGCATC ATGGACTCAA TGGACATGAG CTTAAGTAAA CTCCAGGAGT 1901 TGGCAATGGA CAGGGAGACC TGGCGTCCTG CAGTCCATGG TGTCGCAGAG 1951 TCGGACACGA TTGAGTGACT AAATTGAGGT GACCCAGATT TAACATAGAG 2001 AATGCAGATA CAAAACTCAT ATTCATTTGA TTGAATCTTT TCCTGAACCA 2051 GTGCTAGTGT TGGACTGGTA AGGGTATAAC AGCATATATA GGTTATGTGA 2101 TGAAGAGATA GTGTACATGA AATATGTGCA TTTCTTTATT GCTGTCTTAT 2151 AATTGTCAAA AAAGAAAATT AGGTCCTTGG TTTCTGTAAA ATTGACTTGA 2201 ATCAAAAGGG AGGCATTTAA AGAAATAAAT TAGAGATGAT AGAAATCTGA 2251 TCCATTCAGA GTAGAAAAAG AATTGCATAC TGTATTAAGA AGTCAAATAT 2301 TCCTGAATTG TTCAATATTG TCACCTAGCA GATAGACACT ATTCTGTACT 2351 GTTTTTACTA GCTTGCACCT TGTGGTATCC TATGTAAAAA CATATTTGCA 2401 TATGACAAAC TTTTTCTGTT AGAGCAATTA ACATCTGAAC CACCTAATGC 2451 ATTACCTGTT TTTGTAAGGT ACTTTTTGTA AGGTACTAAG GAGATGTGGG 2501 TTTAATCCCT AGGTCAGGTA AATCCCCTAG AGGAAGAAAT GGCAACCCAC 2551 TCCAGTATTC TTGCCAGGAA AATCCAGTGG GCAGAGGAGC CTGGCAGGGT 2601 ACAGTCTGAG CATGGGGTTG CAAAGAGTGA GACAAGACTT GAGCTACTGA 2651 ACAATAAGGA CAATAAATGC TGGGTCGGCT AAAAGGTTCA TTAGGTTTTT 2701 TTTCTGTAAG ATGGCTCTAG TAGTACTTGT CTTTATCTTC ATTCGAAACA 2751 ATTTTGTTAG ATTGTATGTG ACAGCTCTTG TATCAGCATG CATTTGAAAA 2801 AAACATCACA ATTGGTAAAT TTTTGTATAG CCATCTTACT ATTGAAGATG 2851 GAAGAAAAGA AGCAAAATTT TCAGCATATC ATGCTGTACT TATTTCAAGA 2901 AAGATAACCA AAATGCAAAA ATGTATTTGT GAAGTGTATG GAGAAGGGGC 2951 TGCAACTGAT CAAGCTTGTC AAAGTAGTTT GTGAAGTTTC GTGCTGGAGA 3001 TTTCTTATTG GACGATGCTC CACAGTTGGA TATACCAGTT GAAGTTGATA 3051 GTGATCAAAT TGAGATATTG AGAATAATCG ATGTTATACC ACGCGGGAGA 3101 TAGCTGACAT ACTCAAAATA TCCAAATAGA ACCTTGAAAA CCATTTGCAC 3151 CATCTCAGTT ATGTTAATCA CTTTGATGTT TGAGTTCCAC ATAAGCAAAA 3201 AAACAACAAC AAAAAAAAAT ACAACCTTGA CCATATTTGC GCATGCAGTT 3251 CTCTACTGAA ATGATTGAAA ACACTTTGTT TTTAAAAACA GATTTTGATT 3301 AACAGTGGGT ACGATACAAT AACGTAGATG GAAGAAATTG TAGGGTGAGC 3351 AAAATGAACC ACACCACCAA AGGCCAGTCT TCCTCTAAAG AAGATGTGTG 3401 TATGGTGGGA TTGGAAAGTA ATCCTCTATT ATGAATTCTT CTGGAAAACA 3451 CTGCTCCTAA TTAGACCAAC TGAAAACAGC ACTCAACGAA AAGCATCCAG 3501 AATTAGTCAA TAGAAAACAT AATCTTCCAT CAGGATAACG CAAGACTACA 3551 TATTTCTTTG ATGACCCAGC ATGGCTGGAG TTTCTGATTC ATCTGTTGTA 3601 TCAGACGTTG CATCTTGGAT TTTTCATTAT TCAGTCTACA AATTATATAT 3651 GAAAATTCAT CCTTGTAAGA TGTAAGTGCA TCTGGAAAAT TTCTTTGCTC 3701 AAAAAGATAA AAAGTTTTGT GAACACAGAA TTATGACGTT GCCTGAAAAA 3751 TGGCAGAAGG TAGTGGAACA AAAGAGTGAC TATGTTGTTT GGTAAAGTTC 3801 TTAGTGAAAA TGAAAAATGT GTCTTTTATT TTTATTTAAA CACCAAAGGC 3851 ACATTTGCAC ACCAACTGTA ATCTAAGAAC CTCGGTGTCC TAGCCTTACA 3901 GTGTGCACTG ATAGTTTGTA TAAGAATCCA GAGTGATATT TGAAATACGC 3951 ATGTGCTTAT ATTTTTTATA TTTGTAACTT TGCATGTACT TGTTTTGTGT 4001 TAAAAGTTTA TAAATATTTA ATATCTGACT AAAATTAAAC AGGAGCTAAA 4051 AGGAGTATCT TCCACGGAGT GTCTGGCTGT GTTCACCAGT GTGCACACCA 4101 TGTTGGCAGC TTCATTTGGG GGGTTAATAT GAGAAAAGTG ACACATTCAG 4151 TCCTCACACT GCCAATTGCA GGAGGAGGGC TACTCCTGAT CCTGCTTCAG 4201 CCTTATTCCC AGTCACATGC CAGCTG -- GARY WILLIAMS, Computing Services Section, Janet: G.Williams@UK.AC.CRC MRC-CRC & Human Genome Mapping Centre, Internet: G.Williams@CRC.AC.UK Watford Rd, HARROW, Middx, HA1 3UJ, UK EARN/Bitnet: G.Williams%CRC@UKACRL Tel 081-869 3294 Fax 081-423 1275 Usenet: ...!mcsun!ukc!mrccrc!G.Williams
KPURCELL@liverpool.ac.uk (Kevin Purcell) (01/16/91)
On Thu, 3 Jan 91 21:51:23 EST hsv3!mvp@edu.rutgers.cs said: > >In article <Dec.31.18.35.03.1990.25921@athos.rutgers.edu> > cphoenix@csli.stanford.edu (Chris Phoenix) writes: >>Several years ago I heard of something called prions, which the >>discussion of self-replicating chemicals reminded me of. > >I was told recently that prions were just a hypothesis, which >turned out not to be true after all. I know I haven't seen >anything about them in years -- Anyone else have more info? >-- >Mike Van Pelt Here lies a Technophobe, >Headland Technology/Video 7 No whimper, no blast. >...ames!vsi1!headland!mvp His life's goal accomplished, > Zero risk at last. Prions are alive(?) and well and still belived to be a possible cause for: 1. Kuru (a degenerative brain disease in sheep). 2. Crutfeldt-Jakob disease (a degenerative brain disease in man.) 3. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (a degenerative brain disease in cattle). This may all be caused by the same agent (that has species-hopped). All agents involved are resistant to chemical attack and normal heat treatments with a consequent worry of transmission from cattle to humans of BSE. Kevin _ . Kevin Purcell | kpurcell@liverpool.ac.uk _/ \ / \ kgp@cxa.dl.ac.uk Surface Science, | /----/^^^\ Liverpool University | There is now a damm fine /TWIN PEAKS\ email discussion Liverpool L69 3BX, UK | list for TPers. Mail me / / \ for details.
lfk@eastman1.mit.edu (Lee F. Kolakowski) (01/22/91)
There is a good review of Scrapie agents and the arguement for Prions in September 1990 Microbiological Reviews (an ASM journal). Prions and the prion protein are alive and well. Whats not is the infectious nucleic acid theory. -- Frank Kolakowski ======================================================================= |lfk@athena.mit.edu or lfk@eastman1.mit.edu or kolakowski@wccf.mit.edu| | Lee F. Kolakowski M.I.T. | | Dept of Chemistry Room 18-506 | | 77 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139 | | AT&T: 1-617-253-1866 #include <disclaimer.h> | =======================================================================