[tejaswini]

how can a protein coat reproduce. how is it transmitted?:-)

[zyncod]

Say you have magnetic strip #1 that is straight left to its own devices. If you introduce magnetic strip #2 shaped like a 'W,' then magnetic strip #1 will also form a 'W.' The two linked strips continue the process of changing other magnetic strips from lines to 'W's.

The prion protein is a naturally occurring protein - the natural protein just needs the template of the prion form in order to turn into another prion protein.

[zyncod]

Sorry, that analogy of the 'W' strips was not entirely accurate. To be fully accurate, the strips only become magnetic in the 'W' form. In the straight form, they are not magnetic, but they are still capable of being attracted by a magnet.

Essentially,

the straight form: a bendy piece of iron
the 'W' form: a rigid magnet

[tejaswini]

thanks zyncod

[prion]

ahh prions.... my specialist subject. I was going to launch into some detailed essay on protein folding, but I think the magnet analogy is really good! Normal, healthy prion protein (that everyone has) is made of alpha helices, 'bad', infectious prion protein is made of mainly beta-sheets. No one knows exactly (at the molecular level) how the infectious beta-sheet prions force the normal helical protein to change its shape, but experiments have shown that the normal protein definitely interacts with the beta sheet prion form and then changes its structure.

[tejaswini]

thank u so much prion