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"The only lifeforms that occur or Earth without DNA, according to another commentor, are proteins known as 'prions', best known on Earth as the cause of Mad Cow
by gowiththeflow 16y ago
"The only lifeforms that occur or Earth without DNA, according to another commentor, are proteins known as 'prions', best known on Earth as the cause of Mad Cow Disease."
I was not aware that prions were considered a lifeform.
- Devilboy 16y agoIt depends on the definition of 'life' you're using. There's lots of disagreement on what the definition should be exactly.
- carbocation 16y agoThere really is nobody arguing that prions are alive. Unlike viruses, for which there is at least a vigorous debate, prions just don't cut it, lacking virtually all of the features that we associate with life. I can't believe that this news article is quoting from commenters on the technologyreview arxiv blog.
- jonhendry 16y agoIf I'm not mistaken, they can 'reproduce' after a fashion, by warping other nearby normal proteins into prions.