3 ms·
Yeah, because scrapie doesn't resemble a virus, so it doesn't have the same survival concerns. A protein in an exceptionally low-energy conformation is more rob
by andrewflnr 3y ago
Yeah, because scrapie doesn't resemble a virus, so it doesn't have the same survival concerns. A protein in an exceptionally low-energy conformation is more robust than a ring of RNA, film at 11.
Anyway, fun fact, the prion that causes scrapie is extremely similar to the ones that cause mad cow disease (transmissible to humans) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (human disease). So yes, we're very, very lucky, so far. Sleep tight.
- chasil 3y agoActually, the worst cases were from Kuru. It has a ghastly origin. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(disease) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(disease) (I will upvote you now.)
- andrewflnr 3y agoSure, but Kuru doesn't transmit anywhere near as easily as scrapie does in sheep, which seemed to be the relevant comparison.