Scientists consider prions to be ʺpuzzlingʺ proteins. Which of the following is TRUE about prions?
A) Prions are proteins that are denatured more easily than most proteins.
B) Prions are proteins that cause nearby proteins to change shape and become infectious.
C) Prions are noninfectious proteins.
D) Prions are infectious proteins that cannot be denatured by any amount of heat.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Prions are unique in that they can induce other normal proteins to misfold into the same aberrant structure, thereby propagating the infectious process. This characteristic is what makes them particularly puzzling and dangerous, as they can spread their misfolded form to other proteins, leading to diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in cattle.

Scientists Consider Prions to Be ʺPuzzlingʺ Proteins