Good eats?

[Darth Wong]

A prion is not a bacterium; it's some kind of fucked-up protein, and as such, is MUCH more difficult to destroy than bacteria. You only need to kill bacteria; you do not need to crack its chemical constituents apart.

[Admiral Valdemar]

A prion is not a bacterium; it's some kind of fucked-up protein, and as such, is MUCH more difficult to destroy than bacteria. You only need to kill bacteria; you do not need to crack its chemical constituents apart.

Indeed, a prion stands for PROteinaceous INfection (don't ask me why they didn't name it PROIN). It is most commonly heard of in the media as CJD or Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease which is a carry on of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) but in humans. There are many variants of such a disease now, however.

They are badass, people in the virology community were baffled by the findings that such a disease could occur by a simple mutated protein. But tests showed that it could take unlimited exposure to UV, nucleases and extreme heat (not in thousands of degrees C though). It was sensitive to protein modification agents though.

Basically, the thing seeks out other proteins like it, usually only a few hundred amino acids long and makes them change shape to mimic the prion. As you can see, this effect becomes eponential, but thankfully you need to ingest these things in vast quantities in your diet or through surgery to get infected. The bioweapon in the Cowboy Bebop movie involved nanomachines that were prions disguised in clumps to look like lymphocytes.

[phongn]

It's a good way to get Ebola or Kuru so the next time I go to my local Spar I will avoid the chilled monkey brains and primate select cuts section.

Monkey brains are also a good way to risk getting a prion infection.

*Nicely points out that Kuru is a prion infection but was mainly caught from cannibalistic practices*

Indeed.

[phongn]

Basically, the thing seeks out other proteins like it, usually only a few hundred amino acids long and makes them change shape to mimic the prion. As you can see, this effect becomes eponential, but thankfully you need to ingest these things in vast quantities in your diet or through surgery to get infected. The bioweapon in the Cowboy Bebop movie involved nanomachines that were prions disguised in clumps to look like lymphocytes.

Oooh, nasty thing. How was it delivered?

[Admiral Valdemar]

Basically, the thing seeks out other proteins like it, usually only a few hundred amino acids long and makes them change shape to mimic the prion. As you can see, this effect becomes eponential, but thankfully you need to ingest these things in vast quantities in your diet or through surgery to get infected. The bioweapon in the Cowboy Bebop movie involved nanomachines that were prions disguised in clumps to look like lymphocytes.

Oooh, nasty thing. How was it delivered?

Aerosol, the surrounding area was usually heavily infected and people exhibited symptons within minutes including dizziness, regurgitation of blood and the hallucination of what looks like butterflies of light prior to total cerebral meltdown.

You'd have to see the film to get it, but a prion based weapon would be most excellent provided you knew a way of curing those infected that may be on your side, but it won't "die" like a virus or bacillus.

[Slartibartfast]

A good eat is also fish with onions, all marinated in lemon (a very acidic kind that you can't find in Europe or the US anyway)...

[Admiral Valdemar]

A good eat is also fish with onions, all marinated in lemon (a very acidic kind that you can't find in Europe or the US anyway)...

Some fish have cool glow in the dark bacteria colonies on their skin...