Question:
Prions are
Prions are
Show Hint
Stanley B. Prusiner was awarded the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of prions, challenging the dogma that all infectious agents must contain nucleic acids.
Updated On: Jul 13, 2026
- RNA viruses
- Eukaryotes
- Proteinaceous infectious particle
- Archea
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Infectious agents vary from cellular organisms (bacteria, fungi) to non-cellular entities. Non-cellular pathogens can contain nucleic acids (viruses, viroids) or lack them entirely.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Prions are anomalous, proteinaceous infectious particles that contain no DNA or RNA.
- They consist entirely of an abnormally folded form of a normal cellular protein ($\text{PrP}^{\text{C}}$).
- This abnormal prion protein ($\text{PrP}^{\text{Sc}}$) acts as a template, inducing normal proteins to refold into the infectious, amyloid-forming conformation.
- Prions cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases in mammals, such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) in humans.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Prions are defined as proteinaceous infectious particles.
Infectious agents vary from cellular organisms (bacteria, fungi) to non-cellular entities. Non-cellular pathogens can contain nucleic acids (viruses, viroids) or lack them entirely.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Prions are anomalous, proteinaceous infectious particles that contain no DNA or RNA.
- They consist entirely of an abnormally folded form of a normal cellular protein ($\text{PrP}^{\text{C}}$).
- This abnormal prion protein ($\text{PrP}^{\text{Sc}}$) acts as a template, inducing normal proteins to refold into the infectious, amyloid-forming conformation.
- Prions cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases in mammals, such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) in humans.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Prions are defined as proteinaceous infectious particles.
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Top ICAR AIEEA Plant Biotechnology Questions
- Which of the following molecules can be classified under glycosphingolipid category?
- The bicarbonate buffer is a principal buffering system in blood plasma. The ratio of the bicarbonate to carbonic acid required to maintain pH of plasma at 7.4 is:
- Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other one labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The disruption of $\beta$-oxidation of fatty acids in plants can potentially reduce stress-induced ROS accumulation and improve its stress tolerance.
Reason (R): In plants, $\beta$-oxidation of fatty acids takes place predominantly in peroxisomes, where first enzyme of $\beta$-oxidation viz. fatty acyl CoA oxidase produces large amounts of hydrogen peroxide.
In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below. - The serum level of which of the following metabolites can effectively distinguish "Vitamin B12 deficiency" from "Folate deficiency" ?
- Match List-I with List-II
List-I (Name of the Enzyme) & List-II (Class of the enzyme)
(A). Pyruvate carboxylase & (I). Oxidoreductase
(B). Fumarase & (II). Hydrolase
(C). Phospholipase & (III). Lyase
(D). Nitrogenase & (IV). Ligase
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
View More Questions
Top ICAR AIEEA Microbiology Questions
- Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other one labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Peptidoglycan-containing bacterial cell wall is resistant to hydrolytic action of many proteases.
Reason (R): The presence of D-amino amino acids in the peptidoglycan structure of bacterial cell wall makes it resistant to most proteases.
In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below. - The DNA of the microorganisms living under conditions of extreme temperature is predominantly:
- Which of the following method of recombination in bacteria is DNase sensitive
- Which of the following is a symbiotic nitrogen fixer?
- Which of the following mechanisms is not employed by bacteria that move by gliding?
View More Questions
Top ICAR AIEEA Questions
- Which of the following statements is false?
- Which of the following is an example of an inventory?
- According to Adam Smith, productivity gains could be brought about through .
- The supply curve for an artificially scarce good is .
- Which of the following would not be considered an opportunity cost of paid employment?
View More Questions