On 31 Dec 2001 15:24:14 GMT, jorge1907 at aol.comcomm (Jorge1907) wrote:
>Anyone have additional info about prions and heat stability? Brown's article
>from 99 said infectivity survived 15 minutes at 600C
I think you are referring to P Brown et al, PNAS 97(7):3418-2. March
2000.
A citation search shows six articles that have cited it. 5 have
abstracts online; browsing those abstracts does not reveal anything
enlightening.
Their own interpretation is that the active fraction is "mineral" --
and something that is involved in the process. Since some metal ions
have been implicated in prion behavior, this is not completely
unreasonable. Nevertheless, the whole article is somewhat suspicious.
Maybe heat penetration was incomplete. I'm inclined to withhold
judgment until it is reproduced or contradicted. Things that are
impossible usually are not true -- and in any case require a high
level of proof.
bob
