Sensitivity of scrapie infectivity to detergents and 2-mercaptoethanol.
Exposure of fractions obtained from scrapie-infected mouse brain to Triton X-100 resulted in no change in its infectivity except after sedimentation. Infectivity was reduced after exposure to 2-mercaptoethanol but only in the presence of SDS. These results support the view that protein is an important component of the scrapie agent and that disulfide bonds may play a part in maintaining the structural integrity of the infectious agent.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology; D002498:Centrifugation; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008623:Mercaptoethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011328:Prions / Q000254:growth & development*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000382:microbiology; D012756:Sheep; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology*
D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D011328:Prions; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D008623:Mercaptoethanol