Four Primary Levels
Protein Structure on a Tertiary Level
The third of four levels of protein structure is the tertiary level. The primary level are strands of the 20 amino acids, the secondary level are alpha helix and beta pleats, the tertiary level are a combination of helix, pleats, and bends, and the quaternary level involves multiple polypeptide bonds. The tertiary level is a three dimensional level that allows the protein to be fluid and move and make up the R group in the protein structure. There are four different bonds and interactions which may be polar, nonpolar, or charged. The structure is important as it determines what that protein will do in the cell whether it be an enzyme or transporter. (Particle Sciences, 2009) . The first interaction …show more content…
It is currently thought that a normal prion protein mutates into a pathogenic form that damages the central nervous system of cattle causing the cow to act “Mad”, thus the nickname, Mad Cow Disease. It was first identified in 1986 with possible cases in the 1970’s when Scrapie infected sheep were fed to cattle in the form of meat and bone meal. Scrapie was the first transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. The feed evolved to bovine meat and bone meal and was fed to young calves. The largest outbreak in the United Kingdom took place in 1995 with 14,562 cases. In 2010, there were 11 reported cases. (Beef Checkoff, …show more content…
How do protein chaperones contribute to BSE?
A prion acts as a chaperone and because it has been misfolded, when it bumps into normal proteins, the normal proteins then become infected and continue the misfolding process. These old and new prions aggregate on the sheath of a nerve cell causing it to degenerate which leads to BSE.
Two Ways a Country Can Decrease Transmission of BSE Cattle are more susceptible to acquiring BSE in the first 6 months of their life, but can show signs of BSE in the first 30 months. One way a country can decrease the transmission of BSE is by mandating that farmers eliminate meat and meal from their feed. The best feed for young cattle is hay, foraging, or pasture feeding. With cattle having a ruminant digestive system, this type of feed, given enough hydration, is the best for their digestive system. It also eliminates the risk of getting BSE from meat and meal feed. Another way a country can decrease the transmission of BSE is by having stricter controls on food labeling and by enforcing feed bans on meat and meal feeds that can potentially carry prion pathogens that cause BSE. (H Smith-Thomas,
The third of four levels of protein structure is the tertiary level. The primary level are strands of the 20 amino acids, the secondary level are alpha helix and beta pleats, the tertiary level are a combination of helix, pleats, and bends, and the quaternary level involves multiple polypeptide bonds. The tertiary level is a three dimensional level that allows the protein to be fluid and move and make up the R group in the protein structure. There are four different bonds and interactions which may be polar, nonpolar, or charged. The structure is important as it determines what that protein will do in the cell whether it be an enzyme or transporter. (Particle Sciences, 2009) . The first interaction …show more content…
It is currently thought that a normal prion protein mutates into a pathogenic form that damages the central nervous system of cattle causing the cow to act “Mad”, thus the nickname, Mad Cow Disease. It was first identified in 1986 with possible cases in the 1970’s when Scrapie infected sheep were fed to cattle in the form of meat and bone meal. Scrapie was the first transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. The feed evolved to bovine meat and bone meal and was fed to young calves. The largest outbreak in the United Kingdom took place in 1995 with 14,562 cases. In 2010, there were 11 reported cases. (Beef Checkoff, …show more content…
How do protein chaperones contribute to BSE?
A prion acts as a chaperone and because it has been misfolded, when it bumps into normal proteins, the normal proteins then become infected and continue the misfolding process. These old and new prions aggregate on the sheath of a nerve cell causing it to degenerate which leads to BSE.
Two Ways a Country Can Decrease Transmission of BSE Cattle are more susceptible to acquiring BSE in the first 6 months of their life, but can show signs of BSE in the first 30 months. One way a country can decrease the transmission of BSE is by mandating that farmers eliminate meat and meal from their feed. The best feed for young cattle is hay, foraging, or pasture feeding. With cattle having a ruminant digestive system, this type of feed, given enough hydration, is the best for their digestive system. It also eliminates the risk of getting BSE from meat and meal feed. Another way a country can decrease the transmission of BSE is by having stricter controls on food labeling and by enforcing feed bans on meat and meal feeds that can potentially carry prion pathogens that cause BSE. (H Smith-Thomas,