'Lifeless' prion proteins are 'capable of evolution'

BBC News ^ | 1 January 2010 | BBC News / Scripps Research Institute

[OldNavyVet]

Scientists have shown for the first time that "lifeless" prion proteins, devoid of all genetic material, can evolve just like higher forms of life.

The Scripps Research Institute in the US says the prions can change to suit their environment and go on to develop drug resistance.

Prions are associated with 20 different brain diseases in humans and animals.

[OldNavyVet]

Another scientific step forward ... ?

[Track9]

devoid of all genetic material, can evolve just like higher forms of life.

I didn't realize Zero had released his medical file.

[Gondring]

This came out last week...not exactly "Breaking News"...but it is important.

[BigEdLB]

This is the stuff that causes Mad Cow Disease... Nasty S**T

[Westbrook]

I see water adapting itself to the cold by crystalizing, and adapting to air currents and heat by becoming gaseous.

[Abathar]

Your post had the word evolution in it, so I thought I’d come to watch the fur start flying...

[the long march]

and again adaptation is not evolution. Show me a prion that actual ‘evolves’ into something of a higher order and I might be more impressed

[Red Badger]

I knew those people at Toyota were up to something!..................8^)

[Vaquero]

prions are deadly....as in Mad Cow, crutchfield jacobs disease, chronic wasting

these ‘non-living’ proteins destroy the central nervous system and cannot be destroyed by heat, cold, or chemicals. Nasty buggers.

[catpuppy]

I see water adapting itself to the cold by crystalizing, and adapting to air currents and heat by becoming gaseous.

And sometimes it even transforms itself into little cubes or half disks. No one knows why or how.

[Raycpa]

Scientists have shown for the first time that "lifeless" prion proteins, devoid of all genetic material, can evolve just like higher forms of life.

Sounds like the hope a parent has for their teenager.

[Raycpa]

If something nonliving seems to “evolve”, does that indicate that what looks like evolution for living things is actually a natural chemical process rather than a series of accidents that enhance the survivability of an organism?

[UCANSEE2]

Show me a prion that actual ‘evolves’ into something of a higher order and I might be more impressed.

Here is what you get when multiple prions assemble themselves together for the good of the whole.

[Westbrook]

> And sometimes it even transforms itself into little cubes > or half disks. No one knows why or how.

LOL!

Yes, but at the end of the day, it’s still just H20.

Just as, in spite of their “darwinian mutations”, Prions are still Prions, viruses are still viruses, bacteria are still bacteria, finches are still finches, apes are still apes ....

[OldNavyVet]

I see water adapting itself to the cold by crystalizing, and adapting to air currents and heat by becoming gaseous.

Evolution is seen as a one way process, but your scenario is something to think about.

[UCANSEE2]

what looks like evolution for living things is actually a natural chemical process

How could that be? We aren't made of chemicals. (/sarcasm)

[UCANSEE2]

Prions are still Prions, viruses are still viruses, bacteria are still bacteria, finches are still finches, apes are still apes ....

And Lying Narcissists are still lying narcissists.

[Raycpa]

My poor wording.

I was attempting to make a distinction between chemical reactions which will follow a certain predictable pattern regardless of its effect on a host from a set of chemical reactions that occur randomly and have a positive or negative effect on the host.

[iceskater]

Ping for you.

[OldNavyVet]

If something nonliving seems to “evolve”, does that indicate ...

Darwin's book has fourteen chapters, and four deal with nonliving geologic or geographic matters. The Earth itself, for instance, is evolving.