Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Genetic Material

Genetic Material

Within the human body, a complex and detailed system of trillions of cells works in unison to sustain life. Each cell houses a nucleus, which contains 46 chromosomes divided into 23 pairs. Chromosomes are highly coiled structures made of the genetic material DNA. These chromosomes are essential carriers of genetic information, with half inherited from the mother through her egg and the other half from the father's sperm, combining to create the unique genetic makeup of an individual.

Subviral Agents

Subviral Agents

Subviral agents are infectious entities that resemble viruses but lack one or more viral components, such as a capsid or essential replication machinery. These agents include viroids, prions, and satellites, each possessing distinct structural and functional characteristics that influence their mode of infection and replication.Viroids are the simplest subviral agents, consisting of circular, single-stranded RNA molecules without a protein coat. They exclusively infect plants, relying entirely...

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Bridging the global Parkinson's divide: Technology as a structural solution for equitable and brain health-integrated care.

Journal of Parkinson's disease·2026

Same author

Beyond hypoxia: Systemic acidemia and respiratory insufficiency in Lance-Adams syndrome.

Journal of the neurological sciences·2026

Same author

Stereotypies misdiagnosed as functional neurological disorder in late-onset Niemann-Pick C.

Parkinsonism & related disorders·2026

Same author

Serious side effects of Alzheimer's immunotherapy demand scrutiny.

Ageing research reviews·2026

Same author

Functional and Structural Brain Imaging Correlates of Treatment Response in Functional Movement Disorder.

Current neurology and neuroscience reports·2026

Same author

Systematic review of movement disorders mislabeled as functional: when incongruence misleads.

Journal of neurology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Biobank for Translational Medicine: Standard Operating Procedures for Optimal Sample Management

Biobank for Translational Medicine: Standard Operating Procedures for Optimal Sample Management

Published on: November 30, 2022

Can Prions Carry Biological Information?

Kariem Ezzat¹, Alberto J Espay¹

¹James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0525, United States.

|January 8, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The prion hypothesis, proposed without clear molecular evidence, contradicts decades of biological research. An extended thermodynamic model of protein folding better explains protein aggregation phenomena.

More Related Videos

High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae

High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae

Published on: August 8, 2017

Prion Safety Laboratory Swipe Test

Prion Safety Laboratory Swipe Test

Published on: February 14, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Biobank for Translational Medicine: Standard Operating Procedures for Optimal Sample Management

Biobank for Translational Medicine: Standard Operating Procedures for Optimal Sample Management

Published on: November 30, 2022

High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae

High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae

Published on: August 8, 2017

Prion Safety Laboratory Swipe Test

Prion Safety Laboratory Swipe Test

Published on: February 14, 2025

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Biochemistry
Structural Biology

Background:

The prion hypothesis introduced non-DNA-based information transfer via conformational templating.
This hypothesis emerged without detailed molecular structures or mechanisms, contrasting with the molecular biology revolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To critically evaluate the prion hypothesis against established molecular, structural, and mechanistic evidence.
To propose an alternative framework for understanding protein aggregation.

Main Methods:

Review and analysis of experimental evidence accrued over four decades.
Application of thermodynamic principles to protein folding and aggregation at high concentrations.

Main Results:

Identification of 10 key contradictions between the prion hypothesis and experimental findings.
Demonstration of conflicts with molecular, structural, and mechanistic data.

Conclusions:

The prion hypothesis is inconsistent with substantial experimental evidence.
An extended thermodynamic hypothesis, considering supersaturation, offers a more robust explanation for protein aggregation pathways.