How are prions different from viruses?

Prions are indeed distinctive as they are classified as misfolded proteins that can cause other normally folded proteins in the brain to also misfold, leading to devastating neurological diseases. This improper folding disrupts normal cellular function, ultimately resulting in the accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates that are characteristic of prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

This mechanism of action highlights a fundamental difference between prions and viruses. Viruses, on the other hand, are composed of genetic material (either DNA or RNA) encased in a protein coat and require a host cell's machinery for replication. They reproduce by infecting host cells and hijacking the cellular machinery, unlike prions, which do not possess any nucleic acids and do not rely on cellular replication mechanisms.

Understanding this distinction is crucial in microbiology, particularly when discussing infectious agents and their biological mechanisms. The nature of prions challenges traditional concepts of infectious agents, as they lack the genetic material that defines living organisms, illustrating the unique and problematic nature of these contaminants.