sentence: Prions work by changing the shape of proteins in the living things it causes disease in.
sentences_before: Prions cause many forms of encephalitis, or brain disease, such as scrapie, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, kuru, and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as Mad Cow Disease.
sentences_after: While normal proteins have lots of alpha helices, or twisted parts, changed proteins have lots of beta sheets, or flat parts. The word is pronounced 'pree-on'.
concept_name: prion
headings: Prion
categories: Biochemistry