Re:I can't stop thinking about Papua New Guinea
by pattt on Tuesday September 15, 2026 @06:38PM
(#49719829)
It seems like Alzheimer’s and prion diseases like Kuru share a core molecular mechanism with misfolded proteins propagating and causing brain lesions. I find it really interesting that the gene protecting against Kuru has evolved naturally when according to Wikipedia, prion diseases don’t seem to have any effective treatments.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Re:I can't stop thinking about Papua New Guinea
by kylehotchkiss on Tuesday September 15, 2026 @07:35PM
(#49720307)
Cells have machinery for removing worn out proteins (tag em with ubiquitin and send them to incinerator [lysomes]). Doesn't surprise me too much a useful mutation (this folding is wrong detector) could work its way in.