Prions? CJD/BSE Connection...

[Jan Vorbrueggen]

In article <3162C0A1 at gate1.pbi.nrc.ca> klai at pbi.nrc.ca ("Lai, Ken") writes:

   I would like to know if this protein can be degraded, as normal enyzmatic
   proteins, by heat exposure??  Thus can well cooked meat be declared
   prion-free?

No. IIRC, the protein itself will survive temperatures of 200 Celsius. 
Lowering the temperatures when autoclaving sheeps' carcases from about 120 to
80 degrees got the BSE epidemic going in the first place.

	Jan