Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is Caused by Errors in ____

Question

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is caused by errors in ____.
A) DNA replication
B) translation
C) transcription
D) protein folding
E) RNA template replication

Accepted Answer

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is caused by abnormal protein folding, specifically of the prion protein. This leads to the accumulation of the misfolded protein in the brain and the destruction of nerve cells. The misfolded prion protein can then propagate by inducing the normal prion protein to adopt the same misfolded conformation. This can lead to the spread of the disease within the affected individual and potentially to others who come into contact with contaminated tissues. The errors in DNA replication, transcription, and translation are not directly associated with prion diseases, although they can lead to other types of genetic disorders or protein misfolding diseases. RNA template replication is not a term commonly used in molecular biology and is therefore unlikely to be the correct choice.