Why must hospitals use harsh chemical treatments rather than standard autoclaving for instruments potentially exposed to prions?
Answer
The protein's highly stable beta-sheet conformation resists unfolding under typical high heat and pressure conditions.
Because the infectious prion protein has an extremely stable structure dominated by beta-sheets, it does not denature or unfold under standard sterilization conditions like autoclaving, necessitating harsher chemical or prolonged high-temperature steam treatments.
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