| 摘要 |
An assay method is disclosed which isolates and detects the presence of a disease related conformation of a protein (e.g., PrP<Sc>) present in a sample also containing the non-disease related conformation of the protein (e.g., PrP<C>). The sample is treated (e.g., contacted with protease) in a manner which hydrolyzes the disease related conformation and not the non-disease related conformation. The treated sample is contacted with a binding partner (e.g., a labeled antibody which binds PrP<Sc>) and the occurrence of binding provides and indication that PrP<Sc >is present. Alternatively the PrP<Sc >of the treated sample is denatured (e.g., contacted with guanadine) or unfolded. The unfolded PrP<Sc >is contacted with a binding partner and the occurrence of binding indicates the presence of PrP<Sc >in the sample. In another embodiment, PrP<Sc >and PrP<C >are reacted with a labeled antibody that binds both conformations and a conformation that binds only the disease related conformation, and the presence of the disease related conformation is determined by comparing the two.
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