Prion pseudoknot

{{Infobox rfam

| Name = Prion pseudoknot

| image = RF00523.jpg

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| caption = Predicted secondary structure and sequence conservation of Prion_pknot

| Symbol = Prion_pknot

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| Rfam = RF00523

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| RNA_type = Cis-reg

| Tax_domain = Eukaryota

| GO =

| SO = {{SO|0000233}}

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The prion pseudoknot is predicted RNA pseudoknot structure found in prion protein mRNA.{{cite journal | vauthors = Wills PR | title = Potential pseudoknots in the PrP-encoding mRNA | journal = Journal of Theoretical Biology | volume = 159 | issue = 4 | pages = 523–527 | date = December 1992 | pmid = 1296103 | doi = 10.1016/S0022-5193(05)80696-4 }} It has been suggested that this element has a possible effect in prion protein translation.{{cite journal | vauthors = Barrette I, Poisson G, Gendron P, Major F | title = Pseudoknots in prion protein mRNAs confirmed by comparative sequence analysis and pattern searching | journal = Nucleic Acids Research | volume = 29 | issue = 3 | pages = 753–758 | date = February 2001 | pmid = 11160898 | pmc = 30388 | doi = 10.1093/nar/29.3.753 }} The human prion protein gene contains 5 copies of a 24 nucleotide repeat that contains this structure. The number of nucleotide repeats found in an organism may vary from one organism to another. Each species has a set number of nucleotide repeats, but when the organism deviates from this number, mutations in the prion genes may arise. Human individuals that exhibit these mutations may be prone to developing prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.