A 43-year-old man is evaluated for progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms. A year ago, he began feeling depressed and having hallucinations. Five months later, he developed intermittent paresthesias and progressively worsening choreiform movements, myoclonus, and ataxia. These symptoms have not improved despite multiple hospitalizations; an extensive workup has been unrevealing. The patient is a slaughterhouse worker with extensive exposure to bovine offal. As part of the evaluation for prion disease, a tissue sample digested with protease is processed via gel electrophoresis and transferred to filter paper. Antibodies to a specific prion protein are added to the filter. Next, a marked protein that combines with the antibody-protein complex is used to determine whether the test is positive. Which of the following best describes this test?

Question

A 43-year-old man is evaluated for progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms.  A year ago, he began feeling depressed and having hallucinations.  Five months later, he developed intermittent paresthesias and progressively worsening choreiform movements, myoclonus, and ataxia.  These symptoms have not improved despite multiple hospitalizations; an extensive workup has been unrevealing.  The patient is a slaughterhouse worker with extensive exposure to bovine offal.  As part of the evaluation for prion disease, a tissue sample digested with protease is processed via gel electrophoresis and transferred to filter paper.  Antibodies to a specific prion protein are added to the filter.  Next, a marked protein that combines with the antibody-protein complex is used to determine whether the test is positive.  Which of the following best describes this test?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Western blotting is used to identify proteins, Northern blotting identifies specific RNA sequences, and Southern blotting identifies specific DNA sequences in an unknown sample.

A 43-Year-Old Man Is Evaluated for Progressive Neuropsychiatric Symptoms