Use of streptomycin for precipitation and detection of proteinase K resistant prion protein (PrPsc) in biological samples

Abstract

The ability of streptomycin to form multimolecular aggregates with pathogenic prion proteins and their recovery by precipitation via a low-speed centrifugation step has been demonstrated; these novel properties of streptomycin make it a useful substance that increases the sensitivity of laboratory diagnostic techniques for prion infections in man and animals.