Prion seeding activity in DNA extractions: implications for laboratory biosafety.

ABSTRACT: Infectious prions (PrP^Sc) are largely resistant to proteolytic digestion, including proteinase K (PK) digestion. While nucleic acid extracts are generally considered non-infectious from a classical microbiology context (i.e. free of intact bacteria and viruses), we investigated whether standard DNA purification methods co-purify PrP^Sc, posing an unrecognized biosafety risk. Commercial DNA extraction kits can eliminate conventional pathogens but are likely ineffective against PrP^Sc due to resistance to kit reagents and enzymatic degradation. Two laboratories, the University of Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach (MNPRO) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), independently tested filter-based and magnetic bead-based DNA extraction kits u

SUBMITTER: Gresch SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12867400 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature