what are some diseases caused by errors in protien folding, or protein transport?

Answer 1

In animals: Scrapie (sheep), TME (transmissible mink encephalopathy in mink), CWD (chronic wasting disease in muledeer and elk), BSE a.k.a "Mad Cow Disease" (bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cows)

In humans: CJD (Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease), GSS: (Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome), FFI: (Fatal familial Insomnia), Kuru, Alpers Syndrome. Of which a partial understanding of Kuru among the canabalistic New Guineans kicked off our present understanding of prion diseases.

Take home message (of Kudu and BSE): don't eat the spinal cord or brains of animals that eat spinal cord/brains of other animals.

Take home message of all of them: proteins are more complicated molecules than we have (or could?) imagine. Their exact configuration not only effects their activity but also their ability to act as a transmittaliable (sp?) disease.

Answer 2

High Protein Intake Lowers Serotonin Production and
Increases Violence and Aggression
The human body makes use of certain amino acids found in the diet and converts them to specific neurotransmitters. Three primary amino acids in the diet that are important are tyrosine, lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) and tryptophan. The conversion sequences are as follows:

Tyrosine -> Dopa -> Dopamine -> Norepinephrine -> Epinephrine
Lecithin -> Choline -> Choline Acetyltransferase -> Acetylcholine -> Cholinesterase
Tryptophan ->Tryptophan Hydroxylase -> 5-Hydroxytryptophan -> Serotonin

Serotonin is an important substance that inhibits aggression and violence. Most proteins encouraged in the diet contain amino acids other than tryptophan. A high protein meal reduces the plasma ratio of tryptophan to the competing amino acids, and less tryptophan is carried across the blood-brain barrier to the neurons. This fact has socially developed to where those who have a high protein diet (meat, dairy, eggs) are more aggressive. Thus, the high protein diet is encouraged in various sports.