Can having defective proteins in the cell membrane can cause disease?

Answer 1

Toxic Proteins from a bacterial pathogen or virus may cause disease (botulinum or tetanus toxin). There are protein such as tumor antigens that can trigger cancer. Tumor suppressor protein p53 is also exist to prevent cancer.

Answer 2

In order for a protein to perform its biological function, it has to be folded in a certain way, because it is not just the chemical composition of the protein, but also its precise shape, which enables it to match the composition and shape of other molecules with which it reacts, or serves as a catalyst. And the real problem is that an incorrectly folded protein not only fails to do what it would otherwise have been able to do for the normal biochemical functioning of the organism, but it also will cause other proteins to become incorrectly folded; it is essentially a catalyst for incorrect folding. So, incorrect folding is a contagious condition, it spreads and incapacitates all the proteins of that type. And since those proteins were needed to perform some vital biological function, the organism will become ill (and will eventually die; prion diseases are eventually fatal, although they take a long time to develop).

Answer 3

PM is first line of defense against pathogens and is in charge of what comes in and out of cell via various channels. If foreign pathogens enter cell they can effect DNA replication, transcription, and several other vital cellular functions. If several cells have faulty PMs then this is where diseases arise such as cancers.

Answer 4

We need proteins to help mend the muscle but if you eat meat not fully cooked then yes.