Hsp104-dependent remodeling of prion complexes mediates protein-only inheritance.

ABSTRACT: Inheritance of phenotypic traits depends on two key events: replication of the determinant of that trait and partitioning of these copies between mother and daughter cells. Although these processes are well understood for nucleic acid-based genes, the mechanisms by which protein-only or prion-based genetic elements direct phenotypic inheritance are poorly understood. Here, we report a process crucial for inheritance of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae prion [PSI(+)], a self-replicating conformer of the Sup35 protein. By tightly controlling expression of a Sup35-GFP fusion, we directly observe remodeling of existing Sup35([PSI+]) complexes in vivo. This dynamic change in Sup35([PSI+]) is lost when the molecular chaperone Hsp104, a factor essential for propagation of all yeast prions, is functio

SUBMITTER: Satpute-Krishnan P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1779812 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature