The [PSI+] prion exists as a dynamic cloud of variants.

ABSTRACT: [PSI(+)] is an amyloid-based prion of Sup35p, a subunit of the translation termination factor. Prion "strains" or "variants" are amyloids with different conformations of a single protein sequence, conferring different phenotypes, but each relatively faithfully propagated. Wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates have SUP35 alleles that fall into three groups, called reference, Δ19, and E9, with limited transmissibility of [PSI(+)] between cells expressing these different polymorphs. Here we show that prion transmission pattern between different Sup35 polymorphs is prion variant-dependent. Passage of one prion variant from one Sup35 polymorph to another need not change the prion variant. Surprisingly, simple mitotic growth of a [PSI(+)] strain results in a spectrum of variant transmission pro

SUBMITTER: Bateman DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3561065 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature