biostudies-literatureWang FNINDS NIH HHS1874-6https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3264365biostudies-literatureUnknown86(3)Whether a genetic informational nucleic acid is required for the infectivity of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies is central to the debate about the infectious agent. Here we report that an infectious prion formed with bacterially expressed recombinant prion protein plus synthetic polyriboadenylic acid and synthetic phospholipid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylglycerol is competent to infect cultured cells and cause prion disease in wild-type mice. Our results show that genetic informational RNA is not required for recombinant prion infectivity.Journal of virologyGenetic informational RNA is not required for recombinant prion infectivity.PMC32643651R01NS060729P30 NS045758R01 NS071035P30NS045758R01 NS0595431R01NS067214R01 NS067214R01 NS0607291R01NS059543R01 NS060729-01A1R01 NS071035-01A1Yuan CGWeissmann CLi JZhang ZWang FMa JWang XZha LfalseGenetic informational RNA is not required for recombinant prion infectivity.Whether a genetic informational nucleic acid is required for the infectivity of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies is central to the debate about the infectious agent. Here we report that an infectious prion formed with bacterially expressed recombinant prion protein plus synthetic polyriboadenylic acid and synthetic phospholipid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylglycerol is competent to infect cultured cells and cause prion disease in wild-type mice. Our results show that genetic informational RNA is not required for recombinant prion infectivity.2012-01-01T00:00:00Z2012 Feb2021-02-21T02:07:24Z2019-03-27T00:48:20ZS-EPMC32643652209013010.1128/JVI.06216-1110.1128/jvi.06216-11