title: Prion-inducing domain of yeast Ure2p and protease resistance of Ure2p in prion-containing cells.
abstract: The genetic properties of the [URE3] non-Mendelian element of Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggest that it is a prion (infectious protein) form of Ure2p, a regulator of nitrogen catabolism. In extracts from [URE3] strains, Ure2p was partially resistant to proteinase K compared with Ure2p from wild-type extracts. Overexpression of Ure2p in wild-type strains induced a 20- to 200-fold increase in the frequency with which [URE3] arose. Overexpression of just the amino-terminal 65 residues of Ure2p increased the frequency of [URE3] induction 6000-fold. Without this "prion-inducing domain" the carboxyl-terminal domain performed the nitrogen regulation function of Ure2p, but could not be changed to the [URE3] prion state. Thus, this domain induced the prion state in trans, whereas in cis it conferred susceptibility of the adjoining nitrogen regulatory domain to prion infections.
authors.affiliation: Section on Genetics of Simple Eukaryotes, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0830, USA.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Masison
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Wickner
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D019286:Endopeptidase K; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D011328:Prions; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; C067020:URE2 protein, S cerevisiae; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D019286:Endopeptidase K; D009584:Nitrogen