Similar and divergent features in mammalian and yeast prions.
Mammalian transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are likely due to the propagation of an abnormal form of a constitutive protein instead of traditional genetic material (nucleic acids). Such infectious proteins, which are termed prions, exist in yeast. They are at the origin of a number of phenotypes that are inherited in a non-Mendelian manner. These prions are very useful to dissect the molecular events at the origin of this structure-based inheritance. The properties of mammalian and yeast prions are presented and compared. This review highlights a number of similarities and differences.
Bousset
Luc
L
Laboratoire d'enzymologie et biochimie structurales, CNRS, Bât. 34, avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Melki
Ronald
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000378:metabolism; D011328:Prions / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013045:Species Specificity; D015003:Yeasts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D011328:Prions