The polysaccharide scaffold of PrP 27-30 is a common compound of natural prions and consists of alpha-linked polyglucose.
An inert polysaccharide scaffold identified as a 5-15% component of prion rods (PrP 27-30) is unambiguously distinguishable from the N-glycosyl groups and the GPI anchor of PrP, and consists predominantly of 1,4-linked glucose with some branching via 1,4,6-linked glucose. We show that this polysaccharide scaffold is a common secondary component of prions found in hamster full-length PrP(Sc), prion rods and in mouse ScN2a prions from cell culture. The preparation from prion rods was improved, resulting in a polysaccharide scaffold free of remaining infectivity. Furthermore, we determined the stereochemistry of the glycoside linkages as pre-dominantly if not entirely alpha-glycosidic. The origin of the polysaccharide, its interaction with PrP and its potential relation to glycogen and corpora amylacea are discussed.
Dumpitak
Christian
C
Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
Beekes
Michael
M
Weinmann
Nicole
N
Metzger
Sabine
S
Winklhofer
Konstanze F
KF
Tatzelt
Jörg
J
Riesner
Detlev
D
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry*; D006031:Glycosylation; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D018622:PrP 27-30 Protein / Q000737:chemistry*; D011328:Prions / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D005936:Glucans; D011328:Prions; D018622:PrP 27-30 Protein