Prion variants, species barriers, generation and propagation.
Prion variants faithfully propagate across species barriers, but if the barrier is too high, new variants (mutants) are selected, as shown in a recent BMC Biology report. Protein sequence alteration can prevent accurate structural templating at filament ends producing prion variants.
Wickner
Reed B
RB
Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0830, USA. wickner@helix.nih.gov
Edskes
Herman K
HK
Shewmaker
Frank
F
Kryndushkin
Dmitry
D
Nemecek
Julie
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission*; D011328:Prions / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
D011328:Prions