Prions: En route from structural models to structures.
The prion hypothesis states that the prion and non-prion form of a protein differ only in their 3D conformation and that different strains of a prion differ by their 3D structure. Recent technical developments have enabled solid-state NMR to address the atomic-resolution structures of full-length prions, and a first comparative study of two of them, HET-s and Ure2p, in fibrillar form, has recently appeared as a pair of companion papers. Interestingly, the two structures are rather different: HET-s features an exceedingly well-ordered prion domain and a partially disordered globular domain. Ure2p in contrast features a very well ordered globular domain with a conserved fold, and-most probably-a partially ordered prion domain. For HET-s, the structure of the prion domain is characterized at atomic-resolution. For Ure2p, structure determination is under way, but the highly resolved spectra clearly show that information at atomic resolution should be achievable.
Böckmann
Anja
A
IBCP UMR 5086 CNRS/Université de Lyon, Lyon, France. a.bockmann@icbp.fr
Meier
Beat H
BH
D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular / Q000379:methods; D011328:Prions / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation
D000682:Amyloid; D011328:Prions