Phosphatidylethanolamine as a prion cofactor: potential implications for disease pathogenesis.
Mammalian prions with significant levels of specific infectivity can be formed in vitro from mixtures of prion protein (PrP) and cofactor molecules, but not from PrP alone. We recently isolated and identified the essential membrane phospholipid phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) as an endogenous cofactor for prion propagation in vitro. ( 1)  In this article, we discuss the potential role of PE and other essential cofactor molecules as a molecular link between the processes of prion formation and prion-induced neurodegeneration.
Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA. supattapone@dartmouth.edu
Surachai
S
Supattapone
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011328:Prions / Q000378:metabolism*; D017510:Protein Folding
D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D011328:Prions; C483858:phosphatidylethanolamine