title: Prions: what are they good for?
abstract: Prions, a self-templating amyloidogenic state of normal cellular proteins such as PrP, have been identified as the basis of a number of disease states, particularly diseases of the nervous system. This finding has led to the notion that protein aggregation, namely prionogenic aggregates and amyloids, is primarily harmful for the organism. However, identification of proteins in a prion-like state that are not harmful and may even be beneficial has begun to change this perception. This review discusses when and how a prion-based protein conformational switch may be utilized to generate a sustained physiological change in response to a transient stimulus.
authors.affiliation: Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri 64110; email: ksi@stowers.org.
authors.forename: Kausik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Si
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D011328:Prions / Q000378:metabolism*; D066263:Protein Aggregation, Pathological / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D011328:Prions
keywords: amyloids; functional prions; prions