1
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Son M. A Story Between s and S: [Het-s] Prion of the Fungus Podospora anserina. MYCOBIOLOGY 2024; 52:85-91. [PMID: 38690032 PMCID: PMC11057395 DOI: 10.1080/12298093.2024.2322211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
In filamentous fungi, vegetative cell fusion occurs within and between individuals. These fusions of growing hyphae (anastomosis) from two individuals produce binucleated cells with mixed cytoplasm known as heterokaryons. The fate of heterokaryotic cells was genetically controlled with delicacy by specific loci named het (heterokaryon) or vic (vegetative incompatibility) as a part of self-/nonself-recognition system. When het loci of two individuals are incompatible, the resulting heterokaryotic cells underwent programmed cell death or showed severely impaired fungal growth. In Podospora anserina, het-s is one of at least nine alleles that control heterokaryon incompatibility and the altered protein conformation [Het-s] prion. The present study describes the [Het-s] prion in terms of (1) the historical discovery based on early genetic and physiological studies, (2) architecture built on its common and unique nature compared with other prions, and (3) functions related to meiotic drive and programmed cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moonil Son
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
- Microbiological Resource Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
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2
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Meng L, Liu C, Li Y, Chen G, Xiong M, Yu T, Pan L, Zhang X, Zhou L, Guo T, Yuan X, Liu C, Zhang Z, Zhang Z. The yeast prion protein Sup35 initiates α-synuclein pathology in mouse models of Parkinson's disease. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadj1092. [PMID: 37910610 PMCID: PMC10619926 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj1092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the pathologic aggregation and prion-like propagation of α-synuclein (α-syn). Emerging evidence shows that fungal infections increase the incidence of PD. However, the molecular mechanisms by which fungi promote the onset of PD are poorly understood. Here, we show that nasal infection with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) in α-syn A53T transgenic mice accelerates the aggregation of α-syn. Furthermore, we found that Sup35, a prion protein from S. cerevisiae, is the key factor initiating α-syn pathology induced by S. cerevisiae. Sup35 interacts with α-syn and accelerates its aggregation in vitro. Notably, injection of Sup35 fibrils into the striatum of wild-type mice led to α-syn pathology and PD-like motor impairment. The Sup35-seeded α-syn fibrils showed enhanced seeding activity and neurotoxicity compared with pure α-syn fibrils in vitro and in vivo. Together, these observations indicate that the yeast prion protein Sup35 initiates α-syn pathology in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanxia Meng
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Congcong Liu
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Yiming Li
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Guiqin Chen
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Min Xiong
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Ting Yu
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Lina Pan
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Xingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Lingyan Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Tao Guo
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Xin Yuan
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Chaoyang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
- Research Center for Environment and Health, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Zhaohui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
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3
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Son M, Han S, Lee S. Prions in Microbes: The Least in the Most. J Microbiol 2023; 61:881-889. [PMID: 37668956 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-023-00070-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Prions are infectious proteins that mostly replicate in self-propagating amyloid conformations (filamentous protein polymers) and consist of structurally altered normal soluble proteins. Prions can arise spontaneously in the cell without any clear reason and are generally considered fatal disease-causing agents that are only present in mammals. However, after the seminal discovery of two prions, [PSI+] and [URE3], in the eukaryotic model microorganism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, at least ten more prions have been discovered, and their biological and pathological effects on the host, molecular structure, and the relationship between prions and cellular components have been studied. In a filamentous fungus model, Podospora anserina, a vegetative incomparability-related [Het-s] prion that directly triggers cell death during anastomosis (hyphal fusion) was discovered. These prions in eukaryotic microbes have extended our understanding to overcome most fatal human prion/amyloid diseases. A prokaryotic microorganism (Clostridium botulinum) was reported to have a prion analog. The transcriptional regulators of C. botulinum-Rho can be converted into the self-replicating prion form ([RHO-X-C+]), which may affect global transcription. Here, we outline the major issues with prions in microbes and the lessons learned from the relatively uncovered microbial prion world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moonil Son
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
- Microbiological Resource Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sia Han
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Seyeon Lee
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
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4
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Jager K, Orozco-Hidalgo MT, Springstein BL, Joly-Smith E, Papazotos F, McDonough E, Fleming E, McCallum G, Yuan AH, Hilfinger A, Hochschild A, Potvin-Trottier L. Measuring prion propagation in single bacteria elucidates a mechanism of loss. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221539120. [PMID: 37738299 PMCID: PMC10523482 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221539120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Prions are self-propagating protein aggregates formed by specific proteins that can adopt alternative folds. Prions were discovered as the cause of the fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in mammals, but prions can also constitute nontoxic protein-based elements of inheritance in fungi and other species. Prion propagation has recently been shown to occur in bacteria for more than a hundred cell divisions, yet a fraction of cells in these lineages lost the prion through an unknown mechanism. Here, we investigate prion propagation in single bacterial cells as they divide using microfluidics and fluorescence microscopy. We show that the propagation occurs in two distinct modes. In a fraction of the population, cells had multiple small visible aggregates and lost the prion through random partitioning of aggregates to one of the two daughter cells at division. In the other subpopulation, cells had a stable large aggregate localized to the pole; upon division the mother cell retained this polar aggregate and a daughter cell was generated that contained small aggregates. Extending our findings to prion domains from two orthologous proteins, we observe similar propagation and loss properties. Our findings also provide support for the suggestion that bacterial prions can form more than one self-propagating state. We implement a stochastic version of the molecular model of prion propagation from yeast and mammals that recapitulates all the observed single-cell properties. This model highlights challenges for prion propagation that are unique to prokaryotes and illustrates the conservation of fundamental characteristics of prion propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Jager
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QCH4B 1R6, Canada
| | | | | | - Euan Joly-Smith
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A7, Canada
| | - Fotini Papazotos
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QCH4B 1R6, Canada
| | | | - Eleanor Fleming
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Giselle McCallum
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QCH4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Andy H. Yuan
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Andreas Hilfinger
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A7, Canada
- Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 2E4, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Ann Hochschild
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Laurent Potvin-Trottier
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QCH4B 1R6, Canada
- Department of Physics, Concordia University, Montréal, QCH4B 1R6, Canada
- Center for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QCH4B 1R6, Canada
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Kelly C, Ahmed Y, Elghawy O, Pachon NF, Fontanese MS, Kim S, Kitterman E, Marley A, Terrenzio D, Wike R, Zeibekis T, Cameron DM. The human ribosome-associated complex suppresses prion formation in yeast. Proteins 2023; 91:715-723. [PMID: 36604744 PMCID: PMC10159891 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Many human diseases are associated with the misfolding of amyloidogenic proteins. Understanding the mechanisms cells employ to ensure the integrity of the proteome is therefore a crucial step in the development of potential therapeutic interventions. Yeast cells possess numerous prion-forming proteins capable of adopting amyloid conformations, possibly as an epigenetic mechanism to cope with changing environmental conditions. The ribosome-associated complex (RAC), which docks near the ribosomal polypeptide exit tunnel and recruits the Hsp70 Ssb to chaperone nascent chains, can moderate the acquisition of these amyloid conformations in yeast. Here we examine the ability of the human RAC chaperone proteins Mpp11 and Hsp70L1 to function in place of their yeast RAC orthologues Zuo1 and Ssz1 in yeast lacking endogenous RAC and investigate the extent to which the human orthologues can perform RAC chaperone activities in yeast. We found that the Mpp11/Hsp70L1 complex can partially correct the growth defect seen in RAC-deficient yeast cells, although yeast/human hetero species complexes were variable in this ability. The proportion of cells in which the Sup35 protein undergoes spontaneous conversion to a [PSI+ ] prion conformation, which is increased in the absence of RAC, was reduced by the presence of the human RAC complex. However, the toxicity in yeast from expression of a pathogenically expanded polyQ protein was unable to be countered by the human RAC chaperones. This yeast system can serve as a facile model for studying the extent to which the human RAC chaperones contribute to combating cotranslational misfolding of other mammalian disease-associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Kelly
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Yusef Ahmed
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
- Present address: Department of Chemistry, University of California – Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Omar Elghawy
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
- Present address: University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | | | - Matthew S. Fontanese
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
- Present address: Department of clinical psychology; University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, 75799, USA
| | - Seongchan Kim
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Erica Kitterman
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
- Present address: Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Amanda Marley
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Danielle Terrenzio
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
- Present address: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19131, USA
| | - Richard Wike
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
- Present address: Physiology Department, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | | | - Dale M. Cameron
- Biology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
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6
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Jager K, Orozco-Hidalgo MT, Springstein BL, Joly-Smith E, Papazotos F, McDonough E, Fleming E, McCallum G, Hilfinger A, Hochschild A, Potvin-Trottier L. Measuring prion propagation in single bacteria elucidates mechanism of loss. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.11.523042. [PMID: 36712035 PMCID: PMC9882039 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.11.523042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Prions are self-propagating protein aggregates formed by specific proteins that can adopt alternative folds. Prions were discovered as the cause of the fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in mammals, but prions can also constitute non-toxic protein-based elements of inheritance in fungi and other species. Prion propagation has recently been shown to occur in bacteria for more than a hundred cell divisions, yet a fraction of cells in these lineages lost the prion through an unknown mechanism. Here, we investigate prion propagation in single bacterial cells as they divide using microfluidics and fluorescence microscopy. We show that the propagation occurs in two distinct modes with distinct stability and inheritance characteristics. We find that the prion is lost through random partitioning of aggregates to one of the two daughter cells at division. Extending our findings to prion domains from two orthologous proteins, we observe similar propagation and loss properties. Our findings also provide support for the suggestion that bacterial prions can form more than one self-propagating state. We implement a stochastic version of the molecular model of prion propagation from yeast and mammals that recapitulates all the observed single-cell properties. This model highlights challenges for prion propagation that are unique to prokaryotes and illustrates the conservation of fundamental characteristics of prion propagation across domains of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Jager
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Euan Joly-Smith
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fotini Papazotos
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - EmilyKate McDonough
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eleanor Fleming
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giselle McCallum
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Andreas Hilfinger
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ann Hochschild
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laurent Potvin-Trottier
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Physics, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Center for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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7
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Naeimi WR, Serio TR. Beyond Amyloid Fibers: Accumulation, Biological Relevance, and Regulation of Higher-Order Prion Architectures. Viruses 2022; 14:v14081635. [PMID: 35893700 PMCID: PMC9332770 DOI: 10.3390/v14081635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of amyloid fibers is associated with a diverse range of disease and phenotypic states. These amyloid fibers often assemble into multi-protofibril, high-order architectures in vivo and in vitro. Prion propagation in yeast, an amyloid-based process, represents an attractive model to explore the link between these aggregation states and the biological consequences of amyloid dynamics. Here, we integrate the current state of knowledge, highlight opportunities for further insight, and draw parallels to more complex systems in vitro. Evidence suggests that high-order fibril architectures are present ex vivo from disease relevant environments and under permissive conditions in vivo in yeast, including but not limited to those leading to prion formation or instability. The biological significance of these latter amyloid architectures or how they may be regulated is, however, complicated by inconsistent experimental conditions and analytical methods, although the Hsp70 chaperone Ssa1/2 is likely involved. Transition between assembly states could form a mechanistic basis to explain some confounding observations surrounding prion regulation but is limited by a lack of unified methodology to biophysically compare these assembly states. Future exciting experimental entryways may offer opportunities for further insight.
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8
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Differential Interactions of Molecular Chaperones and Yeast Prions. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8020122. [PMID: 35205876 PMCID: PMC8877571 DOI: 10.3390/jof8020122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important model organism that is applied to study various aspects of eukaryotic cell biology. Prions in yeast are self-perpetuating heritable protein aggregates that can be leveraged to study the interaction between the protein quality control (PQC) machinery and misfolded proteins. More than ten prions have been identified in yeast, of which the most studied ones include [PSI+], [URE3], and [PIN+]. While all of the major molecular chaperones have been implicated in propagation of yeast prions, many of these chaperones differentially impact propagation of different prions and/or prion variants. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the life cycle of yeast prions and systematically review the effects of different chaperone proteins on their propagation. Our analysis clearly shows that Hsp40 proteins play a central role in prion propagation by determining the fate of prion seeds and other amyloids. Moreover, direct prion-chaperone interaction seems to be critically important for proper recruitment of all PQC components to the aggregate. Recent results also suggest that the cell asymmetry apparatus, cytoskeleton, and cell signaling all contribute to the complex network of prion interaction with the yeast cell.
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9
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Lau Y, Oamen HP, Grogg M, Parfenova I, Saarikangas J, Hannay R, Nichols RA, Hilvert D, Barral Y, Caudron F. Whi3 mnemon association with endoplasmic reticulum membranes confines the memory of deceptive courtship to the yeast mother cell. Curr Biol 2022; 32:963-974.e7. [PMID: 35085498 PMCID: PMC8938615 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Prion-like proteins are involved in many aspects of cellular physiology, including cellular memory. In response to deceptive courtship, budding yeast escapes pheromone-induced cell-cycle arrest through the coalescence of the G1/S inhibitor Whi3 into a dominant, inactive super-assembly. Whi3 is a mnemon (Whi3mnem), a protein that conformational change maintains as a trait in the mother cell but is not inherited by the daughter cells. How the maintenance and asymmetric inheritance of Whi3mnem are achieved is unknown. Here, we report that Whi3mnem is closely associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes and is retained in the mother cell by the lateral diffusion barriers present at the bud neck. Strikingly, barrier defects made Whi3mnem propagate in a mitotically stable, prion-like manner. The amyloid-forming glutamine-rich domain of Whi3 was required for both mnemon and prion-like behaviors. Thus, we propose that Whi3mnem is in a self-templating state, lending temporal maintenance of memory, whereas its association with the compartmentalized membranes of the ER prevents infectious propagation to the daughter cells. These results suggest that confined self-templating super-assembly is a powerful mechanism for the long-term encoding of information in a spatially defined manner. Yeast courtship may provide insights on how individual synapses become potentiated in neuronal memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Lau
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Henry Patrick Oamen
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Marcel Grogg
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Iuliia Parfenova
- Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Juha Saarikangas
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE, Viikinkaari 5, 00790 Helsinki, Finland; Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Viikinkaari 5, 00790 Helsinki, Finland; Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robin Hannay
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Richard Alan Nichols
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Donald Hilvert
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yves Barral
- Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Fabrice Caudron
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK; IGMM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France.
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10
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Gil‐Garcia M, Iglesias V, Pallarès I, Ventura S. Prion-like proteins: from computational approaches to proteome-wide analysis. FEBS Open Bio 2021; 11:2400-2417. [PMID: 34057308 PMCID: PMC8409284 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prions are self-perpetuating proteins able to switch between a soluble state and an aggregated-and-transmissible conformation. These proteinaceous entities have been widely studied in yeast, where they are involved in hereditable phenotypic adaptations. The notion that such proteins could play functional roles and be positively selected by evolution has triggered the development of computational tools to identify prion-like proteins in different kingdoms of life. These algorithms have succeeded in screening multiple proteomes, allowing the identification of prion-like proteins in a diversity of unrelated organisms, evidencing that the prion phenomenon is well conserved among species. Interestingly enough, prion-like proteins are not only connected with the formation of functional membraneless protein-nucleic acid coacervates, but are also linked to human diseases. This review addresses state-of-the-art computational approaches to identify prion-like proteins, describes proteome-wide analysis efforts, discusses these unique proteins' functional role, and illustrates recently validated examples in different domains of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Gil‐Garcia
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia MolecularInstitut de Biotecnologia i de BiomedicinaUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaSpain
| | - Valentín Iglesias
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia MolecularInstitut de Biotecnologia i de BiomedicinaUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaSpain
| | - Irantzu Pallarès
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia MolecularInstitut de Biotecnologia i de BiomedicinaUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaSpain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia MolecularInstitut de Biotecnologia i de BiomedicinaUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaSpain
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