Back to Search Start Over

The mechanism of prion inhibition by HET-S.

Authors :
Greenwald J
Buhtz C
Ritter C
Kwiatkowski W
Choe S
Maddelein ML
Ness F
Cescau S
Soragni A
Leitz D
Saupe SJ
Riek R
Source :
Molecular cell [Mol Cell] 2010 Jun 25; Vol. 38 (6), pp. 889-99.
Publication Year :
2010

Abstract

HET-S (97% identical to HET-s) has an N-terminal globular domain that exerts a prion-inhibitory effect in cis on its own prion-forming domain (PFD) and in trans on HET-s prion propagation. We show that HET-S fails to form fibrils in vitro and that it inhibits HET-s PFD fibrillization in trans. In vivo analyses indicate that beta-structuring of the HET-S PFD is required for HET-S activity. The crystal structures of the globular domains of HET-s and HET-S are highly similar, comprising a helical fold, while NMR-based characterizations revealed no differences in the conformations of the PFDs. We conclude that prion inhibition is not encoded by structure but rather in stability and oligomerization properties: when HET-S forms a prion seed or is incorporated into a HET-s fibril via its PFD, the beta-structuring in this domain induces a change in its globular domain, generating a molecular species that is incompetent for fibril growth.<br /> (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1097-4164
Volume :
38
Issue :
6
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Molecular cell
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
20620958
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2010.05.019