National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA)
R01 AG029430
United States
National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA)
R01 AG029430-05
United States
National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH/NIGMS)
T32 GM007185
United States
National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH/NIGMS)
GM007185
United States
Citation
Journal: Nat Struct Mol Biol / Year: 2020 Title: Cryo-EM structure of a human prion fibril with a hydrophobic, protease-resistant core. Authors: Calina Glynn / Michael R Sawaya / Peng Ge / Marcus Gallagher-Jones / Connor W Short / Ronquiajah Bowman / Marcin Apostol / Z Hong Zhou / David S Eisenberg / Jose A Rodriguez / Abstract: Self-templating assemblies of the human prion protein are clinically associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Here we present the cryo-EM structure of a denaturant- and protease- ...Self-templating assemblies of the human prion protein are clinically associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Here we present the cryo-EM structure of a denaturant- and protease-resistant fibril formed in vitro spontaneously by a 9.7-kDa unglycosylated fragment of the human prion protein. This human prion fibril contains two protofilaments intertwined with screw symmetry and linked by a tightly packed hydrophobic interface. Each protofilament consists of an extended beta arch formed by residues 106 to 145 of the prion protein, a hydrophobic and highly fibrillogenic disease-associated segment. Such structures of prion polymorphs serve as blueprints on which to evaluate the potential impact of sequence variants on prion disease.