Proteins that can acquire self-perpetuating changes in structure with associated changes in function (prions) constitute a newly discovered mechanism of heredity: changes in phenotype can be passed from generation to generation through heritable changes in protein conformation with no underlying changes in nucleic acids. We have provided cell biological, genetic, and biochemical evidence that this mechanism controls the inheritance of a regulator of the fidelity of protein synthesis, known as [PSI+]. We have also discovered a remarkable similarity in the types of mutations that control the inheritance of [PSI+] and those that govern the heritable forms of TSE diseases. Most recently, we have been focusing on determining how many other proteins are capable of producing heritable switches in conformation and function and in determining if this mechanism can serve as a new, general method for the genetic manipulation of phenotype.

See also the Amyloid and Evolution pages.

Brooke Bevis

Sohini Chakrabortee

Sven Heinrich

Dan Jarosz

Can Kayatekin

Alex Lancaster

Greg Newby

Lauren Pepper

Mikko Taipale

Linda Bisson, UC Davis

Jeff Gore, MIT

Susan Liebman, University of Illinois

Tim Lu, MIT

Eric Kandel, Columbia

Michael Rexach, UCSC

Jagesh Shah, Harvard

Kausik Si, Stowers Institute

Jonathan Weissman, UCSF