DOI

  • Tatiana A. Chernova
  • Zhen Yang
  • Tatiana S. Karpova
  • John R. Shanks
  • Natalia Shcherbik
  • Keith D. Wilkinson
  • Yury O. Chernoff

Yeast prions and mnemons are respectively transmissible and non-transmissible self-perpetuating protein assemblies, frequently based on cross-β ordered detergent-resistant aggregates (amyloids). Prions cause devastating diseases in mammals and control heritable traits in yeast. It was shown that the de novo formation of the prion form [PSI+] of yeast release factor Sup35 is facilitated by aggregates of other proteins. Here we explore the mechanism of the promotion of [PSI+] formation by Ste18, an evolutionarily conserved gamma subunit of a G-protein coupled receptor, a key player in responses to extracellular stimuli. Ste18 forms detergent-resistant aggregates, some of which are colocalized with de novo generated Sup35 aggregates. Membrane association of Ste18 is required for both Ste18 aggregation and [PSI+] induction, while functional interactions involved in signal transduction are not essential for these processes. This emphasizes the significance of a specific location for the nucleation of protein aggregation. In contrast to typical prions, Ste18 aggregates do not show a pattern of heritability. Our finding that Ste18 levels are regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, in conjunction with the previously reported increase in Ste18 levels upon the exposure to mating pheromone, suggests that the concentration-dependent Ste18 aggregation may mediate a mnemon-like response to physiological stimuli.

Original languageEnglish
Article number5038
Number of pages20
JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences
Volume21
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - 2 Jul 2020

    Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Spectroscopy
  • Catalysis
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry

    Research areas

  • Amyloid, G-protein, Mating, Mnemon, Phosphorylation, Prion, Ste18, Sup35, Ubiquitin, Yeast, PHOSPHORYLATION, PERSISTENCE, mating, DUAL LIPID MODIFICATION, MEMORY, mnemon, prion, phosphorylation, LOCALIZATION, PSI+ PRION, INVOLVEMENT, SUP35, ubiquitin, yeast, amyloid, PHEROMONE RESPONSE PATHWAY, YEAST PRION

ID: 70122545