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Published online before print August 4, 2005, 10.1110/ps.041234405
Protein Science (2005), 14:2228-2235. Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Copyright © 2005 The Protein Society
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Characterization and enzymatic degradation of Sup35NM, a yeast prion-like protein

Ching-Ying Chen1,2, Kawan Rojanatavorn1, A. Clay Clark2 and Jason C.H. Shih1

1 Department of Poultry Science and 2 Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA

(RECEIVED November 11, 2004; FINAL REVISION May 24, 2005; ACCEPTED May 31, 2005)

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are believed to be caused by an unconventional infectious agent, the prion protein. The pathogenic and infectious form of prion protein, PrPSc, is able to aggregate and form amyloid fibrils, very stable and resistant to most disinfecting processes and common proteases. Under specific conditions, PrPSc in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) brain tissue was found degradable by a bacterial keratinase and some other proteases. Since this disease-causing prion is infectious and dangerous to work with, a model or surrogate protein that is safe is needed for the in vitro degradation study. Here a nonpathogenic yeast prion-like protein, Sup35NM, cloned and overexpressed in E. coli, was purified and characterized for this purpose. Aggregation and deaggregation of Sup35NM were examined by electron microscopy, gel electrophoresis, Congo red binding, fluorescence, and Western blotting. The degradation of Sup35NM aggregates by keratinase and proteinase K under various conditions was studied and compared. These results will be of value in understanding the mechanism and optimization of the degradation process.

Keywords: BSE; prion; PrPSc; Sup35NM; yeast prion; prion surrogate protein; enzymatic degradation

Article published online ahead of print. Article and publication date are at http://www.proteinscience.org/cgi/doi/10.1110/ps.041234405.

Reprint requests to: Ching-Ying Chen, Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7608, USA; e-mail: cchen8{at}ncsu.edu; fax: (919) 515-2625.


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