Cited by 555Prion Diseases and Protein MisfoldingAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsGenetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms

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Prions as adaptive conduits of memory and inheritance

Shorter, James, Lindquist, Susan·2005·Nature Reviews Genetics

DOI 10.1038/nrg1616

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Abstract

Changes in protein conformation drive most biological processes, but none have seized the imagination of scientists and the public alike as have the self-replicating conformations of prions. Prions transmit lethal neurodegenerative diseases by means of the food chain. However, self-replicating protein conformations can also constitute molecular memories that transmit genetic information. Here, we showcase definitive evidence for the prion hypothesis and discuss examples in which prion-encoded heritable information has been harnessed during evolution to confer selective advantages. We then describe situations in which prion-enciphered events might have essential roles in long-term memory formation, transcriptional memory and genome-wide expression patterns.

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Authors: Shorter, J., & Lindquist, S.
Affiliations: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (US)
Corresponding author: Shorter, James
Lindquist, Susan
ORCID: Shorter, James
Venue: Nature Reviews Genetics
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2005-06
Volume: 6
Issue: 6
Pages: 435-450
ISSN: 1471-0056 (ISSN-L)
1471-0064
DOI: 10.1038/nrg1616
OpenAlex: W2141566674
Cited by: 555
References: 160
Citations by year: 2026: 15 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 38
FWCI: 2.42
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations: Nature Reviews Genetics (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: Charles A. King Trust
National Institutes of Health
Topics: Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Prion Diseases and Protein Misfolding
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
Keywords: prions, protein conformation, prion hypothesis, molecular memory, evolution, neurodegenerative diseases, long-term memory, transcriptional memory, gene expression patterns
MeSH terms: Amyloid, Animals, Biological Evolution, Humans, Memory, Peptide Termination Factors, Prions, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins

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Prions as adaptive conduits of memory and inheritance

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