Table 2.
Comparison of putative prions
| Prion | Species | Effect of prion form | Function of normal protein | Structural features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrapie, CJD... | Mammals | Ataxia, dementia, death | Unknown | Normal form: α helix |
| Scrapie form: β sheet | ||||
| [URE3] | S. cerevisiae | Loss of nitrogen regulation | Nitrogen regulation | Asparagine-rich prion domain |
| [PSI] | S. cerevisiae | Translation read-through | Translation termination | Asparagine-glutamine rich prion domain, octapeptide repeats |
| [Het-s] | Podospora anserina | Heterokaryon incompatibility | Unknown | ?? |
CHD, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.