Conformational Changes of Prion Protein and Nucleic Acid Arising from their Interaction and Relation of the Altered Structures in Causing Prion Disease

P.   K.   Nandi

Abstract

Nucleic acids catalyse the conversion of α-helical prion protein to the β-structured protein oligomers and amyloids structurally similar to the infectious isoform of protein. Simultaneously, the prion protein, similar to gene regulating proteins, bends, unwinds and condenses nucleic acid. These properties might be related to the biological function and prion infection.

Keywords: Prion protein, nucleic acid, proin protein-nucleic acid interaction, conformational change, amyloids, DNA bending, DNA unwinding, DNA condensation