Yeast [PSI+] prions that are crosstransmissible and susceptible beyond a species barrier through a quasi-prion state

The yeast [PSI+] element represents an aggregated form of release factor Sup35p and is inherited by a prion mechanism. A species barrier prevents crosstransmission of the [PSI+] state between heterotypic Sup35p prions. Kluyveromyces lactis and Yarrowia lipolytica Sup35 proteins, however, show interspecies [PSI+] transmissibility and susceptibility and a high spontaneous propagation rate. Cross-seeding was visualized by coaggregation of differential fluorescence probes fused to heterotypic Sup35 proteins. This coaggregation state, referred to as a quasiprion state, can be stably maintained as a heritable [PSI+] element composed of heterologous Sup35 proteins. K. lactis Sup35p was capable of forming [PSI+] elements not only in S. cerevisiae but in K. lactis. These two Sup35 proteins contain unique multiple imperfect oligopeptide repeats responsible for crosstransmission and high spontaneous propagation of novel [PSI+] elements.