Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
08:12
High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae
Published on: August 8, 2017
Prion-based protein self-assembly tunes mutagenesis to enable rapid adaptation
Alexandria Van Elgort1, Christopher M Jakobson1, Yiwen R Chen1
1Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Cell
|June 9, 2026
Summary
Prion-based protein switching in yeast and Candida albicans alters DNA mutation rates, enabling rapid adaptation and resistance evolution. This epigenetic mechanism provides adaptive benefits under strong selective pressure.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Molecular biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Mutations are essential for evolution, but high mutation rates are usually temporary as most mutations are neutral or harmful.
- Theoretical models suggest that reversible "mutagenesis switches" could be evolutionarily advantageous in specific environments.
- Prions, self-templating proteins, are known to alter cellular functions, but their role in modulating mutagenesis and adaptation has been less explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of prion-based switching of DNA repair and recombination proteins in altering mutagenesis.
- To determine if this mechanism confers adaptive benefits in populations under strong selective pressure.
- To explore the implications of this epigenetic mechanism in both model organisms and pathogenic fungi.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of prion-based protein switching in Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations from various ecological niches.
- Investigating the impact of altered DNA repair and recombination protein activities on mutagenesis.
- Studying the role of a key prion regulator in Candida albicans' adaptation and resistance to fluconazole.
Main Results:
- Prion-based switching of DNA repair and recombination proteins was found to alter mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- This mechanism provided adaptive benefits, facilitating short-term evolution under strong selective pressure.
- In Candida albicans, prion inheritance accelerated the emergence of fluconazole resistance, highlighting its role in adaptation.
- The self-templating protein assembly reshaped adaptive outcomes and maintained resilience to genotoxic stress.
Conclusions:
- Protein self-assembly can create epigenetic memory that influences genome diversification over generations.
- This mechanism enables rapid adaptation in challenging environments by tuning mutation rates.
- Prion-based epigenetic inheritance is a significant factor in microbial adaptation and the evolution of drug resistance.
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