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Nature Cell Biology 6, 184 - 187 (2004)
doi:10.1038/ncb0304-184b

Translating prions at the synapse

Jonathan M. Levenson1 & J. David Sweatt1

  1. Jonathan M. Levenson and J. David Sweatt are in the Division of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030-3498, USA.
    e-mail: jsweatt@bcm.tmc.edu


New studies indicate that an Aplysia californica variant of the translational regulator CPEB exhibits prion-like properties, enabling the protein to establish a stable, self-perpetuating and synapse-specific enhancement of neurotransmission. These studies suggest that a radically new kind of signalling — an autocatalytic change in protein conformation — is involved in maintaining long-term memories.

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