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Study on interaction between microtubule associated protein tau and prion protein

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Abstract

Microtubule-associated protein tau is considered to play roles in many neurodegenerative diseases including some transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. To address the possible molecular linkage of prion protein (PrP) and tau, a GST-fusion segment of human tau covering the three-repeat region and various PrP segments was used in the tests of GST pull-down and immunoprecipitation. We found tau protein interacted with various style prion proteins such as native prion protein (PrPC) or protease-resistant isoform (PrPSc). Co-localization signals of tau and PrP were found in the CHO cell transfected with both PrP and tau gene. The domain of interaction with tau was located at N-terminal of PrP (residues 23 to 91). The evidence of molecular interactions between PrP and tau protein highlights a potential role of tau in the biological function of PrP and the pathogenesis of TSEs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100052, China

    Han Jun, Zhang Jin, Yao Hailan, Wang Xiaofan, Li Feng, Chen Lan, Gao Chen, Gao Jianmei, Nie Kai, Zhou Wei & Dong Xiaoping

  2. School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiao-Tong University, Xi’an, 710061, China

    Zhang Jin

  3. Tong-Ji Medical College, Hua-Zhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China

    Yao Hailan

  4. National Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China

    Chen Lan

Authors
  1. Han Jun
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  2. Zhang Jin
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  3. Yao Hailan
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  4. Wang Xiaofan
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  5. Li Feng
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  6. Chen Lan
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  7. Gao Chen
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  8. Gao Jianmei
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  9. Nie Kai
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  10. Zhou Wei
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  11. Dong Xiaoping
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong Xiaoping.

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Han, J., Zhang, J., Yao, H. et al. Study on interaction between microtubule associated protein tau and prion protein. SCI CHINA SER C 49, 473–479 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-006-2019-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-006-2019-9

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