Ageing in yeast does not enhance prion generation

The yeast prions [URE3] and [PSI+] are self‐propagating amyloids of Ure2p and Sup35p, respectively. The analogous transmissible spongiform encephalopathies of mammals and other amyloidoses are largely diseases of later life. From normal strains lacking the prions, we isolated old cells and measured the frequency of de novo [URE3] and [PSI+] prion generation. We find no evidence that ageing of yeast increases the frequency of prion occurrence. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.