Prion diseases are characterized by protein aggregation and neurodegeneration. Conversion of the native prion protein (PrPC) into the abnormal scrapie PrP isoform (PrPSc), which undergoes aggregation and can eventually form amyloid fibrils, is a critical step leading to the characteristic path morphological hallmark of these diseases. However, the mechanism of conversion remains unclear. It is known that ligands can act as cofactors or inhibitors in the conversion mechanism of PrPC into PrPSc. Within this context, herein, we describe the immobilization of PrPC onto the surface of magnetic beads and the morphological characterization of PrPC-coated beads by fluorescence confocal microscopy. PrPC-coated magnetic beads were used to identify ligands from a mixture of compounds, which were monitored by UHPLC–ESI-MS/MS. This affinity-based method allowed the isolation of the anti-prion compound quinacrine, an inhibitor of PrP aggregation. The results indicate that this approach can be applied to not only “fish” for anti-prion compounds from complex matrixes, but also to screening for and identify possible cellular cofactors involved in the deflagration of prion diseases.
A educação é um direito social, sendo uma potente ferramenta para a conscientização dos nossos direitos enquanto cidadãos, além da formação do senso de cidadania. Entretanto, para que essa educação transformadora aconteça de forma efetiva, existe ao menos um grande desafio: entendermos que, para além da educação formal, existem também as contribuições dos espaços não formais de educação, a exemplo do projeto de extensão universitária “Conhecendo o Cenabio – Ciência, Arte e Educação” do Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem. O projeto “Conhecendo o Cenabio” busca promover oficinas pedagógicas baseadas em quatro pilares: ciência, arte, inteligência emocional e ação social. Dessa forma, executamos de forma transdisciplinar experimentos científicos, jogos e dinâmicas de grupo. Entendemos que as ações extensionistas promovidas pelo Cenabio, em parceria com instituições de ensino, complementam a educação formal, sendo capazes de fortalecer o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, contribuindo ainda para a transformação social e a divulgação científica.
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