Reference

Formation of native prions in vitro requires a combination of specific components and conditions. From the search results, these key components include:

1. Native Prion Protein (PrP^C): The normal cellular form of the prion protein.
2. Cofactors: These include RNA, lipids, and sometimes synthetic substitutes, which are crucial for the conversion of PrP^C to the misfolded, infectious prion form (PrP^Sc).
3. Polyanions: These are necessary for prion formation in vitro, aiding in the proper folding or misfolding of PrP^C.
4. Phospholipids (e.g., Phosphatidylglycerol, Phosphatidylethanolamine): These molecules facilitate the formation and stabilization of prions.
5. Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA): A method that can generate synthetic prions from minimal components effectively by amplifying the misfolded prions.

Below are some illustrations of the components and methods involved in prion formation:

1. Protein Misfolding Mechanism:
2. Formation Process Schema:
3. Related Co-factors:

For more detailed information, you can explore the sources I referenced:

• Formation of native prions from minimal components in vitro - PNAS
• Essential Components of Synthetic Infectious Prion Formation - NCBI
• Understanding the key features of the spontaneous formation of prions - Acta Neurocomm