The Origin and Evolution of Prions

The origin and evolution of prions

Life before genes? Searching for ancient protein-based inheritance systems

All known life today relies on DNA and RNA to store and transmit biological information. However, the origins of life raise a fundamental question: were nucleic acids the first molecules capable of carrying hereditary information, or could even older systems have existed before modern genetic mechanisms emerged?

This project explores prion-like proteins – unique molecules capable of storing and transmitting information through changes in their three-dimensional structure. Researchers investigate the hypothesis that these protein-based mechanisms may represent some of the oldest forms of biological memory and inheritance on Earth.

The project coordinator is Dr Tomasz Zajkowski from the Faculty of Space Technologies. 

 

Exploring the origins of biological inheritance

Prions are best known for their role in neurodegenerative diseases, but recent discoveries have revealed that prion-like mechanisms can also serve important biological functions.

Unlike DNA and RNA, which encode information through sequences of nucleotides, prion-like proteins transmit information through changes in protein structure. A single altered protein can act as a template, converting other copies of the same protein into the same state and creating a self-propagating system of inheritance.

Such mechanisms have been identified in fungi, bacteria, viruses and, thanks to previous research conducted by the project team, also in archaea – one of the oldest branches of life on Earth.

 

Searching for molecular relics of early life

The project is based on the hypothesis that prion-like proteins may have originated before the divergence of the three major domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria and Eukaryota.

Researchers aim to answer key questions:

  • Which modern proteins may represent ancient remnants of early inheritance systems?
  • What structures do these proteins form?
  • Can they behave as prions in living organisms?
  • Do prion-like mechanisms help organisms adapt to environmental stress?

By combining computational analyses, structural biology and experimental approaches, the project will investigate whether protein-based inheritance systems could have existed before the emergence of modern DNA-based genetics.

 

Advanced approaches to studying ancient proteins

The project combines bioinformatics, molecular biology and structural biology to identify and characterize potential ancient prion-like proteins.

Researchers will:

  • analyse thousands of candidate prion-forming domains identified across different groups of organisms,
  • select the most promising candidates for experimental validation,
  • determine whether these proteins can form stable amyloid structures characteristic of prions,
  • study their behaviour in model organisms,
  • investigate whether prion-like states influence adaptation and survival under environmental stress.

The research will use advanced computational tools and experimental techniques, including protein engineering, microscopy, spectroscopy and functional assays.

 

From the origins of life to astrobiology

Understanding how the earliest systems of inheritance emerged is essential not only for evolutionary biology but also for astrobiology – the search for life beyond Earth.

Prion-like proteins and the amyloid structures they form are highly stable and can persist under harsh environmental conditions. These properties make them promising candidates for potential biosignatures – molecular traces of life that could help identify biological activity on other planets or moons.

By exploring protein-based inheritance, this project may reshape our understanding of how life began and evolved, suggesting that the first carriers of biological information may not have been genes, but self-organizing protein structures.

 

Why this research matters

The outcomes of this project could contribute to several scientific fields:

  • Evolutionary biology – by providing new insights into the origins of inheritance and adaptation,
  • Astrobiology – by identifying potential signatures of life beyond Earth,
  • Synthetic biology and biotechnology – by revealing how stable, self-templating protein systems could be used to design new biological tools.

This research represents a step towards answering one of the most fundamental questions in science: how did life begin, and what mechanisms allowed it to survive and evolve over billions of years?

 

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