Credit: Image: Nicolle Rager Fuller, Sayo-Art
Fruit flies have co-opted a self-sustaining prion switch as a key mechanism for the persistence of memories. When TOB (shown in green) binds to Orb2A (shown in red), it triggers Orb2A conversion to a stable prion state (shown in yellow). Orb2A's activity is tightly controlled through its interaction with TOB, which is triggered by incoming nerve signals.