To more thoroughly explore phenotypic differences in the distribution and aggregate morphology of disease-related PrP, we additionally stably knocked down syntaxin-6 in chronically infected PK1 cells (a subclone called iS7) [42] allowing us to explore a role for syntaxin-6 in prion accumulation isolated from infection (Supplementary Fig. 3a–b in supplementary file 2). Here, STX6 is linked to infection.