Peer-Reviewed Journal Details
Mandatory Fields
Xu, L,Ma, B,Nussinoy, R,Thompson, D
2017
April
Acs Chemical Neuroscience
Familial Mutations May Switch Conformational Preferences in alpha-Synuclein Fibrils
Published
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Optional Fields
alpha-Synuclein mutation Parkinson's disease amyloid aggregation molecular dynamics simulations SOLID-STATE NMR ATOMIC-RESOLUTION STRUCTURE PARKINSONS-DISEASE MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS IN-VITRO ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE AMYLOID FIBRILS MEMBRANE-BINDING CELL-CULTURE AGGREGATION
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The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is closely associated with the aggregation of the alpha-synuclein protein. Several familial mutants have been identified and shown to affect the aggregation kinetics of alpha-synuclein through distinct molecular mechanisms. Quantitative evaluation of the relative stabilities of the wild type and mutant fibrils is crucial for understanding the aggregation process land identifying the key component steps. In this work, we examined two topologically different alpha-synuclein fibril structures that are either determined by solid-state NMR method or modeled based on solid-state NMR data, and characterized their conformational properties and thermodynamic stabilities using molecular dynamics simulations. We show that the two fibril morphologies have comparable size, solvent exposure, secondary structures, and similar molecule/peptide binding modes; but different stabilities. Familial mutations do not significantly alter the overall fibril structures but shift their relative stabilities. Distinct mutations display altered fibril conformational behavior, suggesting different propagation preferences, reminiscent of cross-seeding among prion strains and tau deletion mutants. The simulations quantify the hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, as well as N-terminal dynamics, that may contribute to the divergent aggregation kinetics that has been observed experimentally. Our results indicate that small molecule and peptide inhibitors may share the same binding region, providing molecular recognition that is independent of fibril conformation.
10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00406
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