TY - JOUR
T1 - End Capping Alters the Structural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Transthyretin (105-115) Amyloid Protofibrils
AU - Lee, Myeongsang
AU - Na, Sungsoo
N1 - Funding Information:
S.N. gratefully acknowledges the Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and funding from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP; No. 2007-0056094 and No. 2014R1A2A1A11052389).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
PY - 2016/2/3
Y1 - 2016/2/3
N2 - Pathological amyloid proteins are associated with degenerative and neurodegenerative diseases. These amyloid proteins develop as oligomer, fibrillar, and plaque forms, due to the denatured and unstable status of the amyloid monomers. Specifically, the development of fibrillar amyloid proteins has been investigated through several experimental studies. To understand the generation of amyloid fibrils, environmental factors such as point mutations, pH, and polymorphic characteristics have been considered. Recently, amyloid fibril studies related to end-capping effects have been conducted to understand amyloid fibril development. However, atomic-level studies to determine the stability and mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils based on end capping have not been undertaken. In this study, we show that end capping alters the structural characteristics and conformations of transthyretin (TTR) amyloid fibrils by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Variation in the structural conformations and characteristics of the TTR fibrils through end capping are observed, due to the resulting electrostatic energies and hydrophobicity characteristics. Moreover, the end capping changes the mechanical properties of TTR fibrils. Our results shed light on amyloid fibril formation under end-capping conditions.
AB - Pathological amyloid proteins are associated with degenerative and neurodegenerative diseases. These amyloid proteins develop as oligomer, fibrillar, and plaque forms, due to the denatured and unstable status of the amyloid monomers. Specifically, the development of fibrillar amyloid proteins has been investigated through several experimental studies. To understand the generation of amyloid fibrils, environmental factors such as point mutations, pH, and polymorphic characteristics have been considered. Recently, amyloid fibril studies related to end-capping effects have been conducted to understand amyloid fibril development. However, atomic-level studies to determine the stability and mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils based on end capping have not been undertaken. In this study, we show that end capping alters the structural characteristics and conformations of transthyretin (TTR) amyloid fibrils by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Variation in the structural conformations and characteristics of the TTR fibrils through end capping are observed, due to the resulting electrostatic energies and hydrophobicity characteristics. Moreover, the end capping changes the mechanical properties of TTR fibrils. Our results shed light on amyloid fibril formation under end-capping conditions.
KW - capping effects
KW - electrostatic energy
KW - mechanical properties
KW - molecular dynamics
KW - transthyretin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84958752550&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/cphc.201500945
DO - 10.1002/cphc.201500945
M3 - Article
C2 - 26584650
AN - SCOPUS:84958752550
VL - 17
SP - 425
EP - 432
JO - ChemPhysChem
JF - ChemPhysChem
SN - 1439-4235
IS - 3
ER -