Biological Amyloids Chemically Damage DNA.

ABSTRACT: Amyloid fibrils are protein polymers noncovalently assembled through β-strands arranged in a cross-β structure. Biological amyloids were considered chemically inert until we and others recently demonstrated their ability to catalyze chemical reactions in vitro. To further explore the functional repertoire of amyloids, we here probe if fibrils of α-synuclein (αS) display chemical reactivity toward DNA. We demonstrate that αS amyloids bind DNA at micromolar concentrations in vitro. Using the activity of DNA repair enzymes as proxy for damage, we unravel that DNA-amyloid interactions promote chemical modifications, such as single-strand nicks, to the DNA. Double-strand breaks are also evident based on nanochannel analysis of individual long DNA molecules. The amyloid fold is essential for the

SUBMITTER: Horvath I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11803820 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature