Analyses of exon 4a structure reveal the properties of Big tau related to distribution, function and aggregation.

ABSTRACT: Tau, a microtubule-associated protein that modulates the dynamic properties of microtubules, is best known for its involvement in tauopathies. Usually expressed as the low molecular (LMW) variants of 45-60 kDa, tau is also expressed as a high molecular weight isoform of 110 kDa, termed Big tau, in neurons of the peripheral nervous system and in a few types of central neurons. Big tau is defined by the inclusion of exon 4a, which adds about 250 amino acids to the projection domain. Despite low sequence conservation the length of the Big tau insert remains remarkably consistent across vertebrates. Here, we analyzed the charge distribution, hydrophobicity, and aggregation propensity of the human sequences of LMW tau, Big tau and the amino acids encoded by exon 4a. Exon 4a amino acids display

SUBMITTER: Fischer I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12602400 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature