A systematic screen of beta(2)-microglobulin and insulin for amyloid-like segments.

ABSTRACT: Identifying sequence determinants of fibril-forming proteins is crucial for understanding the processes causing >20 proteins to form pathological amyloid depositions. Our approach to identifying which sequences form amyloid-like fibrils is to screen the amyloid-forming proteins human insulin and beta(2)-microglobulin for segments that form fibrils. Our screen is of 60 sequentially overlapping peptides, 59 being six residues in length and 1 being five residues, covering every noncysteine-containing segment in these two proteins. Each peptide was characterized as amyloid-like or nonfibril-forming. Amyloid-like peptides formed fibrils visible in electron micrographs or needle-like microcrystals showing a cross-beta diffraction pattern. Eight of the 60 peptides (three from insulin and five fro

SUBMITTER: Ivanova MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1449649 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature