Relationships between the sequence of alpha-synuclein and its membrane affinity, fibrillization propensity, and yeast toxicity.

ABSTRACT: To investigate the alpha-synuclein protein and its role in Parkinson's disease, we screened a library of random point mutants both in vitro and in yeast to find variants in an unbiased way that could help us understand the sequence-phenotype relationship. We developed a rapid purification method that allowed us to screen 59 synuclein mutants in vitro and discovered two double-point mutants that fibrillized slowly relative to wild-type, A30P, and A53T alpha-synucleins. The yeast toxicity of all of these proteins was measured, and we found no correlation with fibrillization rate, suggesting that fibrillization is not necessary for synuclein-induced yeast toxicity. We found that beta-synuclein was of intermediate toxicity to yeast, and gamma-synuclein was non-toxic. Co-expression of Parkinson

SUBMITTER: Volles MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1868670 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature