Probing neuroserpin polymerization and interaction with amyloid-beta peptides using single molecule fluorescence.

ABSTRACT: Neuroserpin is a member of the serine proteinase inhibitor superfamily. It can undergo a conformational transition to form polymers that are associated with the dementia familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies and the wild-type protein can inhibit the toxicity of amyloid-beta peptides in Alzheimer's disease. We have used a single molecule fluorescence method, two color coincidence detection, to determine the rate-limiting steps of the early stages of the polymerization of fluorophore-labeled neuroserpin and have assessed how this process is altered in the presence of A beta(1-40.) Our data show that neuroserpin polymerization proceeds first by the unimolecular formation of an active monomer, followed by competing processes of both polymerization and formation of a latent

SUBMITTER: Chiou A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2764104 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature