Distinguishing amyloid fibril structures in Alzheimer's disease (AD) by two-dimensional ultraviolet (2DUV) spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the aggregation mechanism of amyloid fibrils and characterizing their structures are important steps in the investigation of several neurodegenerative disorders associated with the misfolding of proteins. We report a simulation study of coherent two-dimensional chiral signals of three NMR structures of Aβ protein fibrils associated with Alzheimer's Disease, two models for Aβ(8-40) peptide wild-type (WT) and one for the Iowa (D23N) Aβ(15-40) mutant. Both far-ultraviolet (FUV) signals (λ = 190-250 nm), which originate from the backbone nπ* and ππ* transitions, and near-ultraviolet (NUV) signals (λ ≥ 250 nm) associated with aromatic side chains (Phe and Tyr) show distinct cross-peak patterns that can serve as novel signatures for the secondary structure.

SUBMITTER: Lam AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3458647 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature