Unraveling the complexity of amyloid polymorphism using gold nanoparticles and cryo-EM.

ABSTRACT: Increasing evidence suggests that amyloid polymorphism gives rise to different strains of amyloids with distinct toxicities and pathology-spreading properties. Validating this hypothesis is challenging due to a lack of tools and methods that allow for the direct characterization of amyloid polymorphism in hydrated and complex biological samples. Here, we report on the development of 11-mercapto-1-undecanesulfonate-coated gold nanoparticles (NPs) that efficiently label the edges of synthetic, recombinant, and native amyloid fibrils derived from different amyloidogenic proteins. We demonstrate that these NPs represent powerful tools for assessing amyloid morphological polymorphism, using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The NPs allowed for the visualization of morphologi

SUBMITTER: Cendrowska U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7104366 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature