Layers of structure and function in protein aggregation

May 15th, 2015 by Motomasa Tanaka

Nature Chemical Biology 11, 373 (2015). doi:10.1038/nchembio.1818

Authors: Motomasa Tanaka & Yusuke Komi

Protein aggregation is a central hallmark of many neurodegenerative disorders, but the relationship of aggregate structural diversity to the resultant cellular cytotoxicity and phenotypic diversity has remained obscure. Recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of protein aggregation and their physiological consequences have been achieved through chemical biology approaches, such as rationally designed protein modifications and chemical probes, providing crucial mechanistic insights and promise for therapeutic strategies for brain disorders.