Role of bilayer characteristics on the structural fate of aβ(1-40) and aβ(25-40)

Biochemistry. 2014 May 13;53(18):3004-11. doi: 10.1021/bi4016296. Epub 2014 Apr 23.

Abstract

The β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide is derived from the transmembrane (TM) helix of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and has been shown to interact with membrane surfaces. To understand better the role of peptide-membrane interactions in cell death and ultimately in Alzheimer's disease, a better understanding of how membrane characteristics affect the binding, solvation, and secondary structure of Aβ is needed. Employing a combination of circular dichroism and deep-UV resonance Raman spectroscopies, Aβ(25-40) was found to fold spontaneously upon association with anionic lipid bilayers. The hydrophobic portion of the disease-related Aβ(1-40) peptide, Aβ(25-40), has often been used as a model for how its legacy TM region may behave structurally in aqueous solvents and during membrane encounters. The structure of the membrane-associated Aβ(25-40) peptide was found to depend on both the hydrophobic thickness of the bilayer and the duration of incubation. Similarly, the disease-related Aβ(1-40) peptide also spontaneously associates with anionic liposomes, where it initially adopts mixtures of disordered and helical structures. The partially disordered helical structures then convert to β-sheet structures over longer time frames. β-Sheet structure is formed prior to helical unwinding, implying a model in which β-sheet structure, formed initially from disordered regions, prompts the unwinding and destabilization of membrane-stabilized helical structure. A model is proposed to describe the mechanism of escape of Aβ(1-40) from the membrane surfaces following its formation by cleavage of APP within the membrane.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / chemistry*
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / chemistry
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Lipid Bilayers / chemistry*
  • Models, Chemical
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry*
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Phosphatidylglycerols / chemistry
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Solvents
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Peptides
  • Phosphatidylglycerols
  • Solvents
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-40)
  • amyloid beta-protein (25-40)
  • 1,2-didodecanoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine
  • dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol
  • Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine