The formation of a novel supramolecular structure by amyloid of poly-L-glutamic acid.
Polyglutamic acid (PE) has been shown to form amyloid fibrils in vitro under pH value of 4.0. However, under the pH of 2.0, a further self-association process resulting in a novel supramolecular structure was observed. These supramolecular assemblies had diameters ranging from 1 to 20 microm and lengths up to several hundred microns, which were significantly larger than those of typical "amyloid fibrils". The existence of amyloid-like structure within these assemblies was confirmed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Thioflavin T fluorescence assay. The aggregation process of PE was studied by direct observation of electronic microscopy. The supramolecular assemblies appeared to be formed in a hierarchical process in which the preformed amyloid-like subunits self-assembled into higher-order assemblies in a well-organized pattern.
Bai
Fan
F
College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, No. 29, Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, People's Republic of China.
Zeng
Chengming
C
Yang
Shixin
S
Zhang
Yizheng
Y
He
Yi
Y
Jin
Jun
J
D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000737:chemistry
D000682:Amyloid; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013844:Thiazoles; C009462:thioflavin T; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid