title: Stability of amyloid oligomers.
abstract: Molecular simulations are now commonly used to complement experimental techniques in investigating amyloids and their role in human diseases. In this chapter, we will summarize techniques and approaches often used in amyloid simulations and will present recent success stories. Our examples will be focused on lessons learned from molecular dynamics simulations in aqueous environments that start from preformed aggregates. These studies explore the limitations that arise from the choice of force field, the role of mutations in the growth of amyloid aggregates, segmental polymorphism, and the importance of cross-seeding. Furthermore, they give evidence for potential toxicity mechanisms. We finally discuss the role of molecular simulations in the search for aggregation inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA.
authors.forename: Workalemahu M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Berhanu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA. Electronic address: uhansmann@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Ulrich H E
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Hansmann
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D055550:Protein Stability; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D014867:Water
keywords: Amyloid; Cross-seeding; MD simulation; Polymorphism; Stability