title: Nano-mechanical characterization of disassembling amyloid fibrils using the Peak Force QNM method.
abstract: The comprehensive understanding of disassembly mechanism of amyloid fibrils requires nano-scale characterization of the mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils during the disassembly process. In this work, gemini surfactant C12C6C12Br2micelles were used as a probe to disassemble Aβ(1-40) fibrils. The microstructure evolution and nano-mechanical properties of Aβ(1-40) fibrils during the disassembly process were systematically investigated by the Peak Force Quantitative Nano-mechanical (PF-QNM) technique. The results show an obvious decrease in Young's modulus of mature fibrils with high β-sheet contents (2.4 ± 1.0 GPa) in comparison to the resulting peptide/surfactant complexes (1.1 ± 0.8 GPa) with loose surface structures. Interestingly, the Young's modulus of spherical peptide/surfactant complexes on the core was more than 3 GPa. This strategy can be used as a standard protocol to investigate the interaction mechanism between amyloid fibrils and small molecules, which may open up new possibilities to explore the mechanism of relevant human diseases.
authors.affiliation: School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China.
authors.forename: Wenpin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China.
authors.forename: Zongxia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China.
authors.forename: Zhibo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9512-1507
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40)
keywords: Peak Force QNM; amyloid fibrils; disassembly mechanism; nano-mechanical properties