Orientadores: Cesar Costapinto Santana, Marisa Masumi Beppu / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T05:42:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Torres_MarcoAntonio_D.pdf: 1417582 bytes, checksum: 10045a785cc6ab8b5ff6c19e8efd00d0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Neste trabalho foram produzidas microesferas de quitosana com tamanho controlado e porosidade influenciada pela técnica de atomização e coagulação. As condições de produção foram definidas pelo planejamento de experimentos. As microesferas obtidas foram modificadas quimicamente com anidrido acético, epicloridrina e glutaraldeído com objetivos de melhorar suas características iniciais de resistência e estabilidade. As possibilidades de uso apresentadas por essas matrizes se devem ao reconhecimento observado entre adsorbato e adsorvente e à realização de modificações químicas e estruturais. Após essas modificações as microesferas obtidas foram analisadas quanto às suas propriedades estruturais, capacidade de adsorção e dessorção. As microesferas foram utilizadas em sistemas de adsorção em banho finito e coluna de leito fixo. Os adsorbatos utilizados foram as proteínas BSA, lisozima e um concentrado protéico (condição real) obtido do soro do leite. As proteínas BSA e lisozima apresentam pontos isoelétricos distintos de 4,8 e 11, respectivamente, permitindo assim avaliar o sistema adsorvente-adsorbato pelas isotermas de adsorção, cinética de equilíbrio, capacidade de dessorção e regeneração dos adsorventes, em condições distintas de pH. O modelo de Langmuir descreveu bem os valores de adsorção obtidos experimentalmente. As capacidades máximas de adsorção para as proteínas BSA e lisozima foram de 9,24 mg/g e 11,95 mg/g, respectivamente, utilizando as microesferas de quitosana reticuladas com glutaraldeído. Os maiores valores de adsorção foram encontrados próximos aos pontos isoelétricos, mostrando que as interações eletrostáticas, fundamentais para o processo em toda a faixa de pH estudada, não estão agindo isoladamente no sistema. Comparando-se os métodos de tanque agitado e coluna de leito fixo foi possível observar diminuição significativa na adsorção e dessorção da solução artificial de proteínas do primeiro para o segundo método. Esses resultados podem ser explicados por limitações no tamanho da coluna do leito, tempo de residência e conseqüentemente pela baixa transferência de massa. Com um extrato real ocorreu diminuição, mais significativa ainda, da capacidade de adsorção quando comparado com a solução artificial de proteínas. Estes resultados refletem a complexidade das interações e a existência de competição pelos sítios de adsorção da superfície interna e externa das microesferas de quitosana reticuladas com glutaraldeído. Essa competição ocorre possivelmente entre as proteínas do extrato e outros grupos moleculares / Abstract: This work is concerned with production of chitosan microspheres with sizes controlled and porosity influenced by spraying and coagulation process. The production conditions were defined through experimental planning. The microspheres were modified chemically with glutaraldehyde, epichlorohydrin and acetic anhydride in order to improve its initial characteristics of resistance and stability. The possibilities of use exhibited by these matrices are due to recognition adsorbate-adsorbent and the accomplishments these chemical and structural modifications. Soon after the gotten microspheres their structural, adsorption and dessorption properties were analyzed. The microspheres were used in adsorption system in two methods: stirred tank and fixed bed. The adsorbates used were the BSA and lysozyme proteins and a proteinic extract from milk serum. The BSA and lysozyme proteins have different isoeletric points, 4.8 and 11, respectively. This allowed study the adsorbent­absorbate system by adsorption isotherms, equilibrium kinetics, dessorption capability and regeneration of adsorbents, in different conditions of pH. The Langmuir described well the experimental values of capacity of adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacities were 9,24 mg/g and 11,95 mg/g for BSA and lysozyme proteins, respectively. The higher values of adsorption were found close to the isoelectric points, showing that the electrostatic interactions, important to the process during all pH range studied, it are not acting alone in the system. Comparing the methods of stirred tank with fixed bed happened significant reduction in the adsorption and dessorption from proteins artificial solution. These results may be explained by the limitations in the size of column, time of residence and consequently in the mass transfer. With a real extract occurred important reduction of the adsorption capacity when compared with synthetic proteins. These results show the complexity of the interactions and the competition between the extract proteins and others chemical groups by adsorption sites in the internal and external surface of chitosan microspheres crosslinked with glutaraldehyde / Doutorado / Desenvolvimento de Processos Biotecnologicos / Doutor em Engenharia Química

Orientador: João Alexandre Ribeiro Gonçalves Barbosa / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T20:09:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Valerio_AmandaAbdalla_D.pdf: 3553304 bytes, checksum: 97ba97062f1c23d4b29447c0b9a7316d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Glicosídeo hidrolases (EC 3.2.1.-) são enzimas que hidrolisam ligações glicosídicas. Neste trabalho realizamos estudos funcionais e estruturais de duas glicosídeo hidrolases: a celulase XF0810 de Xylella fastidiosa e a lisozima digestiva 1 de Musca domestica (MdL1). A celulase XF0810 está anotada no genoma da X. fastidiosa como membro da família 5 das glicosídeo hidrolases (EC 3.2.1.4). Após a amplificação, clonagem, expressão e purificação da mesma; prosseguimos com os experimentos de filtração em gel analítica, dicroísmo circular, DLS, ensaio enzimático e cristalização desta proteína. Foi feito um estudo de modelagem onde ficou evidenciado que a XF0810 não pertenceria à família 5 pois quatro dos sete resíduos conservados que caracterizam esta família foram substituídos, incluindo os dois resíduos catalíticos de glutamato essenciais para o mecanismo de clivagem de retenção. Isto foi comprovado através da ausência de atividade nos ensaios feitos com a proteína purificada. A MdL1 pertence à família 22 das glicosídeo hidrolases (EC 3.2.1.17) e foi cristalizada com o ligante Nacetilquitotetraosídeo para a difração de raios X. A resolução da estrutura (2H5Z no PDB) foi realizada por meio do método de substituição molecular tendo como modelo a estrutura nativa. A análise comparativa da MdL1 com outras lisozimas de quatro classes diferentes de animais mostrou grande semelhança e pequenas diferenças apenas na região das voltas. Estas diferenças foram utilizadas para explicar as características especiais de uma lisozima com função digestiva. A volta na região definida pelos resíduos 98-100 apresenta uma deleção na MdL1, tornado-a menos exposta ao solvente, podendo justificar a resistência à proteólise. O resíduo Gln100 participa de uma interação com o ligante. Os resíduos Thr107 e Asn46 são apontados como responsáveis pelo decréscimo dos pKa dos grupos carboxilas dos resíduos catalíticos Glu32 e Asp50, respectivamente. A diminuição dos pKa explica o pH ótimo mais ácido característico de lisozimas digestivas / Abstract: Glycoside hydrolases (EC 3.2.1.-) are enzymes that hydrolyze glycoside bonds. In this work we studied functional and structural features of two glycoside hydrolases: the cellulase XF0810 of Xylella fastidiosa and the digestive lysozyme 1 of Musca domestica (MdL1). The cellulase XF0810 is annotated in the genome of X. fastidiosa as member of family 5 of glycoside hydrolases (EC 3.2.1.4). After the amplification, cloning, expression and purification of XF0810; we continued with the experiments of analytical gel filtration, circular dichroism, DLS, enzymatic assay and crystallization of this protein. A homology model was built which showed that XF0810 did not belong to family 5 because four of seven conserved residues that characterize the family were substituted, including the two catalytic residues of glutamate that are essential for the retention hydrolysis mechanism. This was further confirmed by the absence of activity in the assays (exocellulase with PNPc) performed with the purified protein. The MdL1 belongs to the family 22 of glycoside hydrolases (EC 3.2.1.17) and was crystallized with the ligand N-acetilchitotetraose for X-ray diffraction. The resolution of the structure (2H5Z in PDB) was accomplished by molecular replacement with the native structure as the searching model. The comparative analysis of MdL1 with other lysozymes of four different classes of animals showed a high similarity and few differences appeared only in the loops¿ regions. These differences were used to explain the special characteristics of the lysozyme with a digestive function. The loop in the region defined by residues 98-100 presents one deletion in the MdL1, becoming less exposed to the solvent, this might justify the proteolysis resistance. The residue Gln100 participates directly in an interaction with the ligand. The residues Thr107 and Asn46 are pointed out as responsible for a reduction in the pKa of the carboxyl groups of catalytic residues Glu32 e Asp50, respectively. The reduction in pKa explains the more acidic pH optimum that characterizes the digestive lysozymes / Doutorado / Bioquimica / Doutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Neste trabalho estudamos por espalhamento de raios-X a baixos ângulos (SAXS) quatro diferentes sistemas de interesse biológico. Visamos investigar a auto-agregação de proteínas e de complexos proteicos que darão origem a fibras amilóides, interação proteína-proteína, simulando ambientes altamente concentrados, interação proteína-membrana simulando vesículas de matriz extracelular (MVs) de sistemas de biomineralização e interações proteína-agentes desnaturantes. No caso de formação de amilóides, investigamos a agregação do domínio GTPase da septina 6 (SEPT6G) e do complexo formado com o domínio GTPase da septina 2 (SEPT2G-SEPT6G). A temperaturas de até 15°C, tanto SEPT6G quanto SEPT2G-SEPT6G apresentam-se predominantemente diméricas em solução. Já a 25°C, o heterodímero SEPT2G-SEPT6G permanece estável enquanto agregados maiores de SEPT6G evoluem e coexistem em solução com SEPT6G-SEPT6G dimérica, sendo que a proporção de dímeros diminui com a temperatura. No estudo das MVs, mostramos que miméticos lipossomais de DPPC e DPPC:DPPS (9:1) possuem as mesmas características estruturais na ausência e presença de cálcio na solução. A interação da proteína anexina V humana (A5), envolvida em processos de biomineralização, impacta na membrana modelo induzindo a formação de nanoporos. A adição da fosfatase alcalina tecido não-específico (TNAP) não altera as propriedades estruturais do proteolipossomo na presença de A5. A ação do surfactante dodecil sulfato de sódio (SDS) a 30 mM não altera a conformação da albumina soro bovina (BSA), de maneira que é observada a formação de micelas de SDS coexistindo com a proteína livre em solução. Já a adição de 50 mM de SDS induz um desenovelamento parcial da proteína, identificado pela análise das curvas de SAXS via modelo de \"colar de pérolas\". A ação de uréia a 3 M e 8 M promove um desenovelamento parcial e total da BSA, respectivamente, com subsequente agregação de proteína dependente da temperatura (T > 30°C). A adição de 6 mM de SDS em proteínas parcialmente desenoveladas pela ação da uréia promove um desenovelamento mais acentuado. O potencial efetivo resultante da interação entre duas proteínas distintas, BSA e lisozima a concentração total de 100 mg/mL em solução, pH 7.0, foi obtido da análise de curvas de SAXS. Para isto, utilizou-se uma análise simplificada (em primeira aproximação) considerando um potencial efetivo de interação entre BSA-BSA, lisozima-lisozima e lisozima-BSA. Variamos a razão molar BSA:LISO até 1:42. No pH estudado, BSA tem uma carga residual superficial de -11e, enquanto a lisozima possui +9e. Conforme variamos a razão molar BSA:LISO, observamos dois regimes para o potencial efetivo resultante: i) até BSA:LISO 1:2, a carga efetiva do sistema é praticamente nula com um potencial resultante de caráter atrativo e ii) para razões entre BSA:LISO 1:3 a 1:42, a carga efetiva aumenta e o potencial resultante tem caráter repulsivo. Assim, lisozima e BSA coexistem sem agregar, através de um delicado balanço de forças atrativas e repulsivas no sistema. / In this work we have used small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) to study four systems of biological interest. We aim to investigate the self aggregation of proteins and protein complexes that would form amyloid fibers; protein/protein interaction, simulating high concentrations; protein/cell-membrane interaction, simulating extracellular matrix vesicles (MVs) from biomineralizing systems; and protein/denaturating-agents interactions. On the case of amyloid formation, we have investigated the aggregation of G-domain of septin-6 (SEPT6G) and the protein complex formed with G-domain of septin-2 (SEPT2G-SEPT6G). At temperatures lower than 15°C, both SEPT6G and SEPT2G-SEPT6G were found predominantly as dimers. At 25°C, SEPT2G-SEPT6G heterodimer is still stable while aggregates of SEPT6G grow. Both coexist in solutions of SEPT2G-SEPT6G dimers, with the percentage of dimers decreasing the higher the temperature. As for the study of MVs, we have shown that DPPC and DPPC:DPPS (9:1) liposomal mimetics have the same structural characteristics at the absence or presence of Calcium. The interaction with human annexin V protein (A5), related to biomineralization processes, affects the model membrane by the creation of nanopores. The addition of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) does not change the structural properties of the proteoliposome when A5 is present. The addition of SDS surfactant (30 mM) does not alters the conformation of bovine serum albumin (BSA), and we have observed the formation of SDS micelles coexisting with free protein in solution. The addition of 50 mM of SDS, on the other hand, induces the partial unraveling of the protein, as seen by the analysis of SAXS data via the pearl necklace\'\' model. The effect of adding 3M and 8M urea is, respectively, the partial and total unraveling of BSA, with ensuing aggregation of the protein dependent on the temperature (T > 30°C). The introduction of SDS 6mM promotes further unraveling in proteins that were previously partially unraveled by urea. The resulting effective potential for the interaction between BSA and lysozyme at total concentration of 100mg/ml and 7.0 pH has been obtained from the analysis of SAXS curves. In order to obtain this result we have used a simplified analysis (first order approximation) in which were considered the effective potentials for the interactions between BSA-BSA, lysozyme-lysozyme and lysozyme-BSA. We have varied the BSA:LISO molar ratio up to 1:42. At the studied pH, BSA has a surface residual charge of -11e, and lysozyme has +9e. As we changed the BSA:LISO molar ratio, we have found two regimens for the resulting effective potential: i) up to BSA:LISO 1:2, the effective charge of the system is virtually zero and the resulting potential is attractive; and ii) for BSA:LISO between 1:3 and 1:42 the effective charge increases, and the resulting potential is repulsive. Therefore, both lysozyme and BSA coexist without forming aggregates, by a delicate balance of attractive and repulsive forces.

Les biomatériaux insérés dans la cavité orale, tout particulièrement les prothèses dentaires amovibles en résine, constituent des surfaces propices à la formation de biofilms incorporant des levures du genre Candida, à l’origine de candidose. Les levures, comme d’autres micro-organismes, adaptent leur prolifération à l’environnement par des molécules dites du quorum sensing. D’autre part, la contamination du milieu oral est contrôlée par de nombreuses protéines sécrétées par les glandes salivaires, mais leur utilisation en hygiène est peu documentée. Le but de ce travail est d’étudier l’effet anti-biofilm de molécules du quorum sensing et de protéines exocrines, le lysozyme et la lactoperoxydase, dans la perspective de réduire la colonisation des surfaces de prothèses dentaires par des levures du genre Candida et par conséquent de prévenir une stomatite prothétique. A cette fin, des biofilms à Candida ont été produits dans des plaques multi-puits à fond plat en polystyrène et quantifiés par coloration au cristal violet. L’effet de deux molécules du quorum sensing - tyrosol et farnésol - sur la formation des biofilms à Candida a été investigué in vitro sur la souche de référence ATCC 10231 et sur des souches cliniques isolées à partir de prothèses dentaires. Le tyrosol et le farnésol à hautes concentrations (> 6 mM et > 1 mM respectivement) entraînent une limitation de la formation de biofilms sans altérer la croissance fongique tandis que des concentrations plus faibles (~ 1 mM et ~ 1 µM respectivement) favorisent la formation de biofilms. Le lysozyme présente aussi un effet dépendant de la dose sur la formation de biofilms par Candida: promoteur de la formation de biofilms à une concentration de 1000 µg/ml et inhibiteur de la formation de biofilms à des concentrations plus faibles (3 et 10 µg/ml). Les composés hypohalogéneux (> 500 µM) produits par un système peroxydase limitent la croissance des levures et par conséquent leur capacité à former des biofilms in vitro. Un seul trempage ex vivo de prothèses amovibles pendant 5 minutes dans une solution d’ions hypohalogéneux (2000 µM) entraîne une diminution d’au moins 1 unité logarithmique du nombre de Candida dans 58,3 % des cas (N = 23) alors qu’un trempage dans de l’eau n’a aucun effet sur la colonisation de la prothèse :cet effet est statistiquement significatif (Chi carré, p = 0,0006, test de Fisher, p = 0,0009). / Doctorat en Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques (Médecine) / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Growth and deposition of amyloid fibrils, polymers of proteins with a cross beta-sheet structure, are associated with a significant number of human pathologies including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, prion diseases, type II diabetes, and senile systematic or dialysis-related amyloidoses. The broader objective of my research is to identify the basic mechanisms regulating nucleation and growth of amyloid fibrils. There is increasing evidence that amyloid formation may proceed along at least two distinct assembly pathways for the formation of rigid fibrils. One pathway involves the nucleated polymerization of the characteristic rigid fibrils from partially denatured monomers and the other proceeds via the growth of globular oligomers and their associated curvilinear fibrils (also known as protofibrils) which, in ways yet to be determined, transform into late-stage rigid fibrils. These oligomeric intermediates of fibril assembly, in particular, have been implicated as the predominant aggregate species causing cellular toxicity in amyloid diseases. Yet, amyloid oligomers and curvilinear fibrils are considered transient, metastable aggregates. This raises the question whether and how such transient aggregate species can be responsible for most of the cell/tissue toxicity? In this dissertation, I report on my investigation of several basic questions related to the mechanisms of amyloid formation. Using the model amyloid hen egg-white lysozyme, I participated in research to characterize the distinct kinetics of amyloid formation along distinct assembly pathways, to determine the morphological features of the various aggregate species emerging along either pathway, and to investigate the structural evolution of the monomers from their native state to the amyloid cross- sheet structure (chapter 3). Chapters 4-6 represent the core of my dissertation work. There I investigated whether amyloid aggregates from three different amyloid proteins, formed under denaturing condition, could undergo prion-like proliferation upon return to physiological solution conditions. I was also intimately involved in a project on the conditions inducing amyloid spherulites formation by polyglutamic acid and the mechanisms resulting in the formation of this often-overlooked amyloid aggregate structure (chapter 7). In the appendix I provide a short summary of the various experimental techniques I have used in the above experiments.

In many vertebrate and invertebrate species mediators of innate immunity include antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) such as peptide fragments of histones and other proteins with previously ascribed different functions. Shark AMPs have not been described and this research examines the antibacterial activity of nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) peripheral blood leukocyte lysates. Screening of lysates prepared by homogenizing unstimulated peripheral blood leukocytes identified muramidase (lysozyme-like) and non-muramidase antibacterial activity. Lysates were tested for lysozyme using the lysoplate assays, and antibacterial (AB) activity was assayed for by a microdilution growth assay that was developed using Planococcus citreus as the target bacterium. Fractionation of crude lysates by ion exchange and affinity chromatography was followed by a combination of SDS-PAGE with LC/MS-MS and/or N-terminal sequence analysis of low molecular weight protein bands (kDa). This yielded several peptides with amino acid sequence similarity to lysozyme, ubiquitin, hemoglobin, human histones H2A, H2B and H4 and to antibacterial histone fragments of the catfish and the Asian toad. Not all peptide sequences corresponded to peptides potentially antibacterial. The correlation of a specific protein band in active lysate fractions was accomplished by employing the acid-urea gel overlay assays in which AB activity was seen as zones of growth inhibition on a lawn of P. citreus at a position corresponding to that of the putative AB protein band. This study is the first to describe putative AMPs in the shark and their potential role in innate immunity.

The master's thesis is focused on study of specific protective proteins from animal products. Two different types of antimicrobial egg white proteins were studied in detail - antimicrobial protein ovotransferrin (conalbumin) and enzyme lysozyme. Ovotransferrin belongs to transferrin group of proteins and exhibits activities similar to milk protective protein lactoferrin. The main effects of ovotransferrin are antiviral, anticancer and immunomodulatory. Antimicrobial activity of ovotransferrin based on the possibility to bind iron is still a subject of interest. For comparison the second egg protein lysozyme (N-acetyl muramidglycan hydrolase) was used. Lysozyme is a hydrolytic enzyme which primary attack cell wall of bacteria. In the theoretical part of the thesis an overview of the specific antimicrobial proteins in selected animal products was introduced mainly focused on ovotransferrin and lysozyme. The experimental part of this work was focused on optimization of methods for the determination of antimicrobial activity, protein concentration and purity. For quantitative analysis of total proteins, optimized Hartree – Lowry spectrophotometric method was used. For the determination of molecular weight and purity SDS-PAGE was used and stained by Coomassie Brilliant Blue G250 and silver. In experimental part the real sample of egg white was compared with samples of lyophilized antimicrobial proteins and therapeutical pills supplied by industrial partner. Protein composition and purity of these preparative has been determined. Antimicrobial activity of ovotransferrin was studied on cultures of G+ bacterium Bacillus subtilis and for comparison on G– E. coli. Ovotransferrin showed antimicrobial effect only at very high concentrations of about 75 mg/ml (Bacillus subtilis) and 50 mg/ml (E coli) even with addition of high amount (100 mM) of hydrogen carbonate ions. The inhibitory effect was most evident in liquid media. On the other hand, lysozyme exhibited significant inhibitory activity from 0.3 mg/ml on gram positive bacteria. Inhibitory effect on E. coli was not observed. Another part of study was focused on isolation of ovotransferrin from egg white using gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G100. As mobile phases 0.1 M phosphate buffer and 0.05 M Tris-HCl buffer were tested. By SDS-PAGE the purity of ovotransferin comparing to standard was evaluated. Finally, the encapsulation of ovotransferrin and lysozyme was tested. Ovotransferrin and lysozyme was encapsulated into liposome and chitosan particles. Particles stability, distribution and average size distribution were studied by dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurement. The stability of particles in the model physiological conditions was studied too.

The thesis deals with the testing of amyloidogenicity of various carbon nanoparticles and polymers. The first part of the thesis provides the theoretical background of amyloidoses, a group of diseases in which proteins are stored in the insoluble form of amyloid. In addition, the theoretical part also deals with a general overview of nanomaterials and the most important methods. Several types of nanomaterials were tested within the thesis, so the part Results and Discussion was divided into two subchapters: 1) Carbon nanospecies and amyloid fibril formation, and 2) Polysaccharides, glycogen modifications and amyloid fibril formation. The first subchapter concerns the testing of four types of carbon nanoparticles (single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT), fullerenes (C60), carbon quantum dots (CDs) and nanodiamonds (NDs)). These materials were tested on a model system hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL). Using fluorescence measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the nanoparticles were ranked from the most to the least amyloidogenic as follows: NDs> control> C60> CDs> SWNT. The second subchapter deals with the effect of selected polysaccharides (glycogen (GG), mannan (MAN), phytoglycogen (PG)) and modified GG on amyloid fibril formation. These materials were tested on the HEWL model system,...

Background: Amyloidogenic proteins are most often associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, but there are more than two dozen human proteins known to form amyloid fibrils associated with disease. Lysozyme is an antimicrobial protein that is used as a general model to study amyloid fibril formation. Studies aimed at elucidating the process of amyloid formation of lysozyme tend to focus on partial unfolding of the native state due to the relative instability of mutant amyloidogenic variants. While this is well supported, the data presented here suggest the native structure of the variants may also play a role in primary nucleation. Results: Three-dimensional structural analysis identified lysozyme residues 21, 62, 104, and 122 as displaced in both amyloidogenic variants compared to wild type lysozyme. Residue interaction network (RIN) analysis found greater clustering of residues 112-117 in amyloidogenic variants of lysozyme compared to wild type. An analysis of the most energetically favored predicted dimers and trimers provided further evidence for a role for residues 21, 62, 104, 122, and 112-117 in amyloid formation. Conclusions: This study used lysozyme as a model to demonstrate the utility of combining 3D structural analysis with RIN analysis for studying the general process of amyloidogenesis. Results indicated that binding of two or more amyloidogenic lysozyme mutants may be involved in amyloid nucleation by placing key residues (21, 62, 104, 122, and 112-117) in proximity before partial unfolding occurs. Identifying residues in the native state that may be involved in amyloid formation could provide novel drug targets to prevent a range of amyloidoses.

No description available.