Neurodegenerative diseases remain perplexing and problematic for modern research. Those associated with amyloidogenic proteins have often been lumped together simply because those proteins aggregate. However, research has identified a more logical reason to group some of these diseases together. The associated proteins not only aggregate, but also bind copper. The APP (amyloid precursor protein) binds copper in an N-terminal region. Binding of copper has been suggested to influence generation of β-amyloid from the protein. PrP (prion protein) binds copper, and this appears to be necessary for its normal function and might also reduce its probability of conversion into an infectious prion. α-Synuclein, a protein associated with Parkinson's disease, also binds copper, but, in this case, it potentially increases the rate at which the protein aggregates. The similarities between these proteins, in terms of metal binding, has allowed us to investigate them using similar approaches. In the present review, we discuss some of these approaches.
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December 2008
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Conference Article|
November 19 2008
Amyloidogenic metal-binding proteins: new investigative pathways
Paul Davies;
Paul Davies
1Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.
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Sarah N. Fontaine;
Sarah N. Fontaine
1Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.
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Dima Moualla;
Dima Moualla
1Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.
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Xiaoyan Wang;
Xiaoyan Wang
1Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.
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Josephine A. Wright;
Josephine A. Wright
1Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.
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David R. Brown
David R. Brown
1
1Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email bssdrb@bath.ac.uk).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
April 25 2008
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2008 Biochemical Society
2008
Biochem Soc Trans (2008) 36 (6): 1299–1303.
Article history
Received:
April 25 2008
Citation
Paul Davies, Sarah N. Fontaine, Dima Moualla, Xiaoyan Wang, Josephine A. Wright, David R. Brown; Amyloidogenic metal-binding proteins: new investigative pathways. Biochem Soc Trans 1 December 2008; 36 (6): 1299–1303. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0361299
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