Solid-State NMR Studies Reveal Native-like β-Sheet Structures in Transthyretin Amyloid

July 28, 2017

Title

Solid-State NMR Studies Reveal Native-like β-Sheet Structures in Transthyretin Amyloid

Author

Kwang Hun Lim, Anvesh K. R. Dasari, Ivan Hung, Zhehong Gan, Jeffery W. Kelly, Peter E. Wright, David E. Wemmer

Year

2016

Journal

Biochemistry

Abstract

Structural characterization of amyloid rich in cross-β structures is crucial for unraveling the molecular basis of protein misfolding and amyloid formation associated with a wide range of human disorders. Elucidation of the β-sheet structure in noncrystalline amyloid has, however, remained an enormous challenge. Here we report structural analyses of the β-sheet structure in a full-length transthyretin amyloid using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Magic-angle-spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR was employed to investigate native-like β-sheet structures in the amyloid state using selective labeling schemes for more efficient solid-state NMR studies. Analyses of extensive long-range 13C–13C correlation MAS spectra obtained with selectively 13CO- and13Cα-labeled TTR reveal that the two main β-structures in the native state, the CBEF and DAGH β-sheets, remain intact after amyloid formation. The tertiary structural information would be of great use for examining the quaternary structure of TTR amyloid.

Instrument

J-810

Keywords

Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, Biochemistry