Title
Two mutations G335D and Q343R within the amyloidogenic core region of TDP-43 influence its aggregation and inclusion formation
Author
Lei-Lei Jiang, Jian Zhao, Xiao-Fang Yin, Wen-Tian He, Hui Yang, Mei-Xia Che, Hong-Yu Hu
Year
2016
Journal
Scientific Reports
Abstract
TDP-43 is a DNA/RNA binding protein associated with TDP-43 proteinopathies. Many mutations have been identified in the flexible C-terminal region, which is implicated in the disease pathology. We investigated four point mutations in the amyloidogenic core region (residues 311–360) of TDP-43 by biochemical and spectroscopic methods. We found that the G335D mutation enhances the aggregation and inclusion formation of TDP-43 and this mutant in TDP-35 (the C-terminal fragment of 35 kDa) exaggerates the antagonist effect on RNA processing by endogenous TDP-43; whereas Q343R gives an opposite effect. As a comparison, M337V and Q331K have very little impact on the aggregation and inclusion formation of TDP-43 or TDP-35. NMR structural analysis showed that the G335D mutant in the core region forms a loop linker between the two α-helices and promotes α-to-β transition, but Q343R loses the second helix and consequently the structural transformation. Thus, the propensity of structural transformation in the amyloidogenic core of TDP-43 determines its aggregation and inclusion formation. This study may provide a molecular mechanism of the TDP-43 proteinopathies caused by genetic mutations.
Full Article
Instrument
J-715
Keywords
Circular dichroism, Aggregation, Secondary structure, Solid-state circular dichroism, Biochemistry