RNA as a component of fibrils from Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerations

Author:

Bridges Leslie R.

Abstract

Fibrils from brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease1–5, Parkinson’s disease6, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis7and other neurodegenerations3,4,8–18contain unknown molecules. Extra densities (EDs), containing these unknown molecules, are available to examine in electron cryo-microscopy maps from the Electron Microscopy Data Bank19, a public repository. EDs can be visualised in their protein environments using matched atomic models from the Protein Data Bank20, another public repository. Lysine-coordinating EDs from a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases1–6,8–18and EDs from the glycine-rich region of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) fibrils in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (ALS-FTLD)7were the subject of the present study. EDs ran parallel to the fibril axis and at right angles to protein with a repeat distance matching that of protein. They formed connections with protein consistent with a role in the guided assembly of fibrils. They had a connectivity pattern and estimated molecular weights consistent with ribonucleic acid (RNA). A straight form of RNA (ortho-RNA, oRNA) was modelled into one ED. It fitted other EDs and formed a rich symmetrical network of hydrogen bonds when docked to protein, implicating RNA as a unifying and organising factor in neurodegeneration. A new hypothesis of neurodegeneration (ponc,proteinortho-nucleic acidcomplex, pronounced ponk) is proposed in which RNA is the driver of these diseases. According to the ponc hypothesis, a particular RNA sequence (likely repetitive) enciphers a particular strain of ponc agent with its own protein fold and type of neurodegeneration. Ponc provides an explanation of fibril growth and replication, species barrier and adaptation, inherited neurodegeneration, resistance to chemicals and irradiation, protein-free transmission and co-pathologies. Ponc may also be relevant to other chronic diseases and origins of life. New treatments might be possible, targeting the unique chemical and physical properties of ponc.

Publisher

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Cited by 2 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3