Targeting the infectious potential of prion and prion-like pathogens
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Kent
Department Name: Sch of Biosciences
Abstract
"This project will develop a new cross-disciplinary method, involving a supramolecular chemical biology approach, for control/inhibition of prion and prion-like amyloid propagation. Protein aggregation is a general molecular phenomenon of great interest due to the wide range of diseases it is associated with. The diseases associated with protein aggregation, such as Alzheimer's and prion diseases also stand as unmatched global challenges: to date there is no reliable way to control the amyloid aggregation of proteins, which typically results in a very broad distribution of aggregate sizes and shapes, some will corrupt normally soluble and functional protein to propagate the amyloid state. Templation of synthetic polymers to control their size has been demonstrated using a base-pairing strategy, as has the interaction of nucleobase-functionalised peptides with their complementary bases. We propose to apply these strategies to make designer protein molecules that are able to control or inhibit amyloid protein aggregation and their propagation by size control.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Wei-Feng Xue (Primary Supervisor) | |
Liisa Lutter (Student) |
Publications
Al-Hilaly YK
(2020)
Tau (297-391) forms filaments that structurally mimic the core of paired helical filaments in Alzheimer's disease brain.
in FEBS letters
Aubrey LD
(2020)
Quantification of amyloid fibril polymorphism by nano-morphometry reveals the individuality of filament assembly.
in Communications chemistry
Lutter L
(2020)
Three-dimensional reconstruction of individual helical nano-filament structures from atomic force microscopy topographs
in Biomolecular Concepts
Lutter L
(2019)
The molecular lifecycle of amyloid - Mechanism of assembly, mesoscopic organisation, polymorphism, suprastructures, and biological consequences
in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics
Lutter L
(2021)
On the Structural Diversity and Individuality of Polymorphic Amyloid Protein Assemblies.
in Journal of molecular biology
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EP/R513246/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2023 | |||
2119785 | Studentship | EP/R513246/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2021 | Liisa Lutter |