A polymer physics perspective on driving forces and mechanisms for protein aggregation.

摘要: Protein aggregation is a commonly occurring problem in biology. Cells have evolved stress-response mechanisms to cope with problems posed by protein aggregation. Yet, these quality control are overwhelmed chronic aggregation-related stress and the resultant consequences of become toxic cells. As result, variety systemic neurodegenerative diseases associated various aspects rational approaches either inhibit or manipulate pathways might lead an alleviation disease phenotypes. To develop such approaches, one needs rigorous quantitative understanding Much work has been done this area. However, several unanswered questions linger, pertain primarily actual mechanism as well types intermolecular associations intramolecular fluctuations realized at low concentrations. It suggested that concepts underlying similar those used describe synthetic polymers. Following suggestion, relevant polymer introduced. The focus on explaining driving forces for how vary chain length solution conditions. widely accepted nucleation-dependent process. This view based mainly presence long times accumulation aggregates elimination lag “seeds”. In sense, viewed being analogous colloidal particles. theories reviewed suggest alternative origin proposed derives from recognition polymers unique dynamics distinguish them other aggregation-prone systems