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 PMID:34617299  

The cellular modifier MOAG-4/SERF drives amyloid formation through charge complementation.

Anita Pras | Bert Houben | Francesco A Aprile | Renée Seinstra | Rodrigo Gallardo | Leen Janssen | Wytse Hogewerf | Christian Gallrein | Matthias De Vleeschouwer | Alejandro Mata-Cabana | Mandy Koopman | Esther Stroo | Minke de Vries | Samantha Louise Edwards | Janine Kirstein | Michele Vendruscolo | Salvatore Fabio Falsone | Frederic Rousseau | Joost Schymkowitz | Ellen A A Nollen
The EMBO journal | 2021

While aggregation-prone proteins are known to accelerate aging and cause age-related diseases, the cellular mechanisms that drive their cytotoxicity remain unresolved. The orthologous proteins MOAG-4, SERF1A, and SERF2 have recently been identified as cellular modifiers of such proteotoxicity. Using a peptide array screening approach on human amyloidogenic proteins, we found that SERF2 interacted with protein segments enriched in negatively charged and hydrophobic, aromatic amino acids. The absence of such segments, or the neutralization of the positive charge in SERF2, prevented these interactions and abolished the amyloid-promoting activity of SERF2. In protein aggregation models in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, protein aggregation and toxicity were suppressed by mutating the endogenous locus of MOAG-4 to neutralize charge. Our data indicate that MOAG-4 and SERF2 drive protein aggregation and toxicity by interactions with negatively charged segments in aggregation-prone proteins. Such charge interactions might accelerate primary nucleation of amyloid by initiating structural changes and by decreasing colloidal stability. Our study points at charge interactions between cellular modifiers and amyloidogenic proteins as potential targets for interventions to reduce age-related protein toxicity.

Pubmed ID: 34617299

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Associated grants

  • Agency: NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P40 OD010440
  • Agency: Medical Research Council, United Kingdom
    Id: MR/S033947/1

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Caenorhabditis Genetics Center (tool)

RRID:SCR_007341

Center that acquires, maintains, and distributes genetic stocks and information about stocks of the small free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans for use by investigators initiating or continuing research on this genetic model organism. A searchable strain database, general information about C. elegans, and links to key Web sites of use to scientists, including WormBase, WormAtlas, and WormBook are available.

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