Parkinson’s Protein Clumps Drain Brain Cells of Energy
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Parkinson’s Protein Clumps drain Energy From Brain Cells
A new study has revealed that protein clumps, or plaques that clog the brain, associated with Parkinson’s disease are not merely waste; they can actively drain energy from brain cells.
These clumps,composed of a protein called alpha-synuclein,were found to break down adenosine triphosphate (ATP),the molecule responsible for powering nearly all cellular activities.
The research, published in Advanced Science, demonstrates that when ATP binds to these clumps, the protein reshapes itself to trap the molecule in a small pocket. This process causes ATP to break apart and release energy, functioning similarly to an enzyme.
This unexpected finding could change scientists’ understanding of the damage caused by these clumps, which are hallmarks of diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
“We were astonished to see that amyloids, long thought to be inert waste, can actively cleave ATP,” says Wittung-Stafshede, professor and a chair in chemistry.
“The protein folds around ATP and essentially transforms the plaque into a molecular machine.”
The researchers began by creating uniform clumps of alpha-synuclein in the laboratory. they frist tested whether these clumps, which contain ordered protein aggregates that adopt amyloid shapes, could break down simple chemical compounds before progressing to the actual biological substrate, ATP. Their experiments demonstrated that the protein clumps could accelerate the breakdown of ATP.
To understand this process, the research team employed advanced imaging techniques, specifically cryo-electron microscopy, collaborating with specialists in Switzerland. The images indicated that when ATP attaches to the clump, a normally loose part of the protein folds over the ATP binding site, creating a pocket that traps ATP. This pocket is lined with positive charges that facilitate the breakdown of ATP.
“That folding over, or