Thioflavin T fluorescence anisotropy: an alternative technique for the study of amyloid aggregation

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Aug 17;360(1):135-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.06.063. Epub 2007 Jun 19.

Abstract

The process of amyloid polymerisation raises keen interest in particular because of the biomedical impact of this process. A variety of analytical methods have been developed to monitor amyloid formation. Thioflavin T (ThT) is the most commonly used dye for detection of amyloid aggregation. Nevertheless, ThT fluorescence enhancement is strongly dependent of fibril morphology. In this study using the HET-s prion fibril model, we show that amyloid formation can be monitored by measuring ThT fluorescence anisotropy. Kinetic parameters obtained by this method are identical to those determined by CD spectrometry. We propose that ThT anisotropy represent an interesting, simple and alternative technique to analyze the amyloid formation process.

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid / chemistry*
  • Anisotropy
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Dimerization
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Thiazoles*

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Fungal Proteins
  • HET-S protein, Podospora anserina
  • Thiazoles
  • thioflavin T