Di-tyrosine cross-link decreases the collisional cross-section of aβ peptide dimers and trimers in the gas phase: an ion mobility study

PLoS One. 2014 Jun 19;9(6):e100200. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100200. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Oligomeric forms of Aβ peptide are most likely the main synaptotoxic and neurotoxic agent in Alzheimer's disease. Toxicity of various Aβ oligomeric forms has been confirmed in vivo and also in vitro. However, in vitro preparations were found to be orders of magnitude less toxic than oligomers obtained from in vivo sources. This difference can be explained by the presence of a covalent cross-link, which would stabilize the oligomer. In the present work, we have characterized the structural properties of Aβ dimers and trimers stabilized by di- and tri-tyrosine cross-links. Using ion mobility mass spectrometry we have compared the collisional cross-section of non-cross-linked and cross-linked species. We have found that the presence of cross-links does not generate new unique forms but rather shifts the equilibrium towards more compact oligomer types that can also be detected for non-cross-linked peptide. In consequence, more extended forms, probable precursors of off-pathway oligomeric species, become relatively destabilized in cross-linked oligomers and the pathway of oligomer evolution becomes redirected towards fibrillar structures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / chemistry*
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry*
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Gases / chemistry*
  • Ions
  • Mass Spectrometry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Weight
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Tyrosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Tyrosine / chemistry

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Gases
  • Ions
  • Tyrosine
  • dityrosine

Grants and funding

Financial support was received from NanoFun (POIGT.02.02.00-00-025/09-00), the Foundation for Polish Science TEAM program (TEAM/2011-7/1), and CEPT (POIG.02.02.00-14-024/08-00). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.