TAU PROTEINS PDB ID: 5D2V Within healthy neurons, tau proteins are responsible for stabilizing microtubules within the cell. Unfortunately, in instances associated with neurodegenerative disease these proteins are found to aggregate and form bulk tangles within the neuron, leading to a flawed network of neuronal communication and ultimately neuronal degradation. This neurodegeneration is believed to […]
PARKIN PDB ID: 5C1Z Parkin is an E3 ligase, which ubiquitinylates proteins for degradation within neurons, and is primarily associated with mitophagy. By tagging damaged proteins with ubiquitin, the neuron is able to sequester harmful proteins for degradation, perpetuating the lifecycle of the neuron. Research has shown in the absence, or downregulation of Parkin neuronal […]
PARIS (ZNF746) Recently found to have drastic implications in Parkinson’s, researchers have shown PARIS to be a key regulating factor of neuronal death within the substantia nigra (the major site of neuronal degradation within the limbic system). In the absence of Parkin, PARIS is free of ubiquitin and carries out the role of repressing transcription […]
Β-AMYLOID PDB ID: 38KC Amyloid precursor proteins (APP), present in the fatty membrane of neuronal cells, undergo a series of enzymatic cleavages to create smaller proteins known as β-Amyloid. Sometimes, β-Amyloid may be overproduced leading to an accumulation of this protein. The extra β-Amyloid sticks together and creates plaques in neuronal cells. These plaques are […]
PINK1 PDB ID: 50AT PTEN induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) is important in the role of mitophagy, once it accumulates on the outer membrane of a damaged mitochondria, it summons PARKIN to begin the process of selective autophagy. Together, PINK1 and PARKIN work to control the quality of mitochondrias. If PINK1 is mutated, PARKIN may […]
Α-SYNUCLEIN PDB ID: 1XQ8 α-Synuclein is mainly found in the brain and is present at the presynaptic terminal of neurons. Although its function in a healthy brain is currently unknown, α-Synuclein is believed to take part in maintaining synaptic ventricles as well as regulating the neurotransmitter, dopamine. α-Synuclein is a protein of interest for Parkinson’s […]
PROTEIN PROFILES MARK TINGEY, DOMINIC VASTURIA, AND KATIE SHEETS Next in its series of educational posts, LifeSensors is proud to discuss the role the proteins play in neurodegenerative diseases. This series of posts will inform as to the general nature of proteins and what proteins have been implicated in the neurodegenerative diseases Alzheimer’s Disease and […]
