Protein Misfolding
The proteins targeted by autophagy are tiny functional proteins doing metabolic work inside cells, not structural proteins like muscle or ligament. After synthesis, a protein chain must fold into a precise three-dimensional shape to become…
2 sources - 6 claims
The proteins targeted by autophagy are tiny functional proteins doing metabolic work inside cells, not structural proteins like muscle or ligament. After synthesis, a protein chain must fold into a precise three-dimensional shape to become functional; failure to fold correctly produces a non-functional misfolded protein. Misfolded proteins lose their correct three-dimensional shape, cease to function, and begin to accumulate inside cells. Alzheimer's disease involves amyloid plaques and tau tangles accumulating in neurons of the brain. Misfolded protein accumulation is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases and is implicated in cancer. Accumulation of misfolded proteins is a defining feature of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and type 2 diabetes.