[Amyloid and protein] Comprehensive search and validation of meta-aggregates by molecular evolutionary method
Kazuma Murakami
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University. Associate Professor
Co-Project Leader
Kenji Mizuguchi
Institute for Protein Research,
Osaka University
Professor
Yasuhiro Sakashita
Department of Neurology,
Kanazawa University Hospital
Assistant Professor
Group A03 aims to discover new meta-aggregates. In the comprehensive search for meta-aggregates, RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) will be used as key molecules. We hypothesize that RBPs are responsible for regulating translation into proteins by binding to RNA in the cytoplasm, but if they acquire aggregation properties, they may cause neurodegeneration. In this study, we focus on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which has been linked to RBPs, and will conduct molecular evolution experiments to comprehensively search for ALS pathogenic meta-aggregates. So far, we have developed nucleic acid aptamers against amyloidogenic proteins by Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX). This expertise in addition to high-speed atomic force microscopy (AFM) will enable us to elucidate the neurotoxicity and formation mechanism of new meta-aggregates.
- Research Collaborator Chioko Nagao
Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University.
Assistant Professor