A detailed understanding of the molecular events underlying the conversion and self-association of normally soluble proteins into amyloid fibrils is fundamental to the identification of therapeutic strategies to prevent or cure amyloid-related disorders. Recent investigations indicate that amyloid fibril formation is not just a general property of the polypeptide backbone depending on external factors, but that it is strongly modulated by amino acid side chains. Here, we propose and address the validation of the premise that the amyloidogenicity of a protein is indeed localized in short protein stretches (amyloid stretch hypothesis). We demonstrate that the conversion of a soluble nonamyloidogenic protein into an amyloidogenic prone molecule can be triggered by a nondestabilizing six-residue amyloidogenic insertion in a particular structural environment. Interestingly enough, although the inserted amyloid sequences clearly cause the process, the proteaseresistant core of the fiber also includes short adjacent sequences from the otherwise soluble globular domain. Thus, short amyloid stretches accessible for intermolecular interactions trigger the self-assembly reaction and pull the rest of the protein into the fibrillar aggregate. The reliable identification of such amyloidogenic stretches in proteins opens the possibility of using them as targets for the inhibition of the amyloid fibril formation process.amyloid core ͉ amyloid fibril formation ͉ amyloid pattern ͉ ␤-sheet

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Drug design studies targeting one of the primary toxic agents in Alzheimer’s Disease, soluble oligomers of amyloid β-protein (Aβi), have been complicated by the rapid, heterogeneous aggregation of Aβ and the resulting difficulty to structurally characterize the peptide. To address this, we have developed [Nle35, D-Pro37]Aβ42, a substituted peptide inspired from molecular dynamics simulations which forms structures stable enough to be analyzed by NMR. We report herein that [Nle35, D-Pro37]Aβ42 stabilizes the trimer, and prevents mature fibril and β-sheet formation. Further, [Nle35, D-Pro37]Aβ42 interacts with WT Aβ42 and reduces aggregation levels and fibril formation in mixtures. Using ligand-based drug design based on [Nle35, D-Pro37]Aβ42, a lead compound was identified with effects on inhibition similar to the peptide. The ability of [Nle35, D-Pro37]Aβ42 and the compound to inhibit the aggregation of Aβ42 provides a novel tool to study the structure of Aβ oligomers. More broadly, our data demonstrate how molecular dynamics simulation can guide experiment for further research into AD.

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