Increasing evidence suggests that formation and propagation of misfolded aggregates of 42-residue human amyloid β (Aβ(1–42)), rather than the more abundant Aβ(1–40), provokes the Alzheimer’s cascade. To date, structural details of misfolded Aβ(1–42) have remained elusive. Here we present the atomic model of Aβ(1–42) amyloid fibril based on solid-state NMR (SSNMR) data. It displays triple parallel-β-sheet segments that are different from reported structures of Aβ(1–40) fibrils. Remarkably, Aβ(1–40) is not compatible with the triple-β motif, as seeding with Aβ(1–42) fibrils does not promote conversion of monomeric Aβ(1–40) into fibrils via cross-replication. SSNMR experiments suggest that the Ala42 carboxyl terminus, absent in Aβ(1–40), forms a salt-bridge with Lys28 as a self-recognition molecular switch that excludes Aβ(1–40). The results provide insight into Aβ(1–42)-selective self-replicating amyloid propagation machinery in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

We present an approach that speeds up protein solid-state NMR (SSNMR) by 5–20 fold by using paramagnetic doping to condense data-collection time (to ~0.2 s/scan), overcoming a long-standing limitation on slow recycling due to intrinsic 1H T1 longitudinal spin relaxation. By employing low-power schemes under magic-angle spinning at 40 kHz, we show that two-dimensional 13C/13C and 13C/15N SSNMR spectra can be attained for several to tens of nano-moles of β-amyloid fibrils and ubiquitin in just 1–2 days.

Cu2+ binding to Alzheimer’s β (Aβ) peptides in amyloid fibrils has attracted broad attention, as it was shown that Cu ion concentration elevates in Alzheimer’s senile plaque and such association of Aβ with Cu2+ triggers the production of neurotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2. However, detailed binding sites and binding structures of Cu2+ to Aβ are still largely unknown for Aβ fibrils or other aggregates of Aβ. In this work, we examined molecular details of Cu2+ binding to amyloid fibrils by detecting paramagnetic signal quenching in 1D and 2D high-resolution 13C SSNMR for full-length 40-residue Aβ(1–40). Selective quenching observed in 13C SSNMR of Cu2+-bound Aβ(1–40) suggested that primary Cu2+ binding sites in Aβ(1–40) fibrils include Nε in His-13 and His-14, and carboxyl groups in Val-40 as well as in Glu side chains (Glu-3, Glu-11, and/or Glu-22). 13C chemical shift analysis demonstrated no major structural changes upon Cu2+ binding in the hydrophobic core regions (residues 18–25 and 30–36). Although the ROS production via oxidization of Met-35 in the presence of Cu2+ has been long suspected, our SSNMR analysis of 13CεH3-S- in M35 showed little changes after Cu2+ binding, excluding the possibility of Met-35 oxidization by Cu2+ alone. Preliminary molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on Cu2+-Aβ complex in amyloid fibrils confirmed binding sites suggested by the SSNMR results and the stabilities of such bindings. The MD simulations also indicate the coexistence of a variety of Cu2+-binding modes unique in Aβ fibril, which are realized by both intra- and inter-molecular contacts and highly concentrated coordination sites due to the in-register parallel β-sheet arrangements.

CONSPECTUS Recent research in fast magic angle spinning (MAS) methods has drastically improved in the resolution and sensitivity for NMR spectroscopy of biomolecules and materials in solids. In this Account, we summarizes recent and ongoing developments in this area by presenting 13C and 1H solid-state NMR (SSNMR) studies on paramagnetic systems and biomolecules under fast MAS from our laboratories. First, we describe how very fast MAS (VFMAS) at the spinning speed of 20 kHz allows us to overcome major difficulties in 1H and 13C high-resolution SSNMR of paramagnetic systems. As a result, we can enhance both sensitivity and resolution by up to a few orders of magnitude. Using fast recycling (~ms/scan) using short 1H T1 values we can perform 1H SSNMR micro-analysis of paramagnetic systems in the μg scale with greatly improved sensitivity over that for diamagnetic systems. Second, we discuss how VFMAS at a spinning speed greater than ~40 kHz can enhance the sensitivity and resolution of 13C biomolecular SSNMR measurements. Low-power 1H decoupling schemes under VFMAS offer excellent spectral resolution for 13C SSNMR by nominal 1H RF irradiation at ~10 kHz. By combining the VFMAS approach and enhanced 1H T1 relaxation by paramagnetic doping we can achieve extremely fast recycling in modern biomolecular SSNMR experiments. Experiments for 13C-labeled ubiquitin doped with 10 mM Cu-EDTA demonstrate how effectively this new approach, called paramagnetic assisted condensed data collection (PACC), enhances the sensitivity. Lastly, we examine 13C SSNMR measurements for biomolecules under faster MAS at a higher field. Our preliminary 13C SSNMR data of Aβ amyloid fibrils and GB1 microcrystals acquired at 1H NMR frequencies of 750-800 MHz suggest that the combined use of the PACC approach and the ultra-high fields could allow for routine multi-dimensional SSNMR analyses of proteins at the 50-200 nmol level. Also, we briefly discuss the prospects for studying bimolecules using 13C SSNMR under ultra fast MAS at the spinning speed of ~100 kHz.

Accumulating evidence suggests that various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are linked to cytotoxic diffusible aggregates of amyloid proteins, which are metastable intermediate species in protein misfolding. This study presents the first site-specific structural study on an intermediate called amylospheroid (ASPD), an AD-derived neurotoxin composed of oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβ). Electron microscopy and immunological analyses using ASPD-specific “conformational” antibodies established synthetic ASPD for the 42-residue Aβ(1–42) as an excellent structural/morphological analogue of native ASPD extracted from AD patients, the level of which correlates with the severity of AD. 13C solid-state NMR analyses of approximately 20 residues and interstrand distances demonstrated that the synthetic ASPD is made of a homogeneous single conformer containing parallel β-sheets. These results provide profound insight into the native ASPD, indicating that Aβ is likely to self-assemble into the toxic intermediate with β-sheet structures in AD brains. This approach can be applied to various intermediates relevant to amyloid diseases.