The aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa
(TDP-43) into
fibrillary deposits is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS). The 311–360 fragment of TDP-43 (TDP-43311–360), the amyloidogenic core region, can spontaneously aggregate into
fibrils, and the ALS-associated mutation G335D has an enhanced effect
on TDP-43311–360 fibrillization. However, the molecular
mechanism underlying G335D-enhanced aggregation at atomic level remains
largely unknown. By utilizing all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) and
replica exchange with solute tempering 2 (REST2) simulations, we investigated
influences of G335D on the dimerization (the first step of aggregation)
and conformational ensemble of the TDP-43311–360 peptide. Our simulations show that G335D mutation increases inter-peptide
interactions, especially inter-peptide hydrogen-bonding interactions
in which the mutant site has a relatively large contribution, and
enhances the dimerization of TDP-43311–360 peptides.
The α-helix regions in the NMR-resolved conformation of the
TDP-43311–360 monomer (321–330 and 335–343)
play an essential role in the formation of the dimer. G335D mutation
induces helix unfolding and promotes α-to-β conversion.
G335D mutation alters the conformational distribution of TDP-43311–360 dimers and causes population shift from helix-rich
to β-sheet-rich conformations, which facilitates the fibrillization
of the TDP-43311–360 peptide. Our MD and REST2 simulation
results suggest that the 321–330 region is of paramount importance
to α-to-β transition and could be the initiation site
for TDP-43311–360 fibrillization. Our work reveals
the mechanism underlying the enhanced aggregation propensity of the
G335D TDP-43311–360 peptide, which provides atomistic
insights into the G335D mutation-caused pathogenicity of TDP-43 protein.