The N terminus of α-synuclein dictates fibril formation

The generation of alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) truncations from incomplete proteolysis plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. It is well established that C-terminal truncations exhibit accelerated aggregation and serve as potent seeds in fibril propagation. In contrast, mechanistic understanding of N-terminal truncations remains ill defined. Previously, we found that disease-related C-terminal truncations resulted in increased fibrillar twist, accompanied by modest conformational changes in a more compact core, suggesting that the N-terminal region could be dictating fibril structure. Here, we examined three N-terminal truncations, in which deletions of 13-, 35-, and 40-residues in the N terminus modulated both aggregation kinetics and fibril morphologies. Cross-seeding experiments showed that out of the three variants, only Delta N13-alpha-syn (14-140) fibrils were capable of accelerating full-length fibril formation, albeit slower than self-seeding. Interestingly, the reversed cross-seeding reactions with full-length seeds efficiently promoted all but Delta N40-alpha-syn (41-140). This behavior can be explained by the unique fibril structure that is adopted by 41-140 with two asymmetric protofilaments, which was determined by cryogenic electron microscopy. One protofilament resembles the previously characterized bent beta-arch kernel, comprised of residues E46-K96, whereas in the other protofilament, fewer residues (E61-D98) are found, adopting an extended beta-hairpin conformation that does not resemble other reported structures. An interfilament interface exists between residues K60-F94 and Q62-I88 with an intermolecular salt bridge between K80 and E83. Together, these results demonstrate a vital role for the N-terminal residues in alpha-syn fibril formation and structure, offering insights into the interplay of alpha-syn and its truncations.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that C-terminal truncations can accelerate the aggregation of alpha-synuclein, while the role of N-terminal truncations remains unclear. The research found that N-terminal truncations modulated the aggregation kinetics and fibril morphologies of alpha-synuclein.