Protein aggregation and neurodegeneration: clues from a yeast model of Huntington's disease

Biochemistry (Mosc). 2009 Feb;74(2):231-4. doi: 10.1134/s0006297909020163.

Abstract

A number of neurodegenerative diseases are accompanied by the appearance of intracellular protein aggregates. Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a mutation in a gene encoding huntingtin. The mutation causes the expansion of the polyglutamine (polyQ) domain and consequently polyQ-containing aggregates accumulate and neurons in the striatum die. The role of the aggregates is still not clear: they may be the cause of cytotoxicity or a manifestation of the cellular attempt to remove the misfolded proteins. There is accumulating evidence that the main cause of HD is the interaction of the mutated huntingtin with other polyQ-containing proteins and molecular chaperones and most studies based on a yeast model of HD support this point of view. Data obtained using yeasts suggest pathological consequences of polyQ-proteasomal interaction: proteasomal overload by polyQs may interfere with functions of the cell cycle-regulating proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Huntington Disease / genetics
  • Huntington Disease / metabolism*
  • Huntington Disease / pathology
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • HTT protein, human
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Peptides
  • polyglutamine
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex