Effect of hydrophobic residues on amyloid formation under steady shear and at interfaces

Authors
McBride, Samantha Ann
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Other Contributors
Hirsa, Amir H.
Underhill, Patrick T.
Kane, Ravi S.
Issue Date
2015-08
Keywords
Chemical engineering
Degree
MS
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This electronic version is a licensed copy owned by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. Copyright of original work retained by author.
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Abstract
A surprisingly large number of proteins of different shapes, sizes, and functions are capable of undergoing fibrillization transformations in which protein monomers become unstable and begin to combine in a crystalline fashion to form long, thin structures, known as amyloid fibrils. Accumulation of amyloid fibrils leads to a number of disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Shearing flows and hydrophobic interfaces are ubiquitous throughout the body and known to contribute strongly to fibrillization, yet the influence of these forces on amyloid formation are not well understood. Previous investigations regarding the effect of agitation on fibrillization kinetics have failed to reach a consensus on whether the effect is due to a simple increase in mixing, alterations of protein structure caused by shear extensional forces, or a combination of shear and hydrophobic interfaces.
Description
August 2015
School of Engineering
Department
Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Relationships
Rensselaer Theses and Dissertations Online Collection
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