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Mechanisms of Supramolecular Assembly Exemplified by Microtubules and Amyloid Fibril Formation

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The recent dramatic progress in the application of diffraction and spectroscopic techniques of structural biology has provided high resolution structural information on many individual proteins and their complexes. In cases where such proteins form biological polymers, this information provides a firm basis for consideration of structural factors affecting supramolecular assembly. However information from additional sources and techniques is frequently necessary in defining the mechanisms of the assembly process. In this article, structural and kinetic evidence on the assembly of microtubules and the formation of amyloid fibrils is presented, and compared as examples of two biophysical processes with contrasting biological roles with respect to cellular health and survival.

Keywords: amyloids, dynamic instability, oligomers, prion protein, protofilaments, tubulin

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  1. Division of Physical Biochemistry, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, NW7 1AA, London, UK

    Peter Bayley

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  1. Rudjer Boškovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia

    Greta Pifat-Mrzljak

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Bayley, P. (2007). Mechanisms of Supramolecular Assembly Exemplified by Microtubules and Amyloid Fibril Formation. In: Pifat-Mrzljak, G. (eds) Supramolecular Structure and Function 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6466-1_7

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