Signal peptide region of SAA1: misfolding propensity in different animal species

Abstract

In AA amyloidosis, fibrils are formed from the misfolding of fragmented serum amyloid A (SAA) protein. These fibrils aggregate in tissues, causing diseases such as Alzheimer’s, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. It has been hypothesized that certain regions of the protein have a higher propensity to misfold, and this study particularly focuses on the signal peptide region of SAA. A library of peptides from both domestic and wild animals was used to study aggregation propensity via in silico analysis and in vitro assays. It was found that each peptide aggregated in the given conditions of the experiment. This suggests that further research in the signal peptide region may provide future therapeutic strategies for amyloidosis.