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Interplay between tau and α-synuclein liquid-liquid phase separation.

Anna Siegert1, Marija Rankovic2, Filippo Favretto1

  • 1German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.

Protein Science : a Publication of the Protein Society
|January 16, 2021
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Summary

Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) interacts with tau protein, promoting its aggregation in Parkinson's disease with dementia. This interaction may worsen prognosis by exacerbating αSyn and tau pathologies.

Keywords:
LLPSphosphorylationtautruncationα-synuclein

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry
  • Protein aggregation

Background:

  • Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD) involves alpha-synuclein (αSyn) pathology.
  • Up to 50% of PDD patients exhibit tau neurofibrillary tangles, suggesting synergistic pathologies.
  • Protein liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Alzheimer's.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the interaction between αSyn and tau.
  • Determine the consequences of this interaction on tau liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS).
  • Elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying αSyn-tau interactions in PDD.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed αSyn self-coacervation and RNA-mediated LLPS.
  • Studied the partitioning of full-length and truncated αSyn into tau/RNA droplets.
  • Utilized Cdk2-phosphorylation to modulate tau droplet concentration.
  • Employed NMR spectroscopy to identify interaction sites between αSyn and tau.

Main Results:

  • αSyn shows low propensity for self-coacervation and RNA-mediated LLPS.
  • Full-length αSyn efficiently partitions into tau/RNA droplets.
  • Cdk2-phosphorylation increases tau concentration in droplets but decreases αSyn.
  • αSyn's carboxy-terminal domain interacts with tau's P2 region, mediating recruitment into tau droplets.

Conclusions:

  • αSyn concentrates into tau-associated condensates, potentially contributing to synergistic pathologies in PDD.
  • Understanding αSyn-tau interactions is crucial for developing PDD therapeutics.
  • LLPS of tau and αSyn represents a key mechanism in PDD pathogenesis.