Biophysics

Question 1

What is the principle cause of age-associated diseases?

Answer 1

accumulation and aggregation of misfolded proteins

Question 2

Where do protein aggregates form?

Answer 2

nucleus, cytoplasm and extracellularly

Question 3

What are the different forms of a protein in the process of aggregation?

Answer 3

unfolded protein, native state, monomer (misfolded protein), oligomer

Question 4

Which form of protein tends to aggregate the most?

Answer 4

misfolded proteins because they have exposed hydrophobic amino acids

Question 5

Proteostasis

Answer 5

proper structure and function of all proteins

Question 6

Two different types of mechanisms used to maintain proteostasis

Answer 6

mechanisms that regulate synthesis, post-translational methods, & degradation of proteins
mechanisms that avoid misfolding and aggregation of proteins (PQC system & clearance by phagocytosis)

Question 7

PQC system

Answer 7

• Protein Quality Control system
• autonomous mechanism against protein aggregation
• made of chaperones (control protein folding), protesome pathway (protein degradation), and autophagy (protein degradation involving lysosomes)

Question 8

Three factors that result in a loss of proteostasis

Answer 8

1. Changes in protein synthesis, post-translational modifications, and degradation
2. Changes in cellular environment
3. Altered clearance of misfolded proteins

Question 9

What does a loss of proteostasis lead to?

Answer 9

protein aggregation