Amyloid: Friend and Foe

Amyloidogenesis is the aggregation of soluble proteins into structurally conserved fibers. Amyloid fibers are distinguished by their resistance to proteinase K, tinctorial properties and &bgr;-sheet-rich secondary structure. Amyloid formation is a hallmark of many human diseases including Alzheimer's, Huntington's and the prion diseases. Therefore, understanding amyloidogenesis will provide insights into the development of therapeutics that target these debilitating diseases. A new class of ‘functional’ amyloids promises a unique glimpse at how nature has harnessed the amyloid fiber to accomplish important physiological tasks. Functional amyloids are produced by organisms spanning all domains of life. Understanding how functional amyloid assembly is coordinated will provide new perspectives on what can go wrong when proteins adopt &bgr;-rich polymers. Herein we review amyloidogenesis, with special attention focused on the similarities and differences between the best characterized disease-associated amyloidogenic protein, amyloid-&bgr; (A&bgr;), and the formation of several functional amyloids. The implications of studying functional amyloidogenesis and the strategies organisms employ to limit exposure to toxic intermediates will also be discussed.