Recent Advances in Mapping Protein Self-Assembly and Aggregation for Common Proteinopathies

The accumulation of abnormal conformation by brain peptides and proteins followed by their aberrant self-assembly into insoluble aggregates is the hallmark of "proteinopathies", common across many neurodegenerative disorders. Experiments suggest that soluble low-molecular-weight oligomers formed in the early stages of assembly are neurotoxic, and hence, drug targets. However, the inherent polymorphic nature of these short-lived oligomers restricts their experimental characterisation in pathological protein self-assembly pathways. Here, we shed light on the latest contributions from atomic-level modelling techniques, such as computer-based molecular dynamics simulations in bulk solution and on surfaces, which are guiding experimental efforts to map early stages of protein self-assembly in common proteinopathies, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, which could potentially aid in molecular-level understanding of disease pathologies. Predictive computational modelling of amyloid-β and tau protein assemblies in Alzheimer's disease and α-synuclein protein assemblies in Parkinson's disease highlights the potential for identification and characterisation of new therapeutic targets for currently incurable neurodegeneration.