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Review
. 2018 Jul 3;19(7):1947.
doi: 10.3390/ijms19071947.

Recent Insights on Alzheimer's Disease Originating from Yeast Models

Affiliations
Review

Recent Insights on Alzheimer's Disease Originating from Yeast Models

David Seynnaeve et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

In this review article, yeast model-based research advances regarding the role of Amyloid-β (Aβ), Tau and frameshift Ubiquitin UBB+1 in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are discussed. Despite having limitations with regard to intercellular and cognitive AD aspects, these models have clearly shown their added value as complementary models for the study of the molecular aspects of these proteins, including their interplay with AD-related cellular processes such as mitochondrial dysfunction and altered proteostasis. Moreover, these yeast models have also shown their importance in translational research, e.g., in compound screenings and for AD diagnostics development. In addition to well-established Saccharomyces cerevisiae models, new upcoming Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Candida glabrata and Kluyveromyces lactis yeast models for Aβ and Tau are briefly described. Finally, traditional and more innovative research methodologies, e.g., for studying protein oligomerization/aggregation, are highlighted.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Tau; aggregation; amyloid β; oligomerization; prion; ubiquitin; yeast.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Humanized yeast model expressing human protein Tau: overview of Tau processes and modifications in S. cerevisiae. Double arrows indicate a bidirectional/reversible reaction and dashed lines specify the promoter and expressed human Tau gene on the plasmid. ‘TPI’; Triosephosphate isomerase promoter, ‘P’; phosphate group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Humanized yeast model expressing human proteins, APP and γ-secretase: overview of Secretase-mediated APP processing and Aβ peptide production. The scissors icon indicates cleavage of the respective proteins.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Humanized yeast model expressing GFP-fused Aβ peptides tagged with an endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) or Golgi complex targeting sequence. Treusch and colleagues expressed Aβ42 N-terminally tagged with the Kar2 sequence, while D’Angelo and colleagues expressed Aβ42/ARC N-terminally tagged with the α prepro-leader sequence (with and without a C-terminal GFP tag). The scissors icon indicates cleavage of the respective proteins.

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