Amyloid-like Structures in Marine Adhesive Proteins

The formation of amyloid-like structures is commonly linked to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. However, proteins can form amyloid-like structures in non-pathological contexts, referred to as functional amyloids. We review the current knowledge on the evolutionary and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine Drugs
Main Authors: Mariana Rodrigues Santos, Bárbara Joana Henriques, Romana Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-09-01
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/9/363
Description
Summary:The formation of amyloid-like structures is commonly linked to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. However, proteins can form amyloid-like structures in non-pathological contexts, referred to as functional amyloids. We review the current knowledge on the evolutionary and ecological significance of the presence of proteins presenting amyloid-like structures in adhesive secretions (both permanent and non-permanent) produced by several marine organisms; in addition, we analyze the molecular and structural properties that make them well suited for this task and their possible biomimetic and industrial applications.
ISSN:1660-3397