Functional Amyloids in Reproduction

Overview

Journal Biomolecules

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2017 Jun 30

PMID 28661450

Citations 20

Authors

Aveline Hewetson

Hoa Quynh Do

Caitlyn Myers

Archana Muthusubramanian

Roger Bryan Sutton

Benjamin J Wylie

Gail A Cornwall

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Amyloids are traditionally considered pathological protein aggregates that play causative roles in neurodegenerative disease, diabetes and prionopathies. However, increasing evidence indicates that in many biological systems nonpathological amyloids are formed for functional purposes. In this review, we will specifically describe amyloids that carry out biological roles in sexual reproduction including the processes of gametogenesis, germline specification, sperm maturation and fertilization. Several of these functional amyloids are evolutionarily conserved across several taxa, including human, emphasizing the critical role amyloids perform in reproduction. Evidence will also be presented suggesting that, if altered, some functional amyloids may become pathological.

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