Abstract
Most proteins must fold into defined three-dimensional structures to gain functional activity. But in the cellular environment, newly synthesized proteins are at great risk of aberrant folding and aggregation, potentially forming toxic species. To avoid these dangers, cells invest in a complex network of molecular chaperones, which use ingenious mechanisms to prevent aggregation and promote efficient folding. Because protein molecules are highly dynamic, constant chaperone surveillance is required to ensure protein homeostasis (proteostasis). Recent advances suggest that an age-related decline in proteostasis capacity allows the manifestation of various protein-aggregation diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Interventions in these and numerous other pathological states may spring from a detailed understanding of the pathways underlying proteome maintenance.
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Acknowledgements
We thank W. Balch, A. Dillin, J. Kelly, R. Morimoto and P.Reinhart for discussions about proteostasis, and thank the members of our laboratory for comments on the manuscript. We apologize to all those whose important work could not be cited owing to space limitations.
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F.U.H. is a consultant to Proteostasis Therapeutics.
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Hartl, F., Bracher, A. & Hayer-Hartl, M. Molecular chaperones in protein folding and proteostasis. Nature 475, 324–332 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10317
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