Abstract
Myocilin-associated glaucoma is a new addition to the list of diseases linked to protein misfolding and amyloid formation. Single point variants of the ∼257-residue myocilin olfactomedin domain (mOLF) lead to mutant myocilin aggregation. Here, we analyze the 12-residue peptide P1 (GAVVYSGSLYFQ), corresponding to residues 326-337 of mOLF, previously shown to form amyloid fibrils in vitro and in silico. We applied solid-state NMR structural measurements to test the hypothesis that P1 fibrils adopt one of three predicted structures. Our data are consistent with a U-shaped fibril arrangement for P1, one that is related to the U-shape predicted previously in silico. Our data are also consistent with an antiparallel fibril arrangement, likely driven by terminal electrostatics. Our proposed structural model is reminiscent of fibrils formed by the Aβ(1-40) Iowa mutant peptide, but with a different arrangement of molecular turn regions. Taken together, our results strengthen the connection between mOLF fibrils and the broader amylome and contribute to our understanding of the fundamental molecular interactions governing fibril architecture and stability.