A beta dimers differ from monomers in structural propensity, aggregation paths and population of synaptotoxic assemblies
Dimers of A beta (amyloid beta-protein) are believed to play an important role in Alzheimer's disease. In the absence of sufficient brain-derived dimers, we studied one of the only possible dimers that could be produced in vivo, [A beta](DiY) (dityrosine cross-linked A beta). For comparison, we used the A beta monomer and a design dimer cross-linked by replacement of Ser(26) with cystine [A beta S