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Amyloid Can Explain the Origin of Life, Despite Its Disease-Causing Reputation
On the amyloid paradox (Part I)
Originally published at The Infected Neuron on January 10, 2025.
Before amyloids became infamous as the toxic plaques that cause diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and amyloidoses, they may have helped life itself take root and propagate on Earth. Yet, in an apparent act of betrayal by evolution, these amyloids somehow turned against us. Why?
As I find it too ambitious to answer this paradox in a single article, I’ve decided to separate it into a three-part series:
- The role of amyloids in catalyzing the emergence of life.
- How amyloids supported the survival of early microbial life.
- Why amyloids, once lifesavers, become agents of diseases.
While part 1 may not be an easy read since it involves complex evolutionary biochemistry, I’ve done my best to articulate the ideas in my own succinct structure. Much of this article is based on the pioneering work of scientists from three leading institutions: the University of Helsinki in Finland, Tel Aviv University in Israel, and ETH Zürich in Switzerland.
