EMDB-50441: Cryo-EM Structure of Tau Filaments from Individuals Carrying the ...

Basic information

Entry

Database: EMDB / ID: EMD-50441

• Title: Cryo-EM Structure of Tau Filaments from Individuals Carrying the Uppsala AbetaUpp(1-42)delta(19-24) Mutation
• Map data: primary map

Sample

• Tissue: tau filaments
  • Protein or peptide: Microtubule-associated protein tau

• Keywords: Amyloid Fibril / PROTEIN FIBRIL

Function / homology

Function:

plus-end-directed organelle transport along microtubule / histone-dependent DNA binding / negative regulation of establishment of protein localization to mitochondrion / neurofibrillary tangle / microtubule lateral binding / axonal transport / tubulin complex / positive regulation of protein localization to synapse / negative regulation of tubulin deacetylation / phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate binding / generation of neurons / rRNA metabolic process / axonal transport of mitochondrion / regulation of mitochondrial fission / axon development / regulation of chromosome organization / central nervous system neuron development / intracellular distribution of mitochondria / minor groove of adenine-thymine-rich DNA binding / lipoprotein particle binding / microtubule polymerization / negative regulation of mitochondrial membrane potential / dynactin binding / regulation of microtubule polymerization / apolipoprotein binding / main axon / protein polymerization / axolemma / glial cell projection / Caspase-mediated cleavage of cytoskeletal proteins / regulation of microtubule polymerization or depolymerization / negative regulation of mitochondrial fission / neurofibrillary tangle assembly / positive regulation of axon extension / regulation of cellular response to heat / Activation of AMPK downstream of NMDARs / synapse assembly / positive regulation of superoxide anion generation / regulation of long-term synaptic depression / positive regulation of protein localization / cellular response to brain-derived neurotrophic factor stimulus / supramolecular fiber organization / cytoplasmic microtubule organization / regulation of calcium-mediated signaling / positive regulation of microtubule polymerization / somatodendritic compartment / axon cytoplasm / astrocyte activation / stress granule assembly / phosphatidylinositol binding / nuclear periphery / regulation of microtubule cytoskeleton organization / protein phosphatase 2A binding / cellular response to reactive oxygen species / Hsp90 protein binding / microglial cell activation / cellular response to nerve growth factor stimulus / protein homooligomerization / synapse organization / regulation of synaptic plasticity / PKR-mediated signaling / response to lead ion / SH3 domain binding / microtubule cytoskeleton organization / memory / cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein granule / neuron projection development / cell-cell signaling / single-stranded DNA binding / protein-folding chaperone binding / cellular response to heat / microtubule cytoskeleton / cell body / growth cone / actin binding / double-stranded DNA binding / protein-macromolecule adaptor activity / microtubule binding / dendritic spine / sequence-specific DNA binding / amyloid fibril formation / microtubule / learning or memory / neuron projection / regulation of autophagy / membrane raft / negative regulation of gene expression / axon / neuronal cell body / DNA damage response / dendrite / protein kinase binding / enzyme binding / mitochondrion / DNA binding / RNA binding / extracellular region / identical protein binding / nucleus / plasma membrane

Domain/homology:

Microtubule-associated protein Tau / Microtubule associated protein, tubulin-binding repeat / Tau and MAP protein, tubulin-binding repeat / Tau and MAP proteins tubulin-binding repeat signature. / Tau and MAP proteins tubulin-binding repeat profile. / :

Component:

Microtubule-associated protein tau

• Biological species: unidentified (others) / Homo sapiens (human)
• Method: helical reconstruction / cryo EM / Resolution: 3.3 Å
• Authors: Zielinski M / Peralta Reyes FS / Gremer L / Pagnon de la Vega M / Roeder C / Heidler TV / Syvaenen S / Willbold D / Sehlin D / Ingelsson M / Schroeder GF

Funding support

Germany, 1 items

Organization	Grant number	Country
Helmholtz Association	IVF	Germany

• Citation: Journal: Acta Neuropathol Commun / Year: 2025; Title: Cryo-EM studies of amyloid-β fibrils from human and murine brains carrying the Uppsala APP mutation (Δ690-695).; Authors: Mara Zielinski / Fernanda S Peralta Reyes / Lothar Gremer / Simon Sommerhage / María Pagnon de la Vega / Christine Röder / Thomas V Heidler / Stina Syvänen / Dieter Willbold / Dag Sehlin / Martin Ingelsson / Gunnar F Schröder / ; Abstract: Today, 13 intra-amyloid-β (Aβ) amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene mutations are known to cause familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most of them are point mutations causing an increased production or a change in the conformation of Aβ. The Uppsala APP mutation (Δ690-695 in APP, Δ19-24 in Aβ) is the first known multi-codon deletion causing autosomal dominant AD. Here, we applied cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to investigate the structure of Aβ fibrils with the Uppsala APP mutation from tg-UppSwe mouse brain tissue. Murine AβUpp(1-42) are made of two identical S-shaped protofilaments with an ordered fibril core of S8-A42. The murine Aβ fold is almost identical to previously described human type II filaments, although the amino acid sequences differ considerably. In addition, we report the cryo-EM structure of Aβ fibrils from the temporal cortex of a patient with the Uppsala APP mutation. The observed structure of the human Aβ fold closely resembles previously described type I fibrils. Structural modeling suggests that these fibrils are composed of wild-type Aβ, which implies that AβUpp may be less soluble and thus not readily accessible for cryo-EM image processing and structure determination. Additionally, from the human sample we determined the structures of tau paired helical filaments and tau straight filaments, which are identical to those found in sporadic AD cases. Finally, we present the 3D cryo-EM structures of four dominant AβUpp(1-42) fibril polymorphs, formed in vitro. All four polymorphs differ from the observed folds of Uppsala Aβ in murine and human brain tissue, respectively.

History

Deposition	May 26, 2024	-
Header (metadata) release	Jun 11, 2025	-
Map release	Jun 11, 2025	-
Update	Oct 22, 2025	-
Current status	Oct 22, 2025	Processing site: PDBe / Status: Released

Map

• File: Download / File: emd_50441.map.gz / Format: CCP4 / Size: 75.1 MB / Type: IMAGE STORED AS FLOATING POINT NUMBER (4 BYTES)
• Annotation: primary map
• Voxel size: X=Y=Z: 0.808 Å

Density

Contour Level	By AUTHOR: 0.04
Minimum - Maximum	-0.059325553 - 0.11612816
Average (Standard dev.)	0.00065140374 (±0.007906899)

• Symmetry: Space group: 1

Details

EMDB XML:

Map geometry	Axis order X Y Z Origin 0 0 0 Dimensions 270 270 270 Spacing 270 270 270
Cell	A=B=C: 218.16 Å α=β=γ: 90.0 °

Supplemental data

Half map: half map 1

• File: emd_50441_half_map_1.map
• Annotation: half map 1

Half map: half map 2

• File: emd_50441_half_map_2.map
• Annotation: half map 2

Sample components

Entire : tau filaments

• Entire: Name: tau filaments

Components

• Tissue: tau filaments
  • Protein or peptide: Microtubule-associated protein tau

Supramolecule #1: tau filaments

• Supramolecule: Name: tau filaments / type: tissue / ID: 1 / Parent: 0 / Macromolecule list: all
• Source (natural): Organism: unidentified (others)

Macromolecule #1: Microtubule-associated protein tau

• Macromolecule: Name: Microtubule-associated protein tau / type: protein_or_peptide / ID: 1 / Number of copies: 10 / Enantiomer: LEVO
• Source (natural): Organism: Homo sapiens (human)
• Molecular weight: Theoretical: 7.940141 KDa

Sequence

String:

VQIVYKPVDL SKVTSKCGSL GNIHHKPGGG QVEVKSEKLD FKDRVQSKIG SLDNITHVPG GGNKKIETHK LTF

UniProtKB: Microtubule-associated protein tau

Experimental details

Structure determination

• Method: cryo EM
• Processing: helical reconstruction
• Aggregation state: filament

Sample preparation

• Buffer: pH: 7
• Vitrification: Cryogen name: ETHANE

Electron microscopy

• Microscope: TFS KRIOS
• Image recording: Film or detector model: FEI FALCON IV (4k x 4k) / Average electron dose: 40.0 e/Ų
• Electron beam: Acceleration voltage: 300 kV / Electron source: FIELD EMISSION GUN
• Electron optics: Illumination mode: FLOOD BEAM / Imaging mode: BRIGHT FIELD / Nominal defocus max: 3.0 µm / Nominal defocus min: 1.0 µm
• Experimental equipment: Model: Titan Krios / Image courtesy: FEI Company

Image processing

• Final reconstruction: Applied symmetry - Helical parameters - Δz: 2.39 Å; Applied symmetry - Helical parameters - Δ&Phi: 179.4 °; Applied symmetry - Helical parameters - Axial symmetry: C₁ (asymmetric); Resolution.type: BY AUTHOR / Resolution: 3.3 Å / Resolution method: FSC 0.143 CUT-OFF / Software - Name: RELION (ver. 3) / Number images used: 112719
• CTF correction: Type: PHASE FLIPPING AND AMPLITUDE CORRECTION
• Startup model: Type of model: OTHER; Details: an initial 3D reference was computed de novo from multiple 2D class averages assuming a helical rise of 4.75 Ang and a twist value calculated from the crossover-distance of each fibril observed from the larger box 2D class averages using the relion_helix_inimodel2d command
• Final angle assignment: Type: NOT APPLICABLE