ABOVE: © LISA CLARK
Neurodegenerative diseases kill cells by disrupting basic biological processes shared by species as diverse as humans and yeast. The conservation of cellular structures and functions across eukaryotic life allows researchers to study the genetic and molecular underpinnings of neurodegenerative diseases in various model organisms. Yeast cells are a particularly valuable system, as the fungi grow rapidly, are inexpensive to maintain, and can be genetically modified more readily than any other eukaryote. By introducing mutations linked to certain brain diseases, researchers have made yeast models that lend an unmatched speed and scale to research on neurodegeneration. Here are some examples of disease mechanisms that researchers have begun to untangle using yeast.
When proteins are damaged or misfolded, they often stick together, forming clumps known as protein aggregates. If not removed by the cell, protein aggregates increase in size and number, impairing a variety of cellular functions and ...
