Nanoscale Structural Organization of Insulin Fibril Polymorphs Revealed by Atomic Force Microscopy-Infrared Spectroscopy (AFM-IR)

Spontaneous aggregation of misfolded proteins typically results in the formation of morphologically and structurally different amyloid fibrils, protein aggregates that are strongly associated with various neurodegenerative disorders. Elucidation of the structural organization of amyloid aggregates is crucial to understanding their role in the onset and progression of these diseases. Using atomic force microscopy-infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR), we investigated the structural organization of insulin fibrils. We found that insulin aggregation results in the formation of two structurally different fibril polymorphs. One polymorph has a beta-sheet core surrounded by primarily unordered protein secondary structure. This polymorph has beta-sheet-rich surface, whereas the surface of the other fibril polymorph is primarily composed of unordered protein. Using AFM-IR, we also revealed the structural organization of the insulin oligomers. Finally, we discovered a new pathway for amyloid fibril formation that is based on a fusion of several oligomers into a single fibril structure.