Scientists have long thought that the sticky clumps of proteins found in the brains of people with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease were just useless waste.
But a new study from Rice University has found that these clumps may actually be doing something far more harmful—they could be stealing energy from brain cells.
The research, led by Professor Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede and published in Advanced Science, shows that the protein clumps, made from a molecule called alpha-synuclein, can break down adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—the main energy currency that powers nearly every process in a cell.
Normally, ATP provides energy to keep brain cells alive and functioning. When these protein clumps start destroying ATP, brain cells may lose their power source and eventually die.
To make this discovery, the researchers produced identical clumps of alpha-synuclein in the lab. Then they tested whether these clumps could break down chemical compounds.
To their surprise, the clumps didn’t just stick together like dead matter—they behaved like tiny machines.
When ATP attached to them, a part of the protein folded over to form a small pocket, trapping ATP inside.
This pocket was lined with positive charges that helped split the ATP molecule, releasing energy in the process.
“It was astonishing to see that amyloids—these clumps we thought were just garbage—can act like enzymes and cut apart ATP,” said Wittung-Stafshede. “The protein actually folds around ATP and turns into a kind of molecular machine.”
To confirm this, the team changed the protein so that the positive charges in the pocket were removed. The altered proteins still formed clumps, but they could no longer break down ATP. This experiment proved that the special pocket was responsible for the destructive reaction.
The researchers also used advanced imaging methods, including cryo-electron microscopy, to see how the protein and ATP interacted at the atomic level.
The images clearly showed the lid-like structure that folds over the ATP binding site—something that turns a passive clump into an active, enzyme-like structure.
These findings could change how scientists understand Parkinson’s and other brain diseases.
If protein clumps are not just waste but are actively draining energy, that could explain why brain cells in these diseases suffer from severe energy loss and eventually die. The discovery also suggests that these clumps could interfere with the cell’s natural cleaning systems, making it even harder for the brain to remove them.
In future treatments, scientists may be able to design small molecules that stop these protein clumps from reshaping themselves or breaking down ATP. Locking the proteins into harmless shapes could help protect brain cells and slow the progression of disease.
The team also tested the protein clumps in mixtures made from real brain cells. They found that the clumps could react with many different molecules, not just ATP, suggesting their activity could cause widespread chemical damage inside the brain.
If confirmed in living cells, this discovery could open new doors for treating Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease—by stopping the problem at its source rather than only easing symptoms.
“Instead of treating the effects, we want to stop these diseases where they begin,” said Wittung-Stafshede. “That means learning how to neutralize the harmful proteins before they destroy brain cells.”
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Source: Rice University.
