The structure and phase of tau: from monomer to amyloid filament

Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that can form harmful amyloid filaments in neurodegenerative diseases.

• Tau monomers can assemble into amyloid filaments associated with neurodegenerative diseases known as tauopathies.
• Post-translational modifications, amino acid mutations, and interacting molecules may influence the shape and behavior of tau monomers.
• These factors could either speed up or slow down the formation of tau aggregates.
• Recent findings include insights into the structures of tau monomers and filaments, as well as their dynamic assembly into liquid droplets.
• The potential for designing aggregation inhibitors based on tau's structural characteristics is discussed.

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