Molten globule precursor states are conformationally correlated to amyloid fibrils of human beta-2-microglobulin.

Misfolding intermediates play a key role in defining aberrant protein aggregation and amyloid formation in more than 15 different human diseases. However, their experimental characterization is challenging due to the transient nature and conformational heterogeneity of the involved states. Here, we demonstrate that direct carbon-detected NMR experiments allow observation, assignment, and structural analysis of molten globule amyloid intermediates that are severely broadened by conformational exchange. The method is used to characterize the structure and dynamics of partially unfolded intermediates of the 99-residue protein beta-2-microglobulin, which is the major component of insoluble aggregates occurring in dialysis-related amyloidosis. Comparison of the conformational properties of the molten globule-like intermediates with levels of deuterium incorporation into amyloid fibrils of beta-2-microglobulin revealed a close relationship between the conformational properties of the metastable intermediates and the beta-sheet-rich insoluble aggregates of beta-2-microglobulin.