Advances in Drosophila Models for Amyloid and Neurodegenerative Diseases
A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 25
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Neurodegeneration and amyloid diseases are closely linked, as many neurodegenerative disorders are driven by the aggregation of proteins into amyloid structures—a hallmark of conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease [1,2]. However, the precise connection between these aggregated proteins and their neurotoxic effects remains poorly understood, making it a central focus of current research aimed at developing effective therapeutic approaches [3]. A key strategy for advancing knowledge in the field of neurodegeneration and amyloid diseases is the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. This model has proven highly advantageous due to its powerful genetic tools and rapid experimental turnaround, and it has significantly contributed to our understanding of disease mechanisms such as protein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and synaptic degeneration [4,5]. Studies have demonstrated that Drosophila models can replicate key pathological features of human neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyloid-β and tau toxicity, and have been instrumental in identifying genetic modifiers and potential therapeutic targets [4].
References
- S. Linse and T. Knowles. Amyloids and protein aggregation. Chem. Sci. 2023, 14, 6491. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2sc90225g
- C. M. Gomes et al. Editorial: The Biochemistry of Amyloids in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Volume I. Front. Neurosci. 2021, 15: 819481. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.819481
- P. Sweeney et al. Protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases: implications and strategies. Translational Neurodegeneration. 2017, 6: 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40035-017-0077-5.
- F. Liguori et al. Editorial: Drosophila as a model to study neurodegenerative diseases. Front. Neurosci. 2023, 17: 1275253. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1275253
- H Bolus et al. Modeling Neurodegenerative Disorders in Drosophila melanogaster. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(9), 3055. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21093055
Dr. Ann Christin Brorsson
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- neurodegeneration
- protein aggregation
- amyloid structures
- neurotoxicity
- Drosophila melanogaster
- model organism
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