Alzheimer's A beta fused to green fluorescent protein induces growth stress and a heat shock response

The 42 amino acid Alzheimer's A beta peptide is involved in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Here we describe the effects of intracellular A beta, produced through its attachment to either end of a green fluorescent protein, in yeast. Cells producing A beta exhibited a lower growth yield and a heat shock response, showing that A beta fusions promote stress in cells and supporting the notion that intracellular A beta is a toxic molecule. These studies have relevance in understanding the role of A beta in the death of neuronal cells, and indicate that yeast may be a new tractable model system for the screening for inhibitors of the stress caused by A beta