β-2 Microglobulin is a 12kd protein that self-assembles into amyloid fibrils in the presence of copper. This reaction is considered a likely cause for dialysis related amyloidosis; a disease where these fibrils build up in joints causing pain and eventually necessitating joint replacement.
Fibril assembly begins with the formation of a . This structures formation is initiated when copper binds near the , this binding causes structural shifts throughout the protein, creating two new . These planes interact in an antiparallel fashion forming the dimer.
