What is the Significance of Disulfide Bridges in Disease?
Disulfide bridges are crucial for protein stability, and their improper formation or disruption can lead to diseases. For instance, mutations affecting disulfide bond formation in insulin can result in diabetes due to improper folding and function of the hormone. Similarly, misfolded proteins with aberrant disulfide bonds are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.