The N-terminus of TDP-43 promotes its oligomerization and enhances DNA binding affinity

► The N-terminus of TDP-43 contains an independently folded structural domain (NTD). ► The structural domains of TDP-43 are arranged in a beads-on-a-string fashion. ► The NTD promotes TDP-43 oligomerization in a concentration-dependent manner. ► The NTD may assist nucleic acid-binding activity of TDP-43.