Orientation of actin filaments during motion in motility assay

1995 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 52-53
Author(s):  
J. Borejdo ◽  
S. Burlacu
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Myosin Head ◽  
Classical Method ◽  
Polarization Of Fluorescence ◽  
Single Protein ◽  
Intracellular Organelles ◽  
Change Orientation ◽  
Active Entity

Polarization of fluorescence is a classical method to assess orientation or mobility of macromolecules. It has been a common practice to measure polarization of fluorescence through a microscope to characterize orientation or mobility of intracellular organelles, for example anisotropic bands in striated muscle. Recently, we have extended this technique to characterize single protein molecules. The scientific question concerned the current problem in muscle motility: whether myosin heads or actin filaments change orientation during contraction. The classical view is that the force-generating step in muscle is caused by change in orientation of myosin head (subfragment-1 or SI) relative to the axis of thin filament. The molecular impeller which causes this change resides at the interface between actin and SI, but it is not clear whether only the myosin head or both SI and actin change orientation during contraction. Most studies assume that observed orientational change in myosin head is a reflection of the fact that myosin is an active entity and actin serves merely as a passive "rail" on which myosin moves.

scholarly journals Nebulin Interacts with CapZ and Regulates Thin Filament Architecture within the Z-Disc

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1837-1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher T. Pappas ◽  
Nandini Bhattacharya ◽  
John A. Cooper ◽  
Carol C. Gregorio
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Molecular Model ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Tryptophan Fluorescence ◽  
Actin Binding

The barbed ends of actin filaments in striated muscle are anchored within the Z-disc and capped by CapZ; this protein blocks actin polymerization and depolymerization in vitro. The mature lengths of the thin filaments are likely specified by the giant “molecular ruler” nebulin, which spans the length of the thin filament. Here, we report that CapZ specifically interacts with the C terminus of nebulin (modules 160–164) in blot overlay, solid-phase binding, tryptophan fluorescence, and SPOTs membrane assays. Binding of nebulin modules 160–164 to CapZ does not affect the ability of CapZ to cap actin filaments in vitro, consistent with our observation that neither of the two C-terminal actin binding regions of CapZ is necessary for its interaction with nebulin. Knockdown of nebulin in chick skeletal myotubes using small interfering RNA results in a reduction of assembled CapZ, and, strikingly, a loss of the uniform alignment of the barbed ends of the actin filaments. These data suggest that nebulin restricts the position of thin filament barbed ends to the Z-disc via a direct interaction with CapZ. We propose a novel molecular model of Z-disc architecture in which nebulin interacts with CapZ from a thin filament of an adjacent sarcomere, thus providing a structural link between sarcomeres.

scholarly journals Force Spectroscopy Reveals Multiple “Closed States” of the Muscle Thin Filament

2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (27) ◽  
pp. 24135-24141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay S. Rao ◽  
Amy M. Clobes ◽  
William H. Guilford
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Laser Trap ◽  
Myosin S1 ◽  
State Affect ◽  
Myosin Binding ◽  
Three State Model ◽  
Muscle Thin Filament

Tropomyosin (Tm) plays a critical role in regulating the contraction of striated muscle. The three-state model of activation posits that Tm exists in three positions on the thin filament: “blocked” in the absence of calcium when myosin cannot bind, “closed” when calcium binds troponin and Tm partially covers the myosin binding site, and “open” after myosin binding forces Tm completely off neighboring sites. However, we recently showed that actin filaments decorated with phosphorylated Tm are driven by myosin with greater force than bare actin filaments. This result cannot be explained by simple steric hindrance and suggests that Tm may have additional effects on actin-myosin interactions. We therefore tested the hypothesis that Tm and its phosphorylation state affect the rate at which single actin-myosin bonds form and rupture. Using a laser trap, we measured the time necessary for the first bond to form between actin and rigor heavy meromyosin and the load-dependent durations of those bonds. Measurements were repeated in the presence of subsaturating myosin-S1 to force Tm from the closed to the open state. Maximum bond lifetimes increased in the open state, but only when Tm was phosphorylated. While the frequency with which bonds formed was extremely low in the closed state, when a bond did form it took significantly less time to do so than with bare actin. These data suggest there are at least two closed states of the thin filament, and that Tm provides additional points of contact for myosin.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of thin filament assembly in embryonic chick cardiac myocytes: tropomodulin requires tropomyosin for assembly.

1995 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 683-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
C C Gregorio ◽  
V M Fowler
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Cell Model ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Embryonic Chick ◽  
Permeabilized Cell ◽  
Thin Filaments ◽  
Filament Assembly ◽  
Cell Biol

Tropomodulin is a pointed end capping protein for tropomyosin-coated actin filaments that is hypothesized to play a role in regulating the precise lengths of striated muscle thin filaments (Fowler, V. M., M. A. Sussman, P. G. Miller, B. E. Flucher, and M. P. Daniels. 1993. J. Cell Biol. 120:411-420; Weber, A., C. C. Pennise, G. G. Babcock, and V. M. Fowler. 1994, J. Cell Biol. 127:1627-1635). To gain insight into the mechanisms of thin filament assembly and the role of tropomodulin therein, we have characterized the temporal appearance, biosynthesis and mechanisms of assembly of tropomodulin onto the pointed ends of thin filaments during the formation of striated myofibrils in primary embryonic chick cardiomyocyte cultures. Our results demonstrate that tropomodulin is not assembled coordinately with other thin filament proteins. Double immunofluorescence staining and ultrastructural immunolocalization demonstrate that tropomodulin is incorporated in its characteristic sarcomeric location at the pointed ends of the thin filaments after the thin filaments have become organized into periodic I bands. In fact, tropomodulin assembles later than all other well characterized myofibrillar proteins studied including: actin, tropomyosin, alpha-actinin, titin, myosin and C-protein. Nevertheless, at steady state, a significant proportion (approximately 39%) of tropomodulin is present in a soluble pool throughout myofibril assembly. Thus, the absence of tropomodulin in some striated myofibrils is not due to limiting quantities of the protein. In addition, kinetic data obtained from [35S]methionine pulse-chase experiments indicate that tropomodulin assembles more slowly into myofibrils than does tropomyosin. This observation, together with results obtained using a novel permeabilized cell model for thin filament assembly, indicate that tropomodulin assembly is dependent on the prior association of tropomyosin with actin filaments. We conclude that tropomodulin is a late marker for the assembly of striated myofibrils in cardiomyocytes; its assembly appears to be linked to their maturity. We propose that tropomodulin is involved in maintaining and stabilizing the final lengths of thin filaments after they are assembled.

scholarly journals Tropomodulin Capping of Actin Filaments in Striated Muscle Development and Physiology

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Gokhin ◽  
Velia M. Fowler
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filament ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Muscle Development ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Contractile Apparatus ◽  
Thin Filaments ◽  
Filament Assembly ◽  
Abundant Evidence

Efficient striated muscle contraction requires precise assembly and regulation of diverse actin filament systems, most notably the sarcomeric thin filaments of the contractile apparatus. By capping the pointed ends of actin filaments, tropomodulins (Tmods) regulate actin filament assembly, lengths, and stability. Here, we explore the current understanding of the expression patterns, localizations, and functions of Tmods in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. We first describe the mechanisms by which Tmods regulate myofibril assembly and thin filament lengths, as well as the roles of closely related Tmod family variants, the leiomodins (Lmods), in these processes. We also discuss emerging functions for Tmods in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This paper provides abundant evidence that Tmods are key structural regulators of striated muscle cytoarchitecture and physiology.

scholarly journals QUANTITATIVE AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON THE DESORPTION AND READSORPTION OF ALDOLASE IN CROSS-STRIATED MUSCLE

1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 314-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. ARNOLD ◽  
J. NOLTE ◽  
D. PETTE
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Phosphate Buffer ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Psoas Muscle ◽  
Histochemical Staining ◽  
Intracellular Location ◽  
Successive Extraction ◽  
Complete Extraction

Complete extraction of aldolase from minced rabbit psoas muscle was achieved by successive extraction steps in 0.1 M phosphate buffer. Aldolase was then readsorbed quantitatively to the depleted myofibrils. Extraction, readsorption and a final redsorption of the enzyme were followed quantitatively by enzyme activity determinations and qualitatively by histochemical staining of aldolase. The intracellular location of the readsorbed enzyme was found to be identical with that of aldolase in native muscle. In both cases, aldolase was localized within the isotropic bands. These results as well as the previously demonstrated binding of the enzyme to F-actin suggest that aldolase is located within the interfilamentary sarcoplasm of the isotropic bands and is probably also bound in vivo to the actin filaments.

scholarly journals Tropomodulin isoforms regulate thin filament pointed-end capping and skeletal muscle physiology

2010 ◽  
Vol 189 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Gokhin ◽  
Raymond A. Lewis ◽  
Caroline R. McKeown ◽  
Roberta B. Nowak ◽  
Nancy E. Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Muscle Physiology ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Function ◽  
Capping Proteins ◽  
Locomotor Deficits ◽  
End Capping

During myofibril assembly, thin filament lengths are precisely specified to optimize skeletal muscle function. Tropomodulins (Tmods) are capping proteins that specify thin filament lengths by controlling actin dynamics at pointed ends. In this study, we use a genetic targeting approach to explore the effects of deleting Tmod1 from skeletal muscle. Myofibril assembly, skeletal muscle structure, and thin filament lengths are normal in the absence of Tmod1. Tmod4 localizes to thin filament pointed ends in Tmod1-null embryonic muscle, whereas both Tmod3 and -4 localize to pointed ends in Tmod1-null adult muscle. Substitution by Tmod3 and -4 occurs despite their weaker interactions with striated muscle tropomyosins. However, the absence of Tmod1 results in depressed isometric stress production during muscle contraction, systemic locomotor deficits, and a shift to a faster fiber type distribution. Thus, Tmod3 and -4 compensate for the absence of Tmod1 structurally but not functionally. We conclude that Tmod1 is a novel regulator of skeletal muscle physiology.

scholarly journals A 36 kDa monomeric protein and its complex with a 10 kDa protein both isolated from bovine aorta are calpactin-like proteins that differ in their Ca2+-dependent calmodulin-binding and actin-severing properties

1988 ◽  
Vol 251 (3) ◽  
pp. 777-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Martin ◽  
J Derancourt ◽  
J P Capony ◽  
A Watrin ◽  
J C Cavadore
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Sequence ◽  
Protein Complex ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Partial Amino Acid Sequence ◽  
Calmodulin Binding

Interaction of plasma membrane with the cytoskeleton involves a large number of proteins, among them a 36 kDa protein that was found to be involved in the interaction with actin filaments. We have isolated a 36 kDa protein from bovine aorta as a monomer and in a complex with a 10 kDa protein. Partial amino acid sequence determinations show that the 36 kDa and 10 kDa proteins isolated from bovine aorta are analogous to or identical with corresponding proteins purified from bovine intestine already described by Kristensen, Saris, Hunter, Hicks, Noonan, Glenney & Tack [(1986) Biochemistry 25, 4497-4503]. We report here that the association of the 10 kDa protein with the 36 kDa protein confers specific calmodulin-binding and actin-severing properties on the complex that are not possessed by the 36 kDa monomer alone. These findings suggest that the protein complex could be involved in thin-filament-related structures or could modulate some Ca2+-regulated events mediated by calmodulin.

Functional and evolutionary relationships of troponin C

2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd E. Gillis ◽  
Christian R. Marshall ◽  
Glen F. Tibbits
Keyword(s):  
Functional Properties ◽  
Thin Filament ◽  
Troponin I ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Troponin T ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Troponin C ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Cross Bridges ◽  
And Function

Striated muscle contraction is initiated when, following membrane depolarization, Ca2+ binds to the low-affinity Ca2+ binding sites of troponin C (TnC). The Ca2+ activation of this protein results in a rearrangement of the components (troponin I, troponin T, and tropomyosin) of the thin filament, resulting in increased interaction between actin and myosin and the formation of cross bridges. The functional properties of this protein are therefore critical in determining the active properties of striated muscle. To date there are 61 known TnCs that have been cloned from 41 vertebrate and invertebrate species. In vertebrate species there are also distinct fast skeletal muscle and cardiac TnC proteins. While there is relatively high conservation of the amino acid sequence of TnC homologs between species and tissue types, there is wide variation in the functional properties of these proteins. To date there has been extensive study of the structure and function of this protein and how differences in these translate into the functional properties of muscles. The purpose of this work is to integrate these studies of TnC with phylogenetic analysis to investigate how changes in the sequence and function of this protein, integrate with the evolution of striated muscle.

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