Steady-state force–velocity relation of ATP-dependent sliding between slime mold myosin, arranged on paramyosin filaments, and algal cell actin cables

To investigate characteristics of ATP-dependent sliding of a non-muscle cell myosin, obtained from a cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum, on actin filament, we prepared hybrid thick filaments, in which Dictyostelium myosin was regularly arranged around paramyosin filaments obtained from a molluscan smooth muscle. A single to a few hybrid filaments were attached to a polystyrene bead (diameter, 4.5 μm; specific gravity, 1.5), and the filaments were made to slide on actin filament arrays (actin cables) in the internodal cell of an alga Chara corallina, mounted on the rotor of a centrifuge microscope. The filament-attached bead was observed to move with a constant velocity under a constant external load for many seconds. The steady-state force–velocity relation of Dictyostelium myosin sliding on actin cables was hyperbolic in shape except for large loads ≤0.7–0.8 P₀, being qualitatively similar to that of skeletal muscle fibres, despite a considerable variation in the number of myosin molecules interacting with actin cables. Comparison of the P–V curves between Dictyostelium myosin and muscle myosins sliding on actin cables suggests that the time of attachment to actin in a single attachment–detachment cycle is much longer in Dictyostelium myosin than in muscle myosins.     

Actomyosin systems of biological motility

Evolution of notions on the molecular mechanism of muscle contraction and other events based on the actin—myosin interaction, from the middle of XX century to the present time, is briefly reviewed, including recent views on the functioning of the myosin head as a molecular motor. The results of structural and functional studies on the myosin head performed by the author and his colleagues using differential scanning calorimetry are also reviewed.Translated from Biokhimiya, Vol. 69, No. 11, 2004, pp. 1447–1462.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Levitsky.In memory of my teacher Boris F. Poglazov     

Distinct roles for ROCK1 and ROCK2 in the regulation of cell detachment

This study, using mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells derived from ROCK1^−/− and ROCK2^−/− mice, is designed to dissect roles for ROCK1 and ROCK2 in regulating actin cytoskeleton reorganization induced by doxorubicin, a chemotherapeutic drug. ROCK1^−/− MEFs exhibited improved actin cytoskeleton stability characterized by attenuated periphery actomyosin ring formation and preserved central stress fibers, associated with decreased myosin light chain 2 (MLC2) phosphorylation but preserved cofilin phosphorylation. These effects resulted in a significant reduction in cell shrinkage, detachment, and predetachment apoptosis. In contrast, ROCK2^−/− MEFs showed increased periphery membrane folding and impaired cell adhesion, associated with reduced phosphorylation of both MLC2 and cofilin. Treatment with inhibitor of myosin (blebbistatin), inhibitor of actin polymerization (cytochalasin D), and ROCK pan-inhibitor (Y27632) confirmed the contributions of actomyosin contraction and stress fiber instability to stress-induced actin cytoskeleton reorganization. These results support a novel concept that ROCK1 is involved in destabilizing actin cytoskeleton through regulating MLC2 phosphorylation and peripheral actomyosin contraction, whereas ROCK2 is required for stabilizing actin cytoskeleton through regulating cofilin phosphorylation. Consequently, ROCK1 and ROCK2 can be functional different in regulating stress-induced stress fiber disassembly and cell detachment.     

A Novel Myosin-like Protein (Myocilin) Expressed in the Connecting Cilium of the Photoreceptor: Molecular Cloning, Tissue Expression, and Chromosomal Mapping

We have isolated a human cDNA clone encoding a novel acidic protein of MW 55,000 that we designated “myocilin” since it has homology to myosin and is localized preferentially in the ciliary rootlet and basal body of the connecting cilium of photoreceptor cells. The deduced amino acid sequence of human myocilin showed significant homologies with nonmuscle myosin ofDictyostelium discoideumin the N-terminal region and also with olfactomedin of bullfrog in the C-terminal region. Myocilin contained a leucine zipper-like motif similar to that seen in kinectin and other cytoskeletal proteins. These findings suggest that myocilin is a novel cytoskeletal protein involved in the morphogenesis of ciliated neuroepithelium such as photoreceptor cells. The myocilin gene (MYOC) was mapped to human chromosome 1q23–q24 by fluorescencein situhybridization.     

Resistance of Acta2R149C/+ mice to aortic disease is associated with defective release of mutant smooth muscle α-actin from the chaperonin-containing TCP1 folding complex

Pathogenic variants of the gene for smooth muscle α-actin (ACTA2), which encodes smooth muscle (SM) α-actin, predispose to heritable thoracic aortic disease. The ACTA2 variant p.Arg149Cys (R149C) is the most common alteration; however, only 60% of carriers have a dissection or undergo repair of an aneurysm by 70 years of age. A mouse model of ACTA2 p.Arg149Cys was generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to determine the etiology of reduced penetrance. Acta2^R149C/+ mice had significantly decreased aortic contraction compared with WT mice but did not form aortic aneurysms or dissections when followed to 24 months, even when hypertension was induced. In vitro motility assays found decreased interaction of mutant SM α-actin filaments with SM myosin. Polymerization studies using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy showed enhanced nucleation of mutant SM α-actin by formin, which correlated with disorganized and reduced SM α-actin filaments in Acta2^R149C/+ smooth muscle cells (SMCs). However, the most prominent molecular defect was the increased retention of mutant SM α-actin in the chaperonin-containing t-complex polypeptide folding complex, which was associated with reduced levels of mutant compared with WT SM α-actin in Acta2^R149C/+ SMCs. These data indicate that Acta2^R149C/+ mice do not develop thoracic aortic disease despite decreased contraction of aortic segments and disrupted SM α-actin filament formation and function in Acta2^R149C/+ SMCs. Enhanced binding of mutant SM α-actin to chaperonin-containing t-complex polypeptide decreases the mutant actin versus WT monomer levels in Acta2^R149C/+ SMCs, thus minimizing the effect of the mutation on SMC function and potentially preventing aortic disease in the Acta2^R149C/+ mice.     

Exploring the super-relaxed state of myosin in myofibrils from fast-twitch,slow-twitch,and cardiac muscle

Muscle myosin heads, in the absence of actin, have been shown to exist in two states, the relaxed (turnover ∼0.05 s⁻¹) and super-relaxed states (SRX, 0.005 s⁻¹) using a simple fluorescent ATP chase assay (Hooijman, P. et al (2011) Biophys. J.100, 1969–1976). Studies have normally used purified proteins, myosin filaments, or muscle fibers. Here we use muscle myofibrils, which retain most of the ancillary proteins and 3-D architecture of muscle and can be used with rapid mixing methods. Recording timescales from 0.1 to 1000 s provides a precise measure of the two populations of myosin heads present in relaxed myofibrils. We demonstrate that the population of SRX states is formed from rigor cross bridges within 0.2 s of relaxing with fluorescently labeled ATP, and the population of SRX states is relatively constant over the temperature range of 5 °C–30 °C. The SRX population is enhanced in the presence of mavacamten and reduced in the presence of deoxy-ATP. Compared with myofibrils from fast-twitch muscle, slow-twitch muscle, and cardiac muscles, myofibrils require a tenfold lower concentration of mavacamten to be effective, and mavacamten induced a larger increase in the population of the SRX state. Mavacamten is less effective, however, at stabilizing the SRX state at physiological temperatures than at 5 °C. These assays require small quantities of myofibrils, making them suitable for studies of model organism muscles, human biopsies, or human-derived iPSCs.     

Coevolution of actin and associated proteins: an α-actinin-like protein in a cyanobacterium (Spirulina platensis)

Actin, together with associated proteins, such as myosin, cross-linking or capping proteins, has been observed in all eukaryotic cells. Presence of actin or actin-like proteins has also been reported in prokaryotic organisms belonging to the cyanobacteria. Our aim was first to extend the characterization of an actin-like protein to another prokaryotic cell, i.e. Spirulina, then to compare the antigenic reactivity of this new protein with that of Synechocystis and skeletal actins. We observed that some of the conserved antigenic epitopes corresponded to actin regions known to interact with cross-linking proteins. We also report for the first time that α-actinin and filamin purified from chicken gizzard both interact with a prokaryotic actin-like protein. Finally, we searched for the occurrence of a cross-linking protein in these cyanobacteria and identified a 105-kDa protein as an α-actinin-like protein using specific antibodies.     

Identification of sequence changes in myosin II that adjust muscle contraction velocity

The speed of muscle contraction is related to body size; muscles in larger species contract at slower rates. Since contraction speed is a property of the myosin isoform expressed in a muscle, we investigated how sequence changes in a range of muscle myosin II isoforms enable this slower rate of muscle contraction. We considered 798 sequences from 13 mammalian myosin II isoforms to identify any adaptation to increasing body mass. We identified a correlation between body mass and sequence divergence for the motor domain of the 4 major adult myosin II isoforms (β/Type I, IIa, IIb, and IIx), suggesting that these isoforms have adapted to increasing body mass. In contrast, the non-muscle and developmental isoforms show no correlation of sequence divergence with body mass. Analysis of the motor domain sequence of β-myosin (predominant myosin in Type I/slow and cardiac muscle) from 67 mammals from 2 distinct clades identifies 16 sites, out of 800, associated with body mass (p_adj < 0.05) but not with the clade (p_adj > 0.05). Both clades change the same small set of amino acids, in the same order from small to large mammals, suggesting a limited number of ways in which contraction velocity can be successfully manipulated. To test this relationship, the 9 sites that differ between human and rat were mutated in the human β-myosin to match the rat sequence. Biochemical analysis revealed that the rat–human β-myosin chimera functioned like the native rat myosin with a 2-fold increase in both motility and in the rate of ADP release from the actin–myosin crossbridge (the step that limits contraction velocity). Thus, these sequence changes indicate adaptation of β-myosin as species mass increased to enable a reduced contraction velocity and heart rate.

Heart and skeletal muscles of larger mammals contract more slowly than smaller ones. This study identifies amino acid changes in myosin isoforms that correlate with species size; mutating the residues in human β-myosin to match the rat sequence at these positions increased its in vitro velocity to that of the rat protein.     

Localization of myosin and actin in ocular nonmuscle cells

Summary Myosin and actin were localized by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using specific antibodies prepared in rabbits against highly purified gizzard myosin and actin. A strong fluorescence staining with both antibodies was observed in rat corneal epithelial cells, anterior lens epithelial cells, rod inner segments, and in rat and frog pigment epithelial cells. The immunohistochemical localization of myosin in corneal epithelial cells was further supported by the electrophoretic and immunological identification of smooth muscle type myosin heavy chain in pure corneal epithelial abrasions. Electron-microscopic observations revealed a clear correlation between staining with actin antibodies and the presence of numerous thin cytoplasmic filaments (50–80 Å in diameter). The functional and biochemical nature of 90–110 Å filaments occurring in corneal and lens epithelial cells, as well as the ultrastructural localization of myosin in ocular nonmuscle cells under study remains obscure.     

Neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in the nervous system of hydra

Summary Neurotensin-like immunoreactivity is found in nerve fibers present in all body regions of hydra. The nerve fibers are especially numerous in the ectoderm at the bases of the tentacles and in the ectoderm at a site just above the foot. Radioimmunoassays of acetic-acid extracts of hydra, using various region-specific antisera towards mammalian neurotensin, show the presence of multiple neurotensin-related peptides. The amounts of these peptides vary between 1 and 350 pmol per gram wet weight. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-25 reveals a fraction of neurotensin-like peptides that crossreacts equally well with an antiserum directed against sequence 1–8 and an antiserum directed against sequence 6–13 of neurotensin. This fraction elutes also at the position of neurotensin and might closely resemble the mammalian peptide. A fraction eluting with the void volume crossreacts preferentially with antisera directed against sequences 1–8 and 10–13 of neurotensin. Several components of apparent lower molecular weight than neurotensin crossreact preferentially with an antiserum against sequence 10–13. These last peptides represent the major portion of the neurotensin-like peptides in hydra.     

Dissociation and reassociation of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin

Whereas dissociation of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin light chains occurs at an increased temperature (25°) and in the obsence of divalent cations, reassociation of the myosin oligomer requires a low temperature (4°C) and the presence of divalent cations, thus resulting in the original light to heavy chain stoichiometry. With a 5–10 per cent release of alkali light chains, LC₁ and LC₃, and a 50 per cent dissociation of the Ca²⁺ binding light chain, LC₂, there is no significant decrease in myosin ATPase activity irrespective of the cation activator, however, there is an approximate 15–20 per cent decrease in actomyosin ATPase activity. With reassociation of the myosin oligomer, actomyosin ATPase activity is partially restored as well as the original number of Ca²⁺ binding sites.     

Effects of regression of cardiac hypertrophy on myocardial contractility and ventricular myosin isoenzymes

The effects of regression of cardiac hypertrophy on myocardial contractility and ventricular myosin isoenzymes were investigated in rats with renovascular hypertension. Six-week-old male Wistar rats were made hypertensive by constriction of one renal artery with a silver clip. Regression of cardiac hypertrophy was induced following the lowering of blood pressure by nephrectomy on the affected side 5–6 weeks after constriction of the renal artery and was maintained for 5–6 weeks. In contrast, myocardial hypertrophy was induced by 10–11 weeks of the hypertensive state. Isometric developed tension of isolated left ventricular papillary muscles was measured, while they were being perfused with Tyrode solution. Left ventricular myosin isoenzymes were separated by pyrophosphate gel electrophoresis. The ventricular to body weight ratio of the nephrectomized group was significantly lower than that of the hypertensive group, although it was greater than that of age-matched normal control rats. There were no significant differences in the isometric developed tension among three groups, the nephrectomized, hypertensive, and normal control rats. However, dT/dtmax tended to decrease in the hypertensive rats and recovered to normal in the nephrectomized rats. The left ventricular myosin isoenzyme pattern was shifted toward VM-3 in hypertensive rats and was shifted back toward VM-1 again in nephrectomized rats.     

Probing the Regulation of Contractility in Cardiac and Smooth Muscle Skinned Fibers with Synthetic Peptides

Methods for using synthetic peptides to specifically probe the molecular mechanisms for calcium-dependent regulation of contraction in cardiac and smooth permeabilized (or skinned) muscle are described. As examples of the use of these tools, the role of troponin in modulating the cardiac crossbridge cycle and the regulatory action of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) in smooth muscle in Triton X-100-extracted muscle preparations have been targeted. These "skinned" fibers are functional in terms of contractility but permit precise control of aspects of the "cytoplasmic" environment around the myofilaments, such as calcium and substrate concentration. They also permit the diffusion of peptides into the ′intracellular" compartment. These include peptides derived from the common actin-binding, troponin C-binding sequence of troponin I (the so-called inhibitory sequence, Tnl 104–115) and the calmodulin-binding sequence of MLCK (also known as RS20). The effects of these peptides were monitored in terms of changes in isometric tension and expressed as changes in calcium or calmodulin sensitivity. The calmodulin-binding peptide reduced force at a fixed calcium concentration, indicating decreased calcium sensitivity. This effect was associated with a moderate decrease in myosin light chain phosphorylation and could be reversed with increased calmodulin concentration. We interpret this latter observation to mean that underlying the change in apparent calcium sensitivity is a change in the sensitivity of MLCK to calmodulin. As previously reported, the troponin I-based peptide desensitizes skinned cardiac muscle with respect to calcium by inhibiting the actin activation of the crossbridge cycle. We also discuss the results of recent experiments in which this peptide was used in conjunction with a calcium-sensitizing compound, EMD 53998. These results implicate the phosphate release step as the most likely regulatory step in the crossbridge cycle affected by the peptide and, by extension, troponin I. Peptide studies such as these have provided useful specific insights into the highly complex and multivariable regulatory systems of contraction.     

Low Sequence Variation in the Gene Encoding the Human β-Myosin Heavy Chain

Over 40 different mutations in the cardiac myosin heavy chain gene (MYH7) have been associated with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC), but no study has analyzed variation at this locus within the normal human population. Here we determine the extent and distribution of nucleotide variation in the 5808-bp MYH7 coding sequence in 25 normal individuals without FHC. We identified six single-nucleotide polymorphisms, none of which changes the encoded amino acid. At one of these sites, the frequencies of both alleles are equal; at the other five sites, the frequency of the rarer allele varies from 0.02 to 0.08. The nucleotide diversity (π) calculated from these data is 1.73×10⁻⁴±0.49×10⁻⁴, which is lower than the nucleotide diversity found in most other human autosomal genes. Substitution analysis of homologous genes between human and rodent also indicates that the MYH7 sequence has evolved at a very slow rate. The rate of both synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions, especially in the portion of the sequence that encodes the α-helical myosin rod, is extremely low. The low level of even silent sequence variation in MYH7 in comparisons between human sequences and between human and rodent sequences may be a consequence of strong selective pressure against mutations that cause cardiomyopathy.     

Cytoskeletal filaments in embryonic chick myocardial cells as revealed by the quick-freeze deep-etch method combined with immunocytochemistry

Summary The three-dimensional organization of cytoskeletal filaments associated with the myofibrils and sarcolemma of the myocardial cells of early chick embryos was studied by the rapid-freeze deep-etch method combined with immunocytochemistry. In the endoplasmic region of saponin-treated myocardial cells, 12–14 nm filaments formed a loose network surrounding nascent myofibrils. These 12–14 nm filaments attached to the myofibrils and some of them converged into Z disc regions. In the non-junctional cytocortical region thinner 8–11 nm filaments composed a dense network just beneath the sarcolemma. In myofibril terminating regions at the sarcolemma, i.e., the fascia adherens, 3–5 nm cross-bridges were observed among the thin filaments. In Triton-permeabilized and myosin subfragment 1 (S1)-treated samples, subsarcolemmal 8–11 nm filaments proved to be S1-decorated actin filaments under which there was a loose network of S1-undecorated filaments. Subsarcolemmal S1-decorated actin filaments had mixed polarity and attached to the sarcolemma at one end. A loose network of S1-undecorated filaments among myofibrils in the endoplasmic region was revealed to consist of desmin-containing intermediate filaments after immuno-gold staining for desmin. These networks connecting myofibrils with sarcolemma were assumed to play an important role in integrating and transmitting the contractile force of individual myofibrils within early embryonic myocardial cells.     

Amino acid sequence and structural repeats in schistosome paramyosin match those of myosin

The cDNA encoding about half of an antigenic non-surface schistosome parasite protein of M _r 97 K has recently been cloned and sequenced (Lanar, Pearce, James and Sher (1986)Science 234:593–596). Analysis of this sequence, together with the properties of the native protein, reveals that this protein is paramyosin, the hitherto unsequenced core protein of myosin filaments in invertebrate muscle. In this report we analyze in more detail the partial amino acid sequence of schistosome paramyosin and describe electron microscope studies of the native protein and its aggregates. We show a close correspondence between the structures of paramyosin and the myosin rod that is required for these proteins to assemble together in muscle thick filaments.     

Differential binding of tropomyosin isoforms to actin modified with m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester and fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate

Differential interactions of tropomyosin (TM) isoforms with actin can be important for determination of the thin filament functions. A mechanism of tropomyosin binding to actin was studied by comparing interactions of five αTM isoforms with actin modified with m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (MBS) and with fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC). MBS attachment sites were revealed with mass spectrometry methods. We found that the predominant actin fraction was cross-linked by MBS within subdomain 3. A smaller fraction of the modified actin was cross-linked within subdomain 2 and between subdomains 2 and 1. Moreover, investigated actins carried single labels in subdomains 1, 2, and 3. Such extensive modification caused a large decrease in actin affinity for skeletal and smooth muscle tropomyosins, nonmuscle TM2, and chimeric TM1b9a. In contrast, binding of nonmuscle isoform TM5a was less affected. Isoform’s affinity for actin modified in subdomain 2 by binding of FITC to Lys61 was intermediate between the affinity for native actin and MBS-modified actin except for TM5a, which bound to FITC–actin with similar affinity as to actin modified with MBS. The analysis of binding curves according to the McGhee–von Hippel model revealed that binding to an isolated site, as well as cooperativity of binding to a contiguous site, was affected by both actin modifications in a TM isoform-specific manner.     

Reduced cardiac myofibrillar Mg-ATPase activity without changes in myosin isozymes in patients with end-stage heart failure

In this study we tested the hypothesis that reduced myofibrillar ATPase activities in end-stage heart failure are associated with a redistribution of myosin isozymes. Cardiac myofibrils were isolated from left ventricular free wall from normal human hearts and hearts at end-stage heart failure caused by coronary artery diseases, cardiomyopathy or immunological rejection. The hearts had been excised in preparation for a heart transplant. Myofibrillar Ca^2–-dependent Mg-ATPase and myosin Ca^–- and K^–EDTA-ATPase activities were compared. Possible changes in myosin isozyme distribution in the diseased heart were investigated using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of native myosin in the presence of pyrophosphate. Significant reduction in myofibrillar Ca²⁺-dependent Mg-ATPase with no changes in the sensitivity of the myofibrils to Ca⁺ was observed in heart with coronary artery diseases (25.2 to 27.1% at pCa 5.83 to pCa 5.05), cardiomyopathy (21.1 to 25.5% at pCa 5.41 to pCa 5.05), and in the immunologically rejected heart (18.4 to 22.8% at pCa 5.41 to pCa 5.05). Significantly lower myosin Ca²⁺-ATPase was observed with coronary artery diseases only and myosin K-EDTA activities did not differ in diseased and normal hearts. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of native myosin from the normal and three models of end-stage heart failure revealed two distinct bands in the human left ventricle and one diffuse band in the human right atria. No apparent differences in myosin isoenzyme pattern were observed between the normal and diseased hearts. Further evaluation is needed to clarify the ATPase nature of the two bands.     

The Relay/Converter Interface Influences Hydrolysis of ATP by Skeletal Muscle Myosin II

The interface between relay and converter domain of muscle myosin is critical for optimal myosin performance. Using Drosophila melanogaster indirect flight muscle S1, we performed a kinetic analysis of the effect of mutations in the converter and relay domain. Introduction of a mutation (R759E) in the converter domain inhibits the steady-state ATPase of myosin S1, whereas an additional mutation in the relay domain (N509K) is able to restore the ATPase toward wild-type values. The R759E S1 construct showed little effect on most steps of the actomyosin ATPase cycle. The exception was a 25–30% reduction in the rate constant of the hydrolysis step, the step coupled to the cross-bridge recovery stroke that involves a change in conformation at the relay/converter domain interface. Significantly, the double mutant restored the hydrolysis step to values similar to the wild-type myosin. Modeling the relay/converter interface suggests a possible interaction between converter residue 759 and relay residue 509 in the actin-detached conformation, which is lost in R759E but is restored in N509K/R759E. This detailed kinetic analysis of Drosophila myosin carrying the R759E mutation shows that the interface between the relay loop and converter domain is important for fine-tuning myosin kinetics, in particular ATP binding and hydrolysis.