An electron microscopy and x-ray study of actin. I. Electron microscope. 1947.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S V Perry.
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31P and 1H n.m.r. studies of the phosphorylatable light chains from rabbit fast skeletal and chicken gizzard muscles in the isolated state and in the intact myosin molecule indicate that the N-terminal region of the light chain containing the sites of phosphorylation has independent segmental flexibility. The ionization behaviour of serine phosphate in both rabbit skeletal and chicken gizzard P light chains exhibits cooperativity and is compatible with the phosphate group being influenced by neighbouring positively charged side-chains. No marked difference in phosphate ionization behaviour was apparent between the monophosphorylated P light chains of rabbit skeletal and chicken gizzard myosins. From 1H and 31P n.m.r. studies of the overall conformation, side-chain ionization properties and the spectral effects of titration with an anionic paramagnetic reagent bound at the basic N-terminal region, it is concluded that Thr-18 and Ser-19 are phosphorylated in the bisphosphorylated P light chain of gizzard myosin, the latter residue being the site of monophosphorylation. In the presence of F-actin the mobility of the serine phosphate of the P light chain of intact gizzard myosin was reduced. No interaction between the isolated P light chain and F-actin was however detected. These results are discussed with reference to the observed conformational features of the P light chain.
The interaction between troponin-I and actin that underlies thin-filament regulation in striated muscle has been studied using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A restricted portion of skeletal muscle troponin-I (residues 96-116) has previously been shown to be capable of inhibiting the MgATPase activity of actomyosin in a manner enhanced by tropomyosin [Syska et al. (1976) Biochem. J. 153, 375-387]. On the basis of homologous spectral effects for signals of specific groups observed in different complexes formed using the native proteins and a variety of defined peptides, it is concluded that the segment of troponin-I which has inhibitory activity interacts with the N-terminal region of actin. The surface of contact of the inhibitory segment of troponin-I with actin involves two regions of the N-terminal of actin. These are located between residues 1-7 and 19-44. The data are discussed in the context of a structural mechanism for the inhibition of myosin ATPase activation.
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A new basic protein of molecular weight 32 kDa has been isolated and purified to homogeneity from skeletal muscles rich in type I fibres. By the use of a specific monoclonal antibody, the protein has been shown to be present in all type I fibres and some type II fibres, the number of which varies with the muscle and the region of the muscle sectioned. A protein of similar properties could not be isolated from rabbit muscles consisting predominantly of type II fibres. By fluorescence microscopy, the protein has been shown to be located in the Z-disc from which the presence of divalent cations, probably calcium, facilitates its extraction at low ionic strength. The protein is unusual in that its distribution does not correlate completely with the known muscle fibre types and in that as yet there is no evidence for the presence of an isoform in those cells that do not stain with the specific antibody for the 32 kDa protein isolated from slow muscles.
Myoid cells of calf and rat thymus have been identified by staining with a monoclonal antibody to the heavy chain of myosin that is not isoform specific. Heterogeneity in the protein composition of myoid cells has been demonstrated by staining with antibodies to the skeletal muscle isoforms of the myosin heavy chain, C-protein and components of the troponin complex. The immunochemical studies suggest that the myoid cells contain proteins closely resembling if not identical with those present in the myofibrils of skeletal muscle. The slow and fast skeletal muscle isoforms of the myofibrillar proteins are present in a large proportion of the myoid cells. A fraction of the myoid cells contains only the fast isoforms of the myofibrillar proteins but there is no sharp compartmentalization of the isoforms as occurs in type 1 and type 2 fibres of skeletal muscle. In general the pattern of gene expression is similar to that of developing skeletal muscle.
Adult rat fast-twitch skeletal muscle such as extensor digitorum longus contains alpha- and beta-tropomyosin subunits, as is the case in the corresponding muscles of rabbit. Adult rat soleus muscle contains beta-, gamma- and delta-tropomyosins, but no significant amounts of alpha-tropomyosin. Evidence for the presence of phosphorylated forms of at least three of the four tropomyosin subunit isoforms was obtained, particularly in developing muscle. Immediately after birth alpha- and beta-tropomyosins were the major components of skeletal muscle, in both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles. Differentiation into slow-twitch skeletal muscles was accompanied by a fall in the amount of alpha-tropomyosin subunit and its replacement with gamma- and delta-subunits. After denervation and during regeneration after injury, the tropomyosin composition of slow-twitch skeletal muscle changed to that associated with fast-twitch muscle. Thyroidectomy slowed down the changes in tropomyosin composition resulting from the denervation of soleus muscle. The results suggest that the 'ground state' of tropomyosin-gene expression in the skeletal muscle gives rise to alpha- and beta-tropomyosin subunits. Innervation by a 'slow-twitch' nerve is essential for the expression of the genes controlling gamma- and delta-subunits. There appears to be reciprocal relationship between expression of the gene controlling the synthesis of alpha-tropomyosin and those controlling the synthesis of gamma- and delta-tropomyosin subunits.
When prepared under specified conditions chicken gizzard myosin was obtained which when incubated with ATP gave rise to a diphosphorylated as well as the monophosphorylated form of P light chain. Formation of the diphosphorylated light chain occurred more readily with these myosin preparations, but could also be obtained by prolonged incubation of the isolated whole light chain fraction with kinase preparations from rabbit skeletal and chicken gizzard muscles. Using isolated light chains as substrate the more readily formed monophosphorylated light chain contained serine phosphate while the diphosphorylated form contained serine and threonine phosphates.
A monoclonal antibody that is specific for the slow skeletal muscle isoform of C protein of rabbit muscle has been prepared by immunizing mice with a crude preparation of human myosin. It reacted with the X protein fraction of rabbit skeletal muscle and stained all type I cells in this tissue. It also stained a fraction of the type II cells with varying intensities. The type II cells staining with antibody to slow C protein also stained with a polyclonal antibody prepared against rabbit fast muscle C protein. The type II cells not staining with antibody to slow C protein stained strongly with antibody to fast C protein. In the human skeletal muscle antibody to slow C protein stained all cells whereas antibody to fast C stained only type II cells. It is concluded that the distribution of the isoforms of C protein in adult vertebrate skeletal muscle is more complex than is the case with proteins such as components of the troponin complex.
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The differences in performance that exist between skeletal muscles are in part determined by the presence of different forms of most of the contractile and regulatory proteins of the myofibril - isoforms. These isoforms have common properties but their amino acid sequences are not identical and they exhibit slight differences in biological activities, such as ATPase, affinity for calcium, etc., that are appropriate for the physiological properties of the muscle in which they are present. With the exception of actin, all the major proteins present in the I and A filaments of skeletal muscle have been shown to exist in two or more isoforms. Whereas proteins such as troponin I and troponin C are present as a single isoform in each fibre type in normal muscle, others such as myosin and tropomyosin are present as two or more isoforms, usually in relative amounts characteristic for the fibre type. Type I and type II muscle fibres possess the capacity of synthesizing all the skeletal muscle isoforms of the myofibrillar proteins. The complement of isoforms present in a muscle fibre, however, depends on a number of factors such as the stage of development or regeneration, type of innervation, hormonal effects, etc. Complex mechanisms involving the coordinated control of gene expression must operate to ensure that the set of isoforms of the myofibrillar proteins present is characteristic for the cell type.
The P light chain of myosin is partially phosphorylated in resting slow and fast twitch skeletal muscles of the rabbit in vivo. The extent of P light-chain phosphorylation increases in both muscles on stimulation. Rabbit slow-twitch muscles contain two forms of the P light chain that migrate with the same electrophoretic mobilities as the two forms of P light chain in rabbit ventricular muscle. The rate of phosphorylation of the P light chain in slow-twitch muscle is slower than its rate of phosphorylation in fast-twitch muscles during tetanus. The rate of P light-chain dephosphorylation is slow after tetanic contraction of fast-twitch muscles in vivo. The time course of dephosphorylation does not correlate with the decline of post-tetanic potentiation of peak twitch tension in rabbit fast-twitch muscles. The frequency of stimulation is an important factor in determining the extent of P light-chain phosphorylation in fast- and slow-twitch muscles.
The amino acid sequence of calmodulin which can be extracted from rabbit skeletal muscle with low ionic strength buffer and presumably activates myosin light chain kinase has been determined. It is a single polypeptide chain of 148 residues with a blocked N terminus. The sequence of the N terminal tripeptide and residues 98 and 99 were not determined unequivocally nor were the amide assignments of residues 48, 50, 58 and 60. The protein is otherwise identical with the subunit of phosphorylase kinase and bovine uterus calmodulin and very similar to all other mammalian calmodulins.
In resting striated muscles of the rabbit muscle in vivo, the phosphorylatable light chain is partially phosphorylated. Tetanic stimulation increased the level of phosphorylation more rapidly in fast twitch than in slow twitch muscle. In both types of muscle the rate of dephosphorylation was relatively slow. In rabbit fast twitch muscles, phosphorylation levels persisted significantly above the resting value for some time after posttetanic potentiation had disappeared. The role of myosin light chain kinase in modulating contractile response in striated muscle is uncertain. In vertebrate smooth muscle the role of myosin phosphorylation appears to be different from that in striated muscle despite the general similarity of the actomyosin system in both tissues. Although phosphorylation in vitro increases the Mg2+ -ATPase of actomyosin, a number of features imply that a somewhat complex relationship exists between the level of phosphorylation and the actin activation of the Mg2+ -ATPase in vertebrate smooth muscle. Contrary to many earlier reports, preparations of smooth muscle actomyosin can be obtained with Mg2+ -ATPase activities comparable to those of actomyosin from skeletal muscle. Preliminary evidence is presented that suggests that phosphorylation changes the Ca2+ sensitivity of the Mg2+ -ATPase of smooth muscle actomyosin.
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A method is described for the preparation of partially and fully phosphorylated chicken gizzard myosin. When fully phosphorylated it possessed an actin-activated Mg2+-ATPase of similar specific activity to that of mammalian skeletal muscle myosin. The Mg2+-ATPase activity of these preparations was related in a non-linear fashion to increasing phosphorylation of the P light chain. When P light chain phosphorylation occurred during enzymic assay the Mg2+-ATPase activity remained constant. Fully phosphorylated preparations of gizzard myosin possessed an actin-activated Mg2+-ATPase that was not Ca2+-sensitive, whereas the Mg2+-ATPase of partially phosphorylated myosin preparations was Ca2+-sensitive.