Search PubMed⌕ Search

PubMed · 10049732

Early decrease of IIx myosin heavy chain transcripts in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Abstract

We studied by in situ hybridization the expression of IIx myosin heavy chain (MHC) transcripts in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) muscle. In normal muscle fibers IIx MHC transcripts were only expressed in type 2b or very fast fibers. Our results indicate that muscle fibers expressing IIx MHC transcripts disappear early in DMD muscle. This may be due to the transformation of type 2b fibers into type 2a fibers and/or to selective degeneration of the type 2b fibers. The very fast 2b fibers may be subjected to a greater mechanical stress during muscle contraction and dystrophin deficiency may render them more susceptible to mechanical damage.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

M Pedemonte, C Sandri, S Schiaffino, C Minetti. 1999-02-16. Early decrease of IIx myosin heavy chain transcripts in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.. https://doi.org/10.1006/bbrc.1999.0213

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

Isolation and characterization of Plasmodium falciparum UAP56 homolog: evidence for the coupling of RNA binding and splicing activity by site-directed mutations.

UAP56 (U2AF65 associated protein) is a member of the DEAD-box helicase family. Helicases are essential enzymes generally involved in the metabolism of nucleic acids. The gene encoding a member of DEAD-box family was cloned and characterized from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PfU52 is homologous to UAP56 and contains the RNA-dependent ATPase, RNA helicase and RNA binding activities. Using the parasite extract we report that PfU52 is involved in splicing reaction. Site-directed mutagenesis studies indicate that the conserved residues glycine 181, isoleucine 182 and arginine 206 are involved in RNA binding and this activity is required for the enzymatic activities of PfU52. PfU52 is expressed in all the intraerythrocytic developmental stages of the parasite. In the present study we have reported the detailed characterization of PfU52 from P. falciparum and these results advance the knowledge regarding the function of UAP56 in general.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Abolishment of proton pumping and accumulation in the E1P conformational state of a plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase by substitution of a conserved aspartyl residue in transmembrane segment 6.

The plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase AHA2 of Arabidopsis thaliana, which belongs to the P-type ATPase superfamily of cation-transporting ATPases, pumps protons out of the cell. To investigate the mechanism of ion transport by P-type ATPases we have mutagenized Asp(684), a residue in transmembrane segment M6 of AHA2 that is conserved in Ca(2+)-, Na(+)/K(+)-, H(+)/K(+)-, and H(+)-ATPases and which coordinates Ca(2+) ions in the SERCA1 Ca(2+)-ATPase. We describe the expression, purification, and biochemical analysis of the Asp(684) --> Asn mutant, and provide evidence that Asp(684) in the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase is required for any coupling between ATP hydrolysis, enzyme conformational changes, and H(+)-transport. Proton pumping by the reconstituted mutant enzyme was completely abolished, whereas ATP was still hydrolyzed. The mutant was insensitive to the inhibitor vanadate, which preferentially binds to P-type ATPases in the E(2) conformation. During catalysis the Asp(684) --> Asn enzyme accumulated a phosphorylated intermediate whose stability was sensitive to addition of ADP. We conclude that the mutant enzyme is locked in the E(1) conformation and is unable to proceed through the E(1)P-E(2)P transition.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Escherichia coli MutL loads DNA helicase II onto DNA.

Previous studies have shown that MutL physically interacts with UvrD (DNA helicase II) (Hall, M. C., Jordan, J. R., and Matson, S. W. (1998) EMBO J. 17, 1535-1541) and dramatically stimulates the unwinding reaction catalyzed by UvrD in the presence and absence of the other protein components of the methyl-directed mismatch repair pathway (Yamaguchi, M., Dao, V., and Modrich, P. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 9197-9201). The mechanism of this stimulation was investigated using DNA binding assays, single-turnover helicase assays, and unwinding assays involving long duplex DNA substrates. The results indicate that MutL binds DNA and loads UvrD onto the DNA substrate. The interaction between MutL and DNA and that between MutL and UvrD are both important for stimulation of UvrD-catalyzed unwinding. MutL does not clamp UvrD onto the substrate; and therefore, the processivity of unwinding is not increased in the presence of MutL. The implications of these results are discussed, and models are presented for the mechanism of MutL stimulation as well as for the role of MutL as a master coordinator in the methyl-directed mismatch repair pathway.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗