Regulation of myosin phosphatase by a specific interaction with cGMP- dependent protein kinase Ialpha

Contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle are regulated by myosin light-chain kinase and myosin phosphatase through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of myosin light chains. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase Ialpha (cGKIalpha) mediates physiologic relaxation of vascular smooth muscle in response to nitric oxide and cGMP. It is shown here that cGKIalpha is targeted to the smooth muscle cell contractile apparatus by a leucine zipper interaction with the myosin-binding subunit (MBS) of myosin phosphatase. Uncoupling of the cGKIalpha-MBS interaction prevents cGMP-dependent dephosphorylation of myosin light chain, demonstrating that this interaction is essential to the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell tone.     

宰后肌肉中肌球蛋白磷酸化调控肌动球蛋白解离作用机制

【目的】研究宰后肌肉中肌球蛋白磷酸化与肌动球蛋白解离之间的关系,分析其磷酸化水平的变化对肌动球蛋白解离的影响,探究肌球蛋白磷酸化对宰后肌肉肌节长度与嫩度的作用。【方法】取宰后30 min内的羊背最长肌,在4℃条件下分别成熟6、24、48和72 h,通过SDS-PAGE电泳、Pro-Q染色和蛋白质免疫印迹测定肌球蛋白的磷酸化水平和肌动球蛋白解离程度随宰后时间的变化;测定肌动球蛋白ATP酶的活性,分析宰后不同时间点肌球蛋白与肌动蛋白结合作用力的强弱;采用透射电镜分析宰后肌节长度随时间的变化。【结果】研究发现宰后肌肉中肌球蛋白轻链2的磷酸化水平在0.5—48 h快速降低(P0.05),并在48 h达到最低点,在48—72 h有所升高(P0.05),但其最终磷酸化水平明显低于初始值。肌动球蛋白的解离程度在宰后初期(0.5—6 h)显著降低(P0.05),在6—48 h显著升高(P0.05),并于48—72 h维持稳定,其最终解离程度显著高于宰后0.5 h的初始值。肌动球蛋白ATPase活性在宰后初期(0.5—6 h)略有升高,6—24 h快速上升(P0.05),并在24 h达到最高点,24—72 h逐渐降低;而肌节长度的变化则与之相反,呈先下降后上升的趋势,并在24 h达到肌节最短点。【结论】羊宰后肌肉中的肌球蛋白轻链2磷酸化水平的变化对肌球蛋白与肌动蛋白的相互作用有较大的影响,且肌节收缩(肌球蛋白与肌动蛋白的相互作用力)与肌动球蛋白的解离(肌球蛋白与肌动蛋白的相互作用量)并不是一个同步的进程。肌球蛋白轻链2的磷酸化修饰负向调控肌动球蛋白解离和肌动球蛋白ATPase活性,导致肌节的收缩与舒张,进而调控肉品最终的嫩度。     

蛋白质磷酸化对肌动球蛋白解离及其乙酰化水平的影响

[目的]研究肌球蛋白重链和肌动蛋白磷酸化对其乙酰化水平、肌动球蛋白解离及ATP酶活性的影响,为通过调控磷酸化水平改善肉品嫩度提供理论依据.[方法]以羊背最长肌为材料制备肌肉匀浆液,采用碱性磷酸酶抑制剂(抑制去磷酸化)和蛋白激酶抑制剂(抑制磷酸化)调控其磷酸化水平,在4℃分别孵育0、0.5、4、12、24、48和72 h...     

Molecular mechanics of cardiac myosin-binding protein C in native thick filaments

The heart's pumping capacity results from highly regulated interactions of actomyosin molecular motors. Mutations in the gene for a potential regulator of these motors, cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C), cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, cMyBP-C's ability to modulate cardiac contractility is not well understood. Using single-particle fluorescence imaging techniques, transgenic protein expression, proteomics, and modeling, we found that cMyBP-C slowed actomyosin motion generation in native cardiac thick filaments. This mechanical effect was localized to where cMyBP-C resides within the thick filament (i.e., the C-zones) and was modulated by phosphorylation and site-specific proteolytic degradation. These results provide molecular insight into why cMyBP-C should be considered a member of a tripartite complex with actin and myosin that allows fine tuning of cardiac muscle contraction.     

Myosin light chain phosphorylation does not modulate cross-bridge cycling rate in mouse skeletal muscle

An attempt was made to determine whether phosphorylation of the myosin light chain represents a thick filament-associated mechanism for modulating the rate of cross-bridge cycling in mouse skeletal muscle. When the degree of light chain phosphorylation was varied independently of tetanus duration, there was no correlation of phosphorylation with cross-bridge turnover rate, as measured by the shortening velocity of the muscle. It is concluded that in intact skeletal muscle phosphorylation of the myosin light chain does not in itself modulate cross-bridge cycling rate and that previously reported changes in cycling rate were due to other factors that may vary with tetanus duration.     

大鼠快慢骨骼肌肌纤维构成的比较

[目的]研究成年大鼠快肌内侧腓肠肌与慢肌比目鱼肌内各型肌纤维的分布及构成差异。[方法]应用RT-PCR方法分析4型肌纤维的肌球蛋白重链异构体基因表达差异,并以肌动球蛋白腺苷三磷酸酶组织化学染色分析4型肌纤维构成比例。[结果]通过RT-PCR扩增所得的条带,在内侧腓肠肌内MHCⅠ、MHCⅡx、MHCⅡa、MHCⅡb基因表达均有分布,而在比目鱼肌中未发现有Ⅱb型基因表达。4型或3型肌纤维均呈交错式镶嵌型分布。[结论]大鼠内侧腓肠肌中ⅡA型肌纤维占很大比例,而在比目鱼肌中I型肌纤维最多,其中缺少ⅡB型肌纤维。     

Phosphorylation of smooth muscle myosin: evidence for cooperativity between the myosin heads

The relationship between the actin-activated adenosinetriphosphatase activity of smooth muscle myosin and the extent of myosin light chain phosphorylation is nonlinear. It is suggested that the phosphorylation of the two heads of smooth muscle myosin is an ordered process and that the two heads are influenced by cooperative interactions.     

Expression and characterization of a functional myosin head fragment in Dictyostelium discoideum

The isolated head fragment of myosin is a motor protein that is able to use energy liberated from the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate to cause sliding movement of actin filaments. Expression of a myosin fragment nearly equivalent to the amino-terminal globular head domain, generally referred to as subfragment 1, has been achieved by transforming the eukaryotic organism Dictyostelium discoideum with a plasmid that carries a 2.6-kilobase fragment of the cloned Dictyostelium myosin heavy chain gene under the control of the Dictyostelium actin-15 promoter. The recombinant fragment of the myosin heavy chain was purified 2400-fold from one of the resulting cell lines and was found to be functional by the following criteria: the myosin head fragment copurified with the essential and regulatory myosin light chains, decorated actin filaments, and displayed actin-activated adenosine triphosphatase activity. In addition, motility assays in vitro showed that the recombinant myosin fragment is capable of supporting sliding movement of actin filaments.     

Increased phosphorylation of myosin light chain kinase after an increase in cyclic AMP in intact smooth muscle

The role of cyclic adenosine monophosphate-mediated phosphorylation of myosin light chain kinase in relaxing smooth muscle was examined. The kinase was immunoprecipitated from tissue extracts and the phosphate content was determined. The addition of forskolin to resting or methacholine-contracted muscles resulted in an increase in myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation of myosin light chain kinase is one of the reactions in the process by which cyclic adenosine monophosphate causes relaxation of smooth muscle.     

MYL1基因mRNA选择性剪切体的鉴定及其在不同发育时期的蓝塘与长白猪骨骼肌中的表达

肌球蛋白轻链1基因(MYL1)的2个剪切体MLC1f及MLC3f在骨骼肌不同发育时期中发挥着重要作用。为进一步了解MYL1基因在猪骨骼肌发育过程中的重要作用,通过电子克隆、RT-PCR扩增及实时定量PCR方法克隆和鉴定了猪MYL1基因mRNA 5个选择性剪切体(MLC1f、MLC3f、MLC5f-A、MLC5f-B和MLC5f-C)。其中MLC5f-A、MLC5f-B和MLC5f-C是在猪背最长肌中鉴定到的MYL1基因的3个新转录本,目前在人、鼠等其它物种尚无这三种转录本的报道。结果表明,剪切体MLC3f在180日龄长白猪中的表达量最高,而剪切体MLC1f则是在90日龄蓝塘猪的表达量最高;剪切体MLC5f-A在蓝塘与长白猪中各发育时期的表达量都很低;除了剪切体MLC1f外,其余转录本的表达量均为随个体体重的增加而逐步增加。通过对MYL1基因不同选择性剪切体的鉴定,为其在骨骼肌不同发育阶段或组织类型特异性表达调控研究奠定了基础,为该基因功能的研究提供重要线索。     

Control of myocardial contraction: the sensitivity of cardiac actomyosin to calcium ion

The control by calcium ion of the adenosine triphosphatase activity of cardiac actomyosin is similar to that of white skeletal actomyosin. This finding indicates that the slower contraction and relaxation of heart muscle do not reflect different levels to which free calcium ion concentration around the myofibrils must be adjusted during contraction and relaxation and suggests a mechanism whereby myocardial contractility may be regulated.     

Actomyosin from Physarum polycephalum: electron microscopy of myosin-enriched preparations

Negatively stained slime mold actomyosin examined by electron microscopy consists mainly of actin-like filaments with occasional angular projections. If some of the actin is removed, the myosin-enriched actomyosin appears as continuous arrowhead structures similar to those of vertebrate striated muscle actomyosin. Together with other evidence, the findings suggest that cytoplasmic streaming in Physarum may involve a contractile process operating at a relatively low myosin-actin ratio.     

Continued expression of neonatal myosin heavy chain in adult dystrophic skeletal muscle

The expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms was examined in normal and dystrophic chicken muscle with a monoclonal antibody specific for neonatal myosin. Adult dystrophic muscle continued to contain neonatal myosin long after it disappeared from adult normal muscle. A new technique involving western blotting and peptide mapping demonstrated that the immunoreactive myosin in adult dystrophic muscle was identical to that found in neonatal normal muscle. Immunocytochemistry revealed that all fibers in the dystrophic muscle failed to repress neonatal myosin heavy chain. These studies suggest that muscular dystrophy inhibits the myosin gene switching that normally occurs during muscle maturation.     

Functional arteries grown in vitro

A tissue engineering approach was developed to produce arbitrary lengths of vascular graft material from smooth muscle and endothelial cells that were derived from a biopsy of vascular tissue. Bovine vessels cultured under pulsatile conditions had rupture strengths greater than 2000 millimeters of mercury, suture retention strengths of up to 90 grams, and collagen contents of up to 50 percent. Cultured vessels also showed contractile responses to pharmacological agents and contained smooth muscle cells that displayed markers of differentiation such as calponin and myosin heavy chains. Tissue-engineered arteries were implanted in miniature swine, with patency documented up to 24 days by digital angiography.     

Role of Toxoplasma gondii myosin A in powering parasite gliding and host cell invasion

Obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasites rely on gliding motion powered by their actomyosin system to disperse throughout tissues and to penetrate host cells. Toxoplasma gondii myosin A has been implicated in this process, but direct proof has been lacking. We designed a genetic screen to generate a tetracycline-inducible transactivator system in T. gondii. The MyoA gene was disrupted in the presence of a second regulatable copy of MyoA. Conditional removal of this myosin caused severe impairment in host cell invasion and parasite spreading in cultured cells, and unambiguously established the pathogenic function of this motor in an animal model.     

CYK-4/GAP provides a localized cue to initiate anteroposterior polarity upon fertilization

The Caenorhabditis elegans anteroposterior axis is established in response to fertilization by sperm. Here we present evidence that RhoA, the guanine nucleotide-exchange factor ECT-2, and the Rho guanosine triphosphatase-activating protein CYK-4 modulate myosin light-chain activity to create a gradient of actomyosin, which establishes the anterior domain. CYK-4 is enriched within sperm, and paternally donated CYK-4 is required for polarity. These data suggest that CYK-4 provides a molecular link between fertilization and polarity establishment in the one-cell embryo. Orthologs of CYK-4 are expressed in sperm of other species, which suggests that this cue may be evolutionarily conserved.     

Myosin: a link between streptococci and heart

Murine monoclonal antibodies to Streptococcus pyogenes reacted with skeletal muscle myosin. High molecular weight proteins in extracts of human heart tissue that reacted with an antibody to S. pyogenes also reacted with a monoclonal antibody to ventricular myosin. Adsorption of the antibody to streptococci with S. pyogenes simultaneously removed reactivity of the antibody for either S. pyogenes or myosin. These results indicate that myosin shares immunodeterminants with a component of S. pyogenes.     

Actin network architecture can determine myosin motor activity

The organization of actin filaments into higher-ordered structures governs eukaryotic cell shape and movement. Global actin network size and architecture are maintained in a dynamic steady state through regulated assembly and disassembly. Here, we used experimentally defined actin structures in vitro to investigate how the activity of myosin motors depends on network architecture. Direct visualization of filaments revealed myosin-induced actin network deformation. During this reorganization, myosins selectively contracted and disassembled antiparallel actin structures, while parallel actin bundles remained unaffected. The local distribution of nucleation sites and the resulting orientation of actin filaments appeared to regulate the scalability of the contraction process. This "orientation selection" mechanism for selective contraction and disassembly suggests how the dynamics of the cellular actin cytoskeleton can be spatially controlled by actomyosin contractility.     

蛋白质磷酸化调控羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的功能

【目的】通过激活蛋白激酶的活性提高羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的磷酸化水平,分析磷酸化水平的提高对羊肉肌原纤维蛋白降解程度、收缩功能的影响,进一步揭示蛋白质磷酸化对羊肉肌肉嫩化的作用机理。【方法】通过添加蛋白激酶A激活剂Forskolin、蛋白激酶C激活剂佛波酯（PMA）,提高蛋白激酶的活性,改变羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的磷酸化水平。比较激活剂处理组与空白对照组肌原纤维小片化指数（MFI）、条带降解程度、肌节长度等指标的差异,确定蛋白质磷酸化水平对羊肉肌肉收缩和肌肉降解的影响。【结果】将羊肉样品在蛋白激酶溶液中培养24 h,在培养结束后1、2和4 h,PMA处理组（PKC激活组）的蛋白激酶活性显著高于空白对照组（P＜0.05）,而在培养后1和4 h,Forskolin处理组（PKA激活组）的蛋白激酶活性显著高于空白对照组（P＜0.05）。PMA处理组和Forskolin处理组的最高蛋白激酶活性出现在培养后1 h。Forskolin和PMA通过提高激酶活性显著提高肌联蛋白（Titin）、肌球蛋白结合蛋白C（Myosin binding protein C）、原肌球蛋白（Tropomyosin）、肌球蛋白轻链2（Myosin light chain 2）等蛋白质的磷酸化水平,肌球蛋白重链、肌动蛋白质的磷酸化水平没有显著变化,Forskolin组和PMA组的蛋白质降解程度及肌节长度均低于对照组。【结论】肌原纤维蛋白磷酸化水平提高不利于羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的降解。另一方面,磷酸化水平可能通过对肌球蛋白轻链2的作用增强羊肉肌肉的收缩作用力,通过促进相邻原肌球蛋白的相互作用促进肌细丝收缩,影响肉的僵直进程和嫩化进程。