Heavy Meromyosin Research Articles

The role of structural dynamics of actin in class-specific myosin motility.

The structural dynamics of actin, including the tilting motion between the small and large domains, are essential for proper interactions with actin-binding proteins. Gly146 is situated at the hinge between the two domains, and we previously showed that a G146V mutation leads to severe motility defects in skeletal myosin but has no effect on motility of myosin V. The present study tested the hypothesis that G146V mutation impaired rotation between the two domains, leading to such functional defects. First, our study showed that depolymerization of G146V filaments was slower than that of wild-type filaments. This result is consistent with the distinction of structural states of G146V filaments from those of the wild type, considering the recent report that stabilization of actin filaments involves rotation of the two domains. Next, we measured intramolecular FRET efficiencies between two fluorophores in the two domains with or without skeletal muscle heavy meromyosin or the heavy meromyosin equivalent of myosin V in the presence of ATP. Single-molecule FRET measurements showed that the conformations of actin subunits of control and G146V actin filaments were different in the presence of skeletal muscle heavy meromyosin. This altered conformation of G146V subunits may lead to motility defects in myosin II. In contrast, distributions of FRET efficiencies of control and G146V subunits were similar in the presence of myosin V, consistent with the lack of motility defects in G146V actin with myosin V. The distribution of FRET efficiencies in the presence of myosin V was different from that in the presence of skeletal muscle heavy meromyosin, implying that the roles of actin conformation in myosin motility depend on the type of myosin.

Motility of actin filaments on micro-contact printed myosin patterns.

Protein molecular motors, which convert, directly and efficiently, chemical energy into motion, are excellent candidates for integration in hybrid dynamic nanodevices. To integrate and use the full potential of molecular motors in these devices, their design requires a quantitative and precise prediction of the fundamental mechanical and physicochemical features of cytoskeletal proteins operating in artificial environments. In that regard, the behavior of protein molecular motors constructs in/on nano-confined spaces or nanostructured surfaces that aim to control their motility is of critical interest. Here, we used a standard gliding motility assay to study the actin filaments sliding on a surface comprising heavy mero myosin (HMM) micro- and nano-patterns. To print HMM, we used negative tone, micro contact printing of a blocking protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) on a nitrocellulose surface, followed by specific adsorption of HMM on BSA-free surfaces. While the large BSA-free patterns allowed for selective confinement of actin filaments motility, the BSA-stamped areas displayed intricate nano-sized HMM patterns, which enabled a deeper analysis of the nano-mechanics of actomyosin motility in confined spaces.

Ankyrin domain of myosin 16 influences motor function and decreases protein phosphatase catalytic activity.

The unconventional myosin 16 (Myo16), which may have a role in regulation of cell cycle and cell proliferation, can be found in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. It has a unique, eight ankyrin repeat containing pre-motor domain, the so-called ankyrin domain (My16Ank). Ankyrin repeats are present in several other proteins, e.g., in the regulatory subunit (MYPT1) of the myosin phosphatase holoenzyme, which binds to the protein phosphatase-1 catalytic subunit (PP1c). My16Ank shows sequence similarity to MYPT1. In this work, the interactions of recombinant and isolated My16Ank were examined in vitro. To test the effects of My16Ank on myosin motor function, we used skeletal muscle myosin or nonmuscle myosin 2B. The results showed that My16Ank bound to skeletal muscle myosin (K D ≈ 2.4 µM) and the actin-activated ATPase activity of heavy meromyosin (HMM) was increased in the presence of My16Ank, suggesting that the ankyrin domain can modulate myosin motor activity. My16Ank showed no direct interaction with either globular or filamentous actin. We found, using a surface plasmon resonance-based binding technique, that My16Ank bound to PP1cα (K D ≈ 540 nM) and also to PP1cδ (K D ≈ 600 nM) and decreased its phosphatase activity towards the phosphorylated myosin regulatory light chain. Our results suggest that one function of the ankyrin domain is probably to regulate the function of Myo16. It may influence the motor activity, and in complex with the PP1c isoforms, it can play an important role in the targeted dephosphorylation of certain, as yet unidentified, intracellular proteins.

Omecamtiv Mecarbil modulates the kinetic and motile properties of porcine β-cardiac myosin.

We determined the effect of Omecamtiv Mecarbil, a novel allosteric effector of cardiac muscle myosin, on the kinetic and "in vitro" motility properties of the porcine ventricular heavy meromyosin (PV-HMM). Omecamtiv Mecarbil increases the equilibrium constant of the hydrolysis step (M-ATP ⇄ M-ADP-Pi) from 2.4 to 6 as determined by quench flow, but the maximal rates of both the hydrolysis step and tryptophan fluorescence increase are unchanged by the drug. OM also increases the amplitude of the fast phase of phosphate dissociation (AM-ADP-Pi → AM-ADP + Pi) that is associated with force production in muscle by 4-fold. These results suggest a mechanism in which hydrolysis of M-ATP to M-ADP-Pi occurs both before and after the recovery stroke, but rapid acceleration of phosphate dissociation by actin occurs only on post-recovery stroke A-M-ADP-Pi. One of the more dramatic effects of OM on PV-HMM is a 14-fold decrease in the unloaded shortening velocity measured by the in vitro motility assay. The increase in flux through phosphate dissociation and the unchanged rate of ADP dissociation (AM-ADP → AM + ADP) by the drug produce a higher duty ratio motor in which a larger fraction of myosin heads are strongly bound to actin filaments. The increased internal load produced by a larger fraction of strongly attached crossbridges explains the reduced rate of in vitro motility velocity in the presence of OM and predicts that the drug will produce slower and stronger contraction of cardiac muscle.

Altered Structural State of Actin Filaments Upon MYOSIN II Binding

The paths of actin filaments propelled over a heavy meromyosin (HMM) surface in the in vitro motility assay (IVMA) can statistically be described by a path persistence length (LPP) and has been hypothesized to be proportional to the flexural rigidity of the filaments. Here, we have studied the LPP at high (130 mM) ionic strength along with the persistence length of actin filaments in solution (LPS) to elucidate how HMM binding affects the flexural rigidity of actin filaments. Characterization and control of material properties, such as the path persistence length, is useful in engineered devices that takes advantages of the function of the muscle contractile proteins e.g. for biocomputation.It has been suggested that myosin binding reduces Lpp for phalloidin stabilized actin filaments. This is consistent with the results presented here where the phalloidin stabilized actin filaments rigidity is reduced to the level of phalloidin free actin filaments in the IVMA. Further, reducing the MgATP concentration in the IVMA would increase the HMM head density along the actin filament hence making the effect of myosin binding more pronounced. A reduced [MgATP] from 1 mM to 0.02-0.05 mM did indeed reduce the LPP from 10-12 µm to 6-7 µm for both phalloidin-stabilized and phalloidin free actin filaments. Additionally, we found a negative correlation between the LPS and the [HMM]/actin ratio. However, this [HMM] dependent reduction observed in LPS was too small to account for the reduction in LPP seen with reduced [MgATP] in the IVMA. Monte-Carlo simulations and theoretical analysis revealed that the large reduction in LPP is consistent with the idea that every head attachment adds an extra angular displacement.(Support from EU-FP7-FET-ABACUS grant number 613044)

Characterization and Stabilization of Fascin-Bundled Actin Filaments Transported by Heavy Meromyosin

Characterization and Stabilization of Fascin-Bundled Actin Filaments Transported by Heavy Meromyosin

Minimum and Maximum Limit to Number of Myosin II Motors Participating in an Ensemble Motility

Myosin II is an ensemble motor that participates in muscle contraction, actin cortex remodeling and cytokinesis ring constriction. It has been an interesting puzzle for scientific community to understand the allosteric rules between motors that regulate/co-ordinate when they work in group. We have performed classical In Vitro motility assay at different heavy meromyosin (HMM) density and ATP concentrations. By changing immobilized HMM density and ATP concentration, we change the number of HMM molecules available for interaction/unit length of actin filament. Actin filaments of >10 micron length were added in flow cell and assay was initiated by addition of ATP. Actin filaments breaks down to smaller pieces within minutes after addition of ATP. Average length of sliding filaments correlates well with motors density and ATP concentrations in solution. At 633 head/µm2 density and 2 mM ATP concentration the average filament length was 1747.6±614 nm and further reduced to 1290.5±385.5 nm at 0.1 mM ATP. At 4000 heads/µm2 density and 2 mM ATP concentration the average filament length was 935.5±286 nm and reduced to 599.5±154.2 nm at 0.1 mM ATP. Any filament below this average length does not slide continuously, they detach from surface with time and any filament above this average length fragments to smaller pieces with time. Assuming Poisson distribution of immobilized heads, we calculated maximum number of molecules that can interact for a given actin length. Number of molecules required for continuous sliding is independent of motor density and depends only on ATP concentration. For 2 mM ATP concentration, 123.6±28.9 heads and for 0.1 mM ATP concentration 62.3 ±19.5 heads are required for continuous sliding of actin. All values are mean ± SD.Supported by DST, Government of India.

Characterization and functional analysis of a chitin synthase gene (HcCS1) identified from the freshwater pearlmussel Hyriopsis cumingii.

The triangle sail mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii, is the most important freshwater pearl mussel in China. However, the mechanisms underlying its chitin-mediated shell and nacre formation remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized a chitin synthase (CS) gene (HcCS1) in H. cumingii, and analyzed its possible physiological function. The complete ORF sequence of HcCS1 contained 6903 bp, encoding a 2300-amino acid protein (theoretical molecular mass = 264 kDa; isoelectric point = 6.22), and no putative signal peptide was predicted. A myosin motor head domain, a CS domain, and 12 transmembrane domains were found. The predicted spatial structures of the myosin head and CS domains were similar to the electron microscopic structure of the heavy meromyosin subfragment of chicken smooth muscle myosin and the crystal structure of bacterial cellulose synthase, respectively. This structural similarity indicates that the functions of these two domains might be conserved. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR results showed that HcCS1 was present in all detected tissues, with the highest expression levels detected in the mantle. The HcCS1 transcripts in the mantle were upregulated following shell damage from 12 to 24 h post-damage, and they peaked (approximately 1.5-fold increase) at 12 h after shell damage. These findings suggest that HcCS1 was involved in shell regeneration, and that it might participate in shell and nacre formation in this species via chitin synthesis. HcCS1 might also dynamically regulate chitin deposition during the process of shell and nacre formation with the help of its conserved myosin head domain.

Boyden chamber-based method for characterizing the distribution of adhesions and cytoskeletal structure in HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells

A 2D model was previously presented that describes the gliding motility of human fibrosarcoma cells. The model was based on the observation that adhesions are present only on the outer rim of the leading lamella of the semicircular cell. The present model describes the organization of adhesions and the cytoskeleton of migrating HT1080 fibrosarcoma and LX2 hepatic stellate cells in three dimensions. The migration assays were performed in a modified Boyden chamber using fibronectin, Matrigel, or collagen I as chemoattractants. The distribution of the adhesions was analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscope, and following decoration with heavy meromyosin, the organization of actin filaments was analyzed by electron microscopy. Double labeling was performed to study the relationship of the actin and vimentin filament network in the moving cells. Vinculin containing adhesions were observed only at the front of the cell in the form of a ring while passing through a filter pore of the Boyden chamber. Actin filaments were present only below the plasma membrane, except the very tip of the leading lamella. Vimentin intermediate filaments were localized around the cell nucleus behind the actin filament-rich lamella.This paper describes a model of the organization of adhesions and the cytoskeleton of migrating cells in the Boyden chamber. The model is based on the observation that adhesions are present only at the leading edge of the cell. The results extend the earlier 2D model of cell locomotion into 3D.

Constitutive phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase targeting subunit-1 in smooth muscle.

Smooth muscle contraction initiated by myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) phosphorylation is dependent on the relative activities of Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP). We have investigated the physiological role of the MLCP regulatory subunit MYPT1 in bladder smooth muscle containing a smooth muscle-specific deletion of MYPT1 in adult mice. Deep-sequencing analyses of mRNA and immunoblotting revealed that MYPT1 depletion reduced the amount of PP1cδ with no compensatory changes in expression of other MYPT1 family members. Phosphatase activity towards phosphorylated smooth muscle heavy meromyosin was proportional to the amount of PP1cδ in total homogenates from wild-type or MYPT1-deficient tissues. Isolated MYPT1-deficient tissues from MYPT1(SM-/-) mice contracted with moderate differences in response to KCl and carbachol treatments, and relaxed rapidly with comparable rates after carbachol removal and only 1.5-fold slower after KCl removal. Measurements of phosphorylated proteins in the RLC signalling and actin polymerization modules during contractions revealed moderate changes. Using a novel procedure to quantify total phosphorylation of MYPT1 at Thr696 and Thr853, we found substantial phosphorylation in wild-type tissues under resting conditions, predicting attenuation of MLCP activity. Reduced PP1cδ activity in MYPT1-deficient tissues may be similar to the attenuated MLCP activity in wild-type tissues resulting from constitutively phosphorylated MYPT1. Constitutive phosphorylation of MYPT1 Thr696 and Thr853 may thus represent a physiological mechanism acting in concert with agonist-induced MYPT1 phosphorylation to inhibit MLCP activity. In summary, MYPT1 deficiency may not cause significant derangement of smooth muscle contractility because the effective MLCP activity is not changed.

Coupling of two non-processive myosin 5c dimers enables processive stepping along actin filaments.

Myosin 5c (Myo5c) is a low duty ratio, non-processive motor unable to move continuously along actin filaments though it is believed to participate in secretory vesicle trafficking in vertebrate cells. Here, we measured the ATPase kinetics of Myo5c dimers and tested the possibility that the coupling of two Myo5c molecules enables processive movement. Steady-state ATPase activity and ADP dissociation kinetics demonstrated that a dimer of Myo5c-HMM (double-headed heavy meromyosin 5c) has a 6-fold lower Km for actin filaments than Myo5c-S1 (single-headed myosin 5c subfragment-1), indicating that the two heads of Myo5c-HMM increase F-actin-binding affinity. Nanometer-precision tracking analyses showed that two Myo5c-HMM dimers linked with each other via a DNA scaffold and moved processively along actin filaments. Moreover, the distance between the Myo5c molecules on the DNA scaffold is an important factor for the processive movement. Individual Myo5c molecules in two-dimer complexes move stochastically in 30–36 nm steps. These results demonstrate that two dimers of Myo5c molecules on a DNA scaffold increased the probability of rebinding to F-actin and enabled processive steps along actin filaments, which could be used for collective cargo transport in cells.

Label-Free, All-Optical Detection, Imaging, and Tracking of a Single Protein

Optical detection of individual proteins requires fluorescent labeling. Cavity and plasmonic methodologies enhance single molecule signatures in the absence of any labels but have struggled to demonstrate routine and quantitative single protein detection. Here, we used interferometric scattering microscopy not only to detect but also to image and nanometrically track the motion of single myosin 5a heavy meromyosin molecules without the use of labels or any nanoscopic amplification. Together with the simple experimental arrangement, an intrinsic independence from strong electronic transition dipoles and a detection limit of <60 kDa, our approach paves the way toward nonresonant, label-free sensing and imaging of nanoscopic objects down to the single protein level.

Loop 2 of myosin is a force-dependent inhibitor of the rigor bond

Myosin's actin-binding loop (loop 2) carries a charge opposite to that of its binding site on actin and is thought to play an important role in ionic interactions between the two molecules during the initial binding step. However, no subsequent role has been identified for loop 2 in actin-myosin binding. We used an optical trap to measure bond formation and bond rupture between actin and rigor heavy meromyosin when loaded perpendicular to the filament axis. We studied HMM with intact or proteolytically cleaved loop 2 at low and physiologic ionic strength. Here we show that the presence of intact loop 2 allows actomyosin bonds to form quickly and that they do so in a short-lived bound state. Increasing tensile load causes the transition to a long-lived state-the distinguishing behavior of a catch bond. When loop 2 was cleaved catch bond behavior was abrogated leaving only a long-lived state. These data suggest that in addition to its role in locating binding sites on actin, loop 2 is also a force-dependent inhibitor of the long-lived actomyosin complex. This may be important for reducing the duty ratio and increasing the shortening velocity of actomyosin at low forces.

Chemical Mechanism of Glycerol 3-Phosphate Phosphatase: pH-Dependent Changes in the Rate-Limiting Step

The halo-acid dehalogenase (HAD) superfamily comprises a large number of enzymes that share a conserved core domain responsible for a diverse array of chemical transformations (e.g., phosphonatase, dehalogenase, phosphohexomutase, and phosphatase) and a cap domain that controls substrate specificity. Phosphate hydrolysis is thought to proceed via an aspartyl-phosphate intermediate, and X-ray crystallography has shown that protein active site conformational changes are required for catalytic competency. Using a combination of steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetics, pL-rate studies, solvent kinetic isotope effects, (18)O molecular isotope exchange, and partition experiments, we provide a detailed description of the chemical mechanism of a glycerol 3-phosphate phosphatase. This phosphatase has been recently recognized as a rate-limiting factor in lipid polar head recycling in Mycobacterium tuberculosis [Larrouy-Maumus, G., et al. (2013) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 110 (28), 11320-11325]. Our results clearly establish the existence of an aspartyl-phosphate intermediate in this newly discovered member of the HAD superfamily. No ionizable groups are rate-limiting from pH 5.5 to 9.5, consistent with the pK values of the catalytic aspartate residues. The formation and decay of this intermediate are partially rate-limiting below pH 7.0, and a conformational change preceding catalysis is rate-limiting above pH 7.0.

Three-Dimensionally Constrained Actomyosin Motility on Oxide Coated Semiconductor Nanowires

In vitro motility assays with surface-adsorbed myosin motor fragments have given important insights into the molecular physiology and pathology of striated muscle contraction and inspired nanotechnological applications e.g. lab-on-a-chip devices. However, to date neither precise localized control of the motor density nor introduction of nanoscale three-dimensional geometrical constraints has been possible. This hampers studies of cooperative phenomena and realization of three-dimensional (3D) transport systems. Here, we take critical steps to overcome these limitations, using aluminium oxide coated gallium phosphide nanowires as scaffolds for heavy meromyosin (HMM) adsorption. The wires (diameter: 100-200 nm; height < 5 μm) were either positioned vertically in regular arrays or horizontally on surfaces after etching the GaP core to give hollow nanowires. Upon ATP addition, actin filaments were propelled by HMM on top of the arrays, with filaments spanning inter-wire distances up to 1 μm. The filaments also moved up and down vertical nanowires as detected using sub-wavelength light guiding properties of the nanowires. Motility on top of nanowire arrays holds potential for studies of cooperative phenomena e.g. local enhancement of myosin binding along actin filaments upon actomyosin interactions. Here we tested whether the low velocity for long filaments seen at uniformly low motor densities on flat surfaces may be attributed to loss of cooperative enhancement of myosin head binding locally to actin close to an existing actomyosin cross-bridge. Velocity data showing 1/3 the velocity with 1 μm compared to 300 nm inter-wire spacing, in both cases with ∼90 HMM molecules per 150 nm wide wire tip (giving high local motor density), argue against this idea. We further demonstrate HMM propelled transport through hollow nanowires of 80 nm inner diameter. Uses of hollow nanowires in fundamental studies of actomyosin and in nanotechnological applications will be considered.

Effects of temperature and method of heat treatment on myofibrillar proteins of pork

During the tests in this paper, meat processing was carried out at different temperatures between the range of 51?C to 100?C. The meat was processed by dry heat (roasting) and wet heat treatments (cooking) in water at atmospheric pressure. After heat treatment, myofibrillar proteins were extracted from solutions at constant ionic strength. Quantitative and qualitative determinations of protein?s fractions were performed by capillary electrophoresis. Myofibrillar proteins were also analized for fresh pork meat sample. Results obtained in fresh meat were compared with those recorded after roasting and cooking. In the fresh and thermally processed pork the following proteins were identified: myosin, light chain 3; myosin, light chain 2; troponin - C; troponin - I; myosin, light chain 1; tropomyosin; troponin - T; actin; desmin; ? - actinin; C - protein; M - protein (M?); M - protein (M?); heavy meromyosin - HMM. For both methods of thermal processing, with increasing heat treatment temperature, concentration of soluble protein in the extract decreases rapidly after 51?C. Cooking treatment had a more intense effect on the proteins change and denaturation than roasting.

Atomic-Level Visualization of Smooth Muscle Activation by Phosphorylation of the Myosin Regulatory Light Chain

We have engineered site-directed probe pairs in the regulatory light chain (RLC) for exchange into smooth muscle heavy meromyosin (HMM) and subfragment-1 (S1), in order to examine the phosphorylation-induced changes in RLC structural states using time-resolved FRET (TR-FRET). Phosphorylation of the RLC is required for activation of contraction in smooth muscle and modulates force in striated muscle. Force development in smooth muscle is triggered by phosphorylation of the RLC's N-terminal phosphorylation domain (PD) at Ser19, alleviating inhibitory interactions between the two heads. Since crystal structures of the RLC lack the PD, the mechanism by which RLC phosphorylation allosterically triggers disruption of HMM auto-inhibition remains unresolved. Our site-directed FRET probe pairs resolved intramolecular atomic distance measurements between the RLC core and the dynamic PD. Smooth muscle RLC assumes two structural states in both states of activation: phosphorylation shifts the equilibrium of these two structural states from primarily occupying the compact closed state to favoring the extended open state of the PD, relative to the RLC core. Compared to single-headed S1 (Kast et al., PNAS., 2010), the open state RLC conformation of unphosphorylated HMM is more compact, presumably due to head-head or RLC-RLC interactions. All-atom MD simulations corroborate our TR-FRET studies, and reveal specific salt-bridges that stabilize each structural state. The hypotheses generated from our MD simulations are being tested experimentally by TR-FRET via site-directed mutagenesis to manipulate charge. These studies offer the first atomic-resolution insight into the structural dynamics of RLC phosphorylation, and a similar approach should be applicable to striated muscle. Spectroscopy was performed in the Biophysical Spectroscopy Center at the University of Minnesota. This work was funded by NIH grants to DDT (R01 AR32961, P30 AR0507220, T32 AR007612).

Non-Linear Cross-Bridge Elasticity, ATP-Independent Detachment and ATP-Velocity Relationships for Skeletal Muscle Actomyosin

The idea that contraction of skeletal muscle and heart results from ATP-driven actomyosin cross-bridge cycles is generally accepted. However, operational details remain controversial. For instance, in conflict with most accepted views, evidence was recently presented [1] for appreciably non-linear elasticity with low stiffness for post-power-stroke cross-bridges. Moreover, a non-hyperbolic relationship was observed [2] between MgATP concentration and sliding velocity for actin filaments propelled in vitro by myosin subfragment 1 or full length myosin. Here we present convincing evidence for a hyperbolic [MgATP]-velocity relationship (r2=0.998; Michaelis-Menten constants, Vmax=15.28 ± 0.28 µm/s (mean±SEM) and KM= 0.389 ± 0.023 mM) when actin filaments are propelled by heavy meromyosin from rabbit fast skeletal muscle myosin (28-29oC; >3 independent experiments). Because the hyperbolic [MgATP]-velocity relationship is not readily consistent with inter-head cooperativity the results were interpreted using a cross-bridge model with independent myosin heads. The inter-state transition rates were strain-dependent and the model had one detached state and five attached actomyosin (AM) states with either MgATP (AMATP) or MgADP and/or inorganic phosphate (Pi) or no nucleotide at the active site. The AMADPPi state was a strongly bound pre-power-stroke state whereas the remaining states without Pi were post-power-stroke states required to account for strain-dependent MgADP-release on the one hand and MgATP-dependence of velocity and competitive inhibition of MgATP binding by MgADP (AM, AMADP, AMATP) on the other. The MgATP induced detachment was supplemented by MgATP independent, but strain-dependent, detachment from the rigor (AM) state. This model predicts a hyperbolic [MgATP]-velocity relationship if the cross-bridge elasticity is non-linear but a non-hyperbolic [MgATP]-velocity relationship (cf. [2]) if cross-bridge elasticity is linear.

X-ray solution scattering of squid heavy meromyosin: strengthening the evidence for an ancient compact off state.

The overall conformations of regulated myosins or heavy meromyosins from chicken/turkey, scallop, tarantula, limulus, and scorpion sources have been studied by a number of techniques, including electron microscopy, sedimentation, and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance. These studies have indicated that the binding of regulatory ions changes the conformation of the molecule from a compact shape found in the “off” state of the muscle to extended relationships between the tail and independently mobile heads that predominate in the “on” state. Here we strengthen the argument for the generality of this conformational change by using small angle X-ray scattering on heavy meromyosin from squid. Small angle X-ray scattering allows the protein to be visualized in solution under mild and relatively physiological conditions, and squid differs from the other species studied by at least 500 million years of evolution. Analysis of the data indicates that upon addition of Ca2+ the radius of gyration increases. Differences in the squid “on” and “off” states are clearly distinguishable as bimodal and unimodal pair distance distribution functions respectively. These observations are consistent with a Ca2+-free squid heavy meromyosin that is compact, but which becomes extended when Ca2+ is bound. Further, the scattering profile derived from the current model of tarantula heavy meromyosin in the “off” state is in excellent agreement with the measured “off” state scattering profile for squid heavy meromyosin. The previous and current studies together provide significant evidence that regulated myosin's compact off-state conformation is an ancient trait, inherited from a common ancestor during divergent evolution.

Characterization of Three Full-length Human Nonmuscle Myosin II Paralogs

Nonmuscle myosin IIs (NM IIs) are a group of molecular motors involved in a wide variety of cellular processes including cytokinesis, migration, and control of cell morphology. There are three paralogs of the NM II heavy chain in humans (IIA, IIB, and IIC), each encoded by a separate gene. These paralogs are expressed at different levels according to cell type and have different roles and intracellular distributions in vivo. Most previous studies on NM II used tissue-purified protein or expressed fragments of the molecule, which presents potential drawbacks for characterizing individual paralogs of the intact protein in vitro. To circumvent current limitations and approach their native properties, we have successfully expressed and purified the three full-length human NM II proteins with their light chains, using the baculovirus/Sf9 system. The enzymatic and structural properties of the three paralogs were characterized. Although each NM II is capable of forming bipolar filaments, those formed by IIC tend to contain fewer constituent molecules than those of IIA and IIB. All paralogs adopt the compact conformation in the presence of ATP. Phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain leads to assembly into filaments, which bind to actin in the presence of ATP. The nature of interactions with actin filaments is shown with different paralogs exhibiting different actin binding behaviors under equivalent conditions. The data show that although NM IIA and IIB form filaments with similar properties, NM IIC forms filaments that are less well suited to roles such as tension maintenance within the cell.