Independent mobility of catalytic and regulatory domains of myosin heads

The recent determination of the myosin head atomic structure has led to a new model of muscle contraction, according to which mechanical torque is generated in the catalytic domain and amplified by the lever arm made of the regulatory domain [Fisher, A. J., Smith, C. A., Thoden, J., Smith, R., Sutoh, K., Holden, H. M. & Rayment, I. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 8960-8972]. A crucial aspect of this model is the ability of the regulatory domain to move independently of the catalytic domain. Saturation transfer-EPR measurements of mobility of these two domains in myosin filaments give strong support for this notion. The catalytic domain of the myosin head was labeled at Cys-707 with indane dione spin label; the regulatory domain was labeled at the single cysteine residue of the essential light chain and exchanged into myosin. The mobility of the regulatory domain in myosin filaments was characterized by an effective rotational correlation time (tauR) between 24 and 48 micros. In contrast, the mobility of the catalytic domain was found to be tauR = 5-9 micros. This difference in mobility between the two domains existed only in the filament form of myosin. In the monomeric form, or when bound to actin, the mobility of the two domains in myosin was indistinguishable, with tauR = 1-4 micros and >1,000 micros, respectively. Therefore, the observed difference in filaments cannot be ascribed to differences in local conformations of the spin-labeled sites. The most straightforward interpretation suggests a flexible hinge between the two domains, which would have to stiffen before force could be generated.

New Accelerators for Vulcanization of Rubber—Part III: Synthesis, Characterization, and Evaluation of Some 2-Mercaptobenzimidazole Derivatives

Five derivatives of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole containing S—N bonds have been synthesized and evaluated for their action as accelerator-antioxidant in NR gum stocks. All these compounds exhibit varying degree of accelerating efficiency; some of them, viz. MBSTP, MBSPT, and MBDSPT, offer excellent cure characteristics and vulcanizate properties comparable to some of the best commercially available curatives such as CPTD. Substitution at the N or S atom of the MB molecule does not affect adversely its antioxidant properties; rather, an improvement in aging resistance has been achieved. The degree and nature of substitution play an important role in the antioxidation properties of these MB derivatives. Thus, disubstitution offers better antioxidation characteristics than monosubstitution, and the latter, in turn, is better than unsubstituted MB. Some discussion on correlation of reactivities of these MB derivatives and their cure synergism with CPTD have been reported. It was observed that these new accelerator—antioxidant compounds show very little cure synergism with CPTD but do show promise as dual-function curatives for natural rubber.

Study of Cure Synergism of the Thiocarbamylsulfenamide-Dibenzothiazyl Disulfide Accelerator System in the Vulcanization of Natural Rubber

N-cyclopentamethylenethiocarbamyl-N′-cyclopentamethylenesulfenamide (CPTCS) and dibenzothiazyldisulfide (MBTS), as binary accelerators in a mixture have been found to provide significant mutual enhanced activity with regard to modulus, tensile strength, hardness, and elongation at break in the vulcanization of NR gum stocks. The synergistic activity of the CPTCS-MBTS system is very much dependent upon the accelerator ratios, concentration of sulfur and accelerator, as well as the temperature of vulcanization. Investigations carried out with the Monsanto rheometer also corroborate the above results. It is suggested that the synergism arises out of the interaction between CPTCS and MBTS which produces intermediate accelerators. N,N-Diethylthiocarbamyl-N′-cyclohexylsulfenamide (DETCS) in conjunction with MBTS, produces similar results in the vulcanization of NR. Structural characterization of the vulcanizates obtained at 140 and 160°C reveals that predominantly monosulfidic linkages are obtained with CPTCS or DETCS and MBTS combinations. The intermediate combinations, at near equimolar concentration of the two accelerators, exhibit maximum crosslink density. An attempt has been made to correlate physical properties with crosslink density as well as various types of crosslinks.