Defining the "fast-reacting" thiols of myosin by reaction with 1, 5 IAEDANS

Thiol reactivity as a sensor of rotation of the converter in myosin

Smooth muscle myosin has two reactive thiols located near the C-terminal region of its motor domain, the "converter", which rotates by approximately 70 degrees upon the transition from the "nucleotide-free" state to the "pre-power stroke" state. The incorporation rates of a thiol reagent, 5-(((2-iodoacetyl)amino)ethyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (IAEDANS), into these thiols were greatly altered by adding ATP or changing the myosin conformation. Comparisons of the myosin structures in the pre-power stroke state and the nucleotide-free state explained why the reactivity of both thiols is especially sensitive to a conformational change around the converter, and thus can be used as a sensor of the rotation of the converter. Modeling of the myosin structure in the pre-power stroke state, in which the most reactive thiol, "SH1", was selectively modified with IAEDANS, revealed that this label becomes an obstacle when the converter completely rotates toward its position in the pre-power stroke state, thus resulting in incomplete rotation of the converter. Therefore, we suggest that the limitation of the converter rotation by modification causes the as-yet unexplained phenomena of SH1-modified myosin, including the inhibition of 10S myosin formation and the losses in phosphorylation-dependent regulation of the basic and actin-activated Mg-ATPase activities of myosin.

Functional, structural, and chemical changes in myosin associated with hydrogen peroxide treatment of skeletal muscle fibers

To understand the molecular mechanism of oxidation-induced inhibition of muscle contractility, we have studied the effects of hydrogen peroxide on permeabilized rabbit psoas muscle fibers, focusing on changes in myosin purified from these fibers. Oxidation by 5 mM peroxide decreased fiber contractility (isometric force and shortening velocity) without significant changes in the enzymatic activity of myofibrils and isolated myosin. The inhibitory effects were reversed by treating fibers with dithiothreitol. Oxidation by 50 mM peroxide had a more pronounced and irreversible inhibitory effect on fiber contractility and also affected enzymatic activity of myofibrils, myosin, and actomyosin. Peroxide treatment also affected regulation of contractility, resulting in fiber activation in the absence of calcium. Electron paramagnetic resonance of spin-labeled myosin in muscle fibers showed that oxidation increased the fraction of myosin heads in the strong-binding structural state under relaxing conditions (low calcium) but had no effect under activating conditions (high calcium). This change in the distribution of structural states of myosin provides a plausible explanation for the observed changes in both contractile and regulatory functions. Mass spectroscopy analysis showed that 50 mM but not 5 mM peroxide induced oxidative modifications in both isoforms of the essential light chains and in the heavy chain of myosin subfragment 1 by targeting multiple methionine residues. We conclude that 1) inhibition of muscle fiber contractility via oxidation of myosin occurs at high but not low concentrations of peroxide and 2) the inhibitory effects of oxidation suggest a critical and previously unknown role of methionines in myosin function.

An unusual transduction pathway in human tonic smooth muscle myosin

The motor protein myosin binds actin and ATP, producing work by causing relative translation of the proteins while transducing ATP free energy. Smooth muscle myosin has one of four heavy chains encoded by the MYH11 gene that differ at the C-terminus and in the active site for ATPase due to alternate splicing. A seven-amino-acid active site insert in phasic muscle myosin is absent from the tonic isoform. Fluorescence increase in the nucleotide sensitive tryptophan (NST) accompanies nucleotide binding and hydrolysis in several myosin isoforms implying it results from a common origin within the motor. A wild-type tonic myosin (smA) construct of the enzymatic head domain (subfragment 1 or S1) has seven tryptophan residues and nucleotide-induced fluorescence enhancement like other myosins. Three smA mutants probe the molecular basis for the fluorescence enhancement. W506+ contains one tryptophan at position 506 homologous to the NST in other myosins. W506F has the native tryptophans except phenylalanine replaces W506, and W506+(Y499F) is W506+ with phenylalanine replacing Y499. W506+ lacks nucleotide-induced fluorescence enhancement probably eliminating W506 as the NST. W506F has impaired ATPase activity but retains nucleotide-induced fluorescence enhancement. Y499F replacement in W506+ partially rescues nucleotide sensitivity demonstrating the role of Y499 as an NST facilitator. The exceptional response of W506 to active site conformation opens the possibility that phasic and tonic isoforms differ in how influences from active site ATPase propagate through the protein network.

Age-related decline in actomyosin structure and function

This review focuses on the role of changes in the contractile proteins actin and myosin in age-related deterioration of skeletal muscle function. Functional and structural changes in contractile proteins have been determined indirectly from specific force and unloaded shortening velocity of permeabilized muscle fibers, and were detected directly from site-directed spectroscopy in muscle fibers and from biochemical analysis of purified actin and myosin. Contractile proteins from aged and young muscle differ in (a) myosin and actomyosin ATPase activities, (b) structural states of myosin in contracting muscle, (c) the state of oxidative modifications. The extent of age-related physiological and molecular changes is dependent on the studied animal, the animal's age, and the type of muscle. Therefore, understanding the aging process requires systematic, multidisciplinary studies on physiological, biochemical, structural, and chemical changes in specific muscles.

Age-Related Decline in Actomyosin Function

To understand the molecular basis of the functional decline in aging muscle, we examined the functional (actomyosin ATPase) and chemical (cysteine content) changes in actin and myosin purified from the muscles of young (4- to 12-month-old) and old (27- to 35-month-old) Fisher 344 rats. Using the soluble, catalytically active myosin fragment, heavy meromyosin (HMM), we determined the maximum rate (V(max)) and actin concentration at half V(max) (K(m)) of the actomyosin ATPase, using four combinations of actin and HMM from old and young rats. V(max) and K(m) were significantly lower when both actin and HMM were obtained from old rats than when both proteins were obtained from young rats. The number of reactive cysteines in HMM significantly decreased with age, but no change was detected in the number of reactive cysteines in actin. We conclude that aging results in chemical changes in myosin (probably oxidation of cysteines) that have inhibitory effects on the actin-activated myosin ATPase.

Fluorescence depolarization of actin filaments in reconstructed myofibers: the effect of S1 or pPDM-S1 on movements of distinct areas of actin

Fluorescence polarization measurements were used to study changes in the orientation and order of different sites on actin monomers within muscle thin filaments during weak or strong binding states with myosin subfragment-1. Ghost muscle fibers were supplemented with actin monomers specifically labeled with different fluorescent probes at Cys-10, Gln-41, Lys-61, Lys-373, Cys-374, and the nucleotide binding site. We also used fluorescent phalloidin as a probe near the filament axis. Changes in the orientation of the fluorophores depend not only on the state of acto-myosin binding but also on the location of the fluorescent probes. We observed changes in polarization (i.e., orientation) for those fluorophores attached at the sites directly involved in myosin binding (and located at high radii from the filament axis) that were contrary to the fluorophores located at the sites close to the axis of thin filament. These altered probe orientations suggest that myosin binding alters the conformation of F-actin. Strong binding by myosin heads produces changes in probe orientation that are opposite to those observed during weak binding.

Neurocalcin-actin interaction

Neurocalcin is an N-myristoylated calcium-binding protein which belongs to a novel family of neuronal calcium sensors. Here we show, by cosedimentation, co-immunoprecipitation and cross-linking approaches, that myristoylated neurocalcin directly interacts with actin in a calcium-dependent manner. We used EDC cross-linking and obtained one novel 64 kDa entity composed of one actin molecule and one neurocalcin molecule, as demonstrated with IAEDANS-actin and neurocalcin-specific antibodies. This interaction could modulate the rod outer segment-guanylate cyclase 1-neurocalcin interface.

ATP-induced opposite changes in the local environments around Cys(697) (SH2) and Cys(707) (SH1) of the myosin motor domain revealed by the prodan fluorescence

To obtain a consistent view of the nucleotide-induced conformational changes around Cys(697) (SH2) and Cys(707) (SH1) in skeletal myosin subfragment-1 (S-1), the two thiols were labeled with the same environmentally sensitive fluorophore, 6-acyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene group, using 6-acryloyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene (acrylodan, AD) and 6-bromoacetyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene (BD), respectively. The resultant fluorescent derivatives, AD-S-1 and BD-S-1, have the same fluorophore at either SH2 or SH1, which was verified by inspections of changes in the ATPases and the localization of fluorescence after tryptic digestion and CNBr cleavage for the two derivatives. Especially, AD was found to be a very useful fluorescent reagent that readily reacts with only SH2 of S-1. Measurements of the nucleotide-induced changes in fluorescence emission spectra of AD-S-1 and BD-S-1 suggested that during ATP hydrolysis the environment around the fluorophore at SH2 is very distinct from that around the fluorophore at SH1, being defined as that the former has the hydrophobic and closed characteristics, whereas the latter has the hydrophilic and open ones. The KI quenching study of the fluorescence of the two S-1 derivatives confirmed these results. The most straightforward interpretation for the present results is that during ATP hydrolysis, the helix containing SH2 is buried in hydrophobic side chains and rather reinforced, whereas the adjacent helix containing SH1 moves away from its stabilizing tertiary structural environment.

A comparison between the sulfhydryl reductants tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine and dithiothreitol for use in protein biochemistry

The newly introduced sulfhydryl reductant tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) is a potentially attractive alternative to commonly used dithiothreitol (DTT). We compare properties of DTT and TCEP important in protein biochemistry, using the motor enzyme myosin as an example protein. The reductants equally preserve myosin's enzymatic activity, which is sensitive to sulfhydryl oxidation. When labeling with extrinsic probes, DTT inhibits maleimide attachment to myosin and must be removed before labeling. In contrast, maleimide attachment to myosin was achieved in the presence of TCEP, although with less efficiency than no reductant. Surprisingly, iodoacetamide attachment to myosin was nearly unaffected by either reductant at low (0.1 mM) concentrations. In electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy utilizing nitroxide spin labels, TCEP is highly advantageous: spin labels are two to four times more stable in TCEP than DTT, thereby alleviating a long-standing problem in EPR. During protein purification, Ni(2+) concentrations contaminating proteins eluted from Ni(2+) affinity columns cause rapid oxidation of DTT without affecting TCEP. For long-term storage of proteins, TCEP is significantly more stable than DTT without metal chelates such as EGTA in the buffer, whereas DTT is more stable if metal chelates are present. Thus TCEP has advantages over DTT, although the choice of reductant is application specific.

Fluorescence studies of the carboxyl-terminal domain of smooth muscle calponin effects of F-actin and salts

The fluorescence parameters of the environment-sensitive acrylodan, selectively attached to Cys273 in the C-terminal domain of smooth muscle calponin, were studied in the presence of F-actin and using varying salt concentrations. The formation of the F-actin acrylodan labeled calponin complex at 75 mm NaCl resulted in a 21-nm blue shift of the maximum emission wavelength from 496 nm to 474 nm and a twofold increase of the fluorescent quantum yield at 460 nm. These spectral changes were observed at the low ionic strengths (< 110 mm) where the calponin : F-actin stoichiometry is 1 : 1 as well as at the high ionic strengths (> 110 mm) where the binding stoichiometry is a 1 : 2 ratio of calponin : actin monomers. On the basis of previous three-dimensional reconstruction and chemical crosslinking of the F-actin-calponin complex, the actin effect is shown to derive from the low ionic strength interaction of calponin with the bottom of subdomain-1 of an upper actin monomer in F-actin and not from its further association with the subdomain-1 of the adjacent lower monomer which occurs at the high ionic strength. Remarkably, the F-actin-dependent fluorescence change of acrylodan is qualitatively but not quantitatively similar to that earlier reported for the complexes of calponin and Ca2+-calmodulin or Ca2+-caltropin. As the three calponin ligands bind to the same segment of the protein, encompassing residues 145-182, the acrylodan can be considered as a sensitive probe of the functioning of this critical region. A distance of 29 A was measured by fluorescence resonance energy transfer between Cys273 of calponin and Cys374 of actin in the 1 : 1 F-actin-calponin complex suggesting that the F-actin effect was allosteric reflecting a global conformational change in the C-terminal domain of calponin.

Interaction of F-actin with synthetic peptides spanning the loop region of human cardiac beta-myosin heavy chain containing Arg403

The atomic model of the F-actin-myosin subfragment 1 complex (acto-S-1) from skeletal muscle suggests that the transition of the complex from a weakly to a strongly binding state, generating mechanical force during the contractile cycle, may involve the attachment of the upper 50-kDa subdomain of myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) to the interface between subdomains 1 and 3 of actin. For the human cardiac myosin, this putative interaction would take place at the ordered loop including Arg403 of the beta-heavy chain sequence, a residue whose mutation into Gln is known to elicit a severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by a decrease of the rate of the actomyosin ATPase activity. Moreover, in several nonmuscle myosins the replacement of a Glu residue within the homolog loop by Ser or Thr also results in the reduction of the actomyosin ATPase rate that is alleviated by phosphorylation. As an approach to the characterization of the unknown interaction properties of F-actin with this particular S-1 loop region, we have synthesized four 17-residue peptides corresponding to the sequence Gly398-Gly414 of the human beta-cardiac myosin. Three peptides included Arg403 (GG17) or Gln403 (GG17Q) or Ser409 (GG17S) and the fourth peptide (GG17sc) was a scrambled version of the normal GG17 sequence. Using fluorescence polarization, cosedimentation analyses and photocross-linking, we show that the three former peptides, but not the scrambled sequence, directly associate in solution to F-actin, at a nearly physiological ionic strength, with almost identical affinities (Kd approximately 40 microM). The binding strength of the F-actin-GG17 peptide complex was increased fivefold (Kd = 8 microM) in the presence of subsaturating concentrations of added skeletal S-1 relative to actin, without apparent competition between the peptide and S-1. Each of the three actin-binding peptides inhibited the steady-state actin-activated MgATPase of skeletal S-1 by specifically decreasing about twofold the Vmax of the reaction without changing the actin affinity for the S-1-ATP intermediate. Cosedimentation assays indicated the binding of about 0.65 mol peptide/mol actin under conditions inducing 70% inhibition. Collectively, the data point to a specific and stoichiometric interaction of the peptides with F-actin that uncouples its binding to S-1 from ATP hydrolysis, probably by interfering with the proper attachment of the S-1 loop segment to the interdomain connection of actin.

Interaction of the heavy and light chains of cardiac myosin subfragment-1 with F-actin

The interaction of the heavy chain (HC) and the light chain (cdLC1) of cardiac S1 (cdS1) with F-actin was studied by cross-linking, Western blotting, and fluorescence polarization methods. Incorporation of cdLC1 in cross-linked products was examined by Western blots using the primary antibody against 71-74 residues of cdLC1. Cross-linking with zero-length, water-soluble reagent yielded three products with apparent molecular masses of 150, 160, and 210 kD. Like in the case of cross-linking of skeletal S1 with actin, these complexes included only HC of S1 and actin. The composition of the products were as follows: 150 kD, one HC of S1 cross-linked through a primary site (on the C-terminal of the 20-kD fragment) to the N-terminus of actin; 160 kD, one HC of S1 cross-linked through a secondary site (on the 50 kD fragment) to the N-terminus of actin; and 210 kD, one HC of S1 cross-linked through primary and secondary sites to two actins. Four additional products with apparent molecular masses of 66, 120, 185, and 235 kD contained cdLC1 and were identified as cdLC1 + actin, cdLC1 + HCS1, cdLC1 + actin + HCS1, and cdLC1 + two actins + HCS1, respectively. The same products were observed when cross-linking was performed in cardiac myofibrils incubated with cdS1. The production of cross-linked complexes of the heavy and light chain with actin decreased with an increase in the molar ratio of cdS1:actin. To test whether the orientation of myosin heads depended on a degree of occupation of thin filaments, myofibrils were irrigated with varying concentrations of cdS1. Fluorescence polarization measurements of cdS1 bound to individual I-bands revealed that the orientation depended on the concentration.

Influence of actin binding on the conformation of the central segment of the heavy chain of skeletal myosin subfragment 1

Chymotryptic subfragment 1 (S1) of fast skeletal muscle myosin was digested with trypsin in a low ionic strength buffer in the presence of actin. Under these conditions, leading to S1-induced polymerization of actin (Cooke, R. and Morales, M.F. (1971) J. Mol. Biol. 60, 249-261), the S1 heavy chain was cleaved between Lys-561 and Ser-562, generating the C-terminal fragment with apparent mass of 31 kDa. In the absence of actin, this peptide bond was inaccessible to trypsin. The yield of the 31 kDa fragment decreased with the increase in the ionic strength of the medium. The cleavage was also partially inhibited by magnesium or calcium chloride at millimolar concentrations. The data suggest that in low salt conditions and at low concentrations of divalent cations, actin induces a conformational change in the C-terminal portion of the 50 kDa central segment of the S1 heavy chain.

Effect of complexes of ADP and phosphate analogs on the conformation of the Cys707-Cys697 region of myosin subfragment 1

Recent crystallographic studies have suggested structural differences between the complexes of S1.Mg.ADP with the phosphate analogs aluminium fluoride (AlF4-), vanadate (VO(4)3-) and beryllium fluoride (BeFx) [Fisher, A. J., Smith, C. A., Thoden, J. B., Smith, R., Sutoh, K., Holden, H. M. & Rayment, I. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 8960-8972; Smith, R. & Rayment, I. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 5404-5417]. In this work, chemical modifications, namely labeling of Cys707 (the reactive SH1 thiol) and Cys707-Cys697 (SH1-SH2) cross-linking, were used to compare the S1.ADP.BeFx, S1.ADP. AlF4- and S1.ADP-VO(4)3- complexes with specific states of the myosin-ATPase pathway. Modification of Cys707 with the fluorescent monofunctional reagents 7-diethylamino-3-(4'-maleimidylphenyl)-4-methylcoumarin and N-iodoacetyl-N'-(5-sulfo-1-naphtyl)ethylenediamine has shown that the reactivity of the SH1 group depends on the nucleotide bound to S1. The observed rates of Cys707 modification at 20 degrees C lead to the conclusion that S1.ADP.BeFx is similar to S1*.ATP, while S1.ADP.AlF4- and S1.ADP.VO(4)3- are more similar to S1**.ADP.Pi. The conformations of the analog states were also compared by monitoring the dissociation of the fluorescent nucleotide analog 1-N6-ethenoadenosine diphosphate (ADP[C2H2]) from the active site of Cys707-modified (by N-ethylmaleimide) and Cys707-Cys697-cross-linked (by N,N'-p-phenylene dimaleimide) S1.ADP[C2H2].AlF4- and S1.ADP[C2H2]. BeFx. Our results suggest that the conformations of the S1.ADP.AlF4-, S1.ADP.VO(4)3- and S1.ADP.BeFx complexes in the Cys707-Cys697 region are distinct from each other, with the former two at least partially resembling the S1**.ADP.Pi state, while the latter is similar to the prehydrolyzed S1*.ATP state.

Differential scanning calorimetric study of the complexes of modified myosin subfragment 1 with ADP and vanadate or beryllium fluoride

The effects of various modifications of rabbit skeletal myosin subfragment 1 on the thermal denaturation of subfragment 1 in ternary complexes with Mg-ADP and orthovanadate (V1) or beryllium fluoride (BeFx) have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. It has been shown that specific modifications of SH1 group of Cys-707 by different sulfhydryl reagents, trinitrophenylation of Lys-83, and reductive methylation of lysine residues promote the decomposition of the S1.ADP.Vi complex and change the character of structural transitions of the subfragment 1 molecule induced by the formation of this complex, but they have much less or no influence on subfragment 1 thermal stability in the S1.ADP.BeFx complex. Thus, the differential scanning calorimetric studies on modified subfragment 1 preparations reveal a significant difference between S1.ADP.Vi and S1.ADP.BeFx complexes. It is suggested that S1.ADP.Vi and S1.ADP.BeFx complexes represent structural analogues of different transition states of the ATPase cycle, namely the intermediate states S1**.ADP.Pi and S1*.ATP, respectively. It is also proposed that during formation of the S1.ADP.Vi complex the region containing both Cys-707 and Lys-83 plays an important role in the spread of conformational changes from the active site of subfragment 1 ATPase throughout the structure of the entire subfragment 1 molecule. In such a case, the effects of reductive methylation of lysine residues on the subfragment 1 structure in the S1.ADP.Vi complex are related to the modification of Lys-83.

Fluorescence polarization study of the rigor complexes formed at different degrees of saturation of actin filaments with myosin subfragment-1

A serine residue located in the active site of myosin head (S1) was labelled by 9-anthroylnitrile, an amino group located in the central domain of S1 was labelled by 7-diethylamino-3-(4'-isothio-cyanato-phenyl)-4-methylcoumari n, a cysteine residue located near the C-terminus of S1 was labelled by 5-[2-((iodoacetyl)-amino)ethyl]-amino-naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (1,5-IAEDANS) and a cysteine residue located near the C-terminus of the alkali light chain 1 was labelled with iodoacetamido-tetramethyl-rhodamine. Polarization of fluorescence of S1 was measured in solution (where it indicated the mobility of actin-bound S1) and in myofibrils (where it indicated orientation of probes) to check whether the anisotropy of S1 labelled at different positions depended on the molar ratio S1:actin. In solution, when increasing amounts of actin were added to a fixed amount of labelled S1 (i.e. when myosin heads were initially in excess over actin), anisotropy saturated at 1 mol of S1 per 1 mol of actin. When increasing amounts of S1 were added to a fixed amount of F-actin (i.e. when actin was initially in excess over S1), the anisotropy saturated at 1 mol of S1 per 2 mols of actin. In myofibrils, orientation of S1 was different when S1 was added at nanomolar concentration (intrinsic actin was in excess over extrinsic S1) then when it was added at micromolar concentration (excess of S1 over actin). The fact that the anisotropy of S1 labelled at different positions depended on the molar ratio excluded the possibility that changes were confined to one part of the cross-bridge and supports our earlier proposal that the two rigor complexes which S1 can form with F-actin differ globally in conformation.

Structure of the 265-kilodalton complex formed upon EDC cross-linking of subfragment 1 to F-actin

The conventional model of force generation in muscle requires the presence of at least two different contact areas between the myosin head (S1) and the actin filament. It has been found that S1 has two sites available for carbodiimide cross-linking, but it is generally believed that the myosin head can be cross-linked to only one actin through either site. We provide here, for the first time, evidence that one S1 can be cross-linked to two separate actin molecules. The covalent complex of one S1 with two actins was found to have an apparent molecular mass of 265 kDa. The formation of the 265-kDa acto-S1 complex was strongly dependent on the ratio of S1 to actin. Limited tryptic digestion converted the 265-kDa product into the 240-kDa complex by releasing a 27-kDa N-terminal S1 fragment. Limited subtilisin digestion of the 265-kDa covalent acto-S1 complex yielded 29-, 93-, and 66-kDa peptides which corresponded to the 29-kDa N-terminal domain of S1, actin-44-kDa (central domain of S1) and actin-22-kDa (C-terminal domain of S1) complexes, respectively. These peptides could be generated only if a single S1 has been cross-linked to two separate actins. The 265-kDa acto-S1 complex (S1:actin ratio = 0.5) had 60% of the ATPase activity of the 175-185-kDa acto-S1 complex (S1:actin ratio = 1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Photochemical cross-linking of the skeletal myosin head heavy chain to actin subdomain-1 at Arg95 and Arg28

F-actin specifically substituted with the photocross-linker, p-azidophenylglyoxal, at Arg95 and Arg28 was isolated and characterized. Upon complexation with myosin subfragment-1 (S1) and photolysis at 365 nm, it was readily cross-linked to the S1 heavy chain with a yield of about 13-25%, generating four major actin-heavy-chain adducts with molecular masses in the range 165-240 kDa. The elevated Mg(2+)-ATPase of the covalent complexes displayed a turnover rate of 33 +/- 8 s-1 which is similar to the values reported earlier for other acto-S1 conjugates. The cross-linking between various proteolytic S1 and actin derivatives, combined with the fluorescent and immunochemical detection of the photocross-linked products, indicated that the arylnitrene group on Arg95 was inserted predominantly in the central 50-kDa region, whereas that attached to Arg28 mediated the selective cross-linking of the COOH-terminal 22-21-kDa fragments of the heavy chain, most probably by reacting at or near the connector segment between the 50-kDa and 20-kDa fragments. The rapid photoactivation and cross-linking to S1 of the substituted F-actin, which can be accomplished on a millisecond time scale, may serve to probe the structural dynamics of the interaction of the S1 heavy chain with subdomain-1 of actin during the ATPase cycle.

The rigor configuration of smooth muscle heavy meromyosin trapped by a zero-length cross-linker

When chicken gizzard heavy meromyosin (HMM) in its rigor complex with actin was reacted with the zero-length cross-linker 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide (EDC), HMM cross-linked with actin but also the two heads of the HMM molecule cross-linked to each other [Onishi, H., Maita, T., Matsuda, G., & Fujiwara, K. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 1898-1904, 1905-1912]. By ultracentrifugal fractionation of the EDC-treated acto-HMM in the presence of Mg-ATP, we obtained a preparation enriched for gizzard HMM with cross-linked heads. When HMM molecules in this preparation were rotary-shadowed and observed in an electron microscope, many head pairs were in contact with each other. The amount of HMM with cross-linked heads determined by electron microscopy was equal to that of the cross-linked NH2-terminal 24K tryptic fragments of HMM heavy chains determined by NaDodSO4 gel electrophoresis, indicating that this cross-linking is primarily responsible for the contact observed between two HMM heads. Most pairs of the contacted heads originated in the same HMM molecule, although a few pairs belonged to different HMM molecules. Cross-linking between the two heads of the same HMM molecule appeared to occur within the distal, more globular half of each head. However, the cross-linking sites were located at different positions within the globular portion. The actin-activated Mg-ATPase activity of the HMM sample treated with EDC in the presence of actin increased in a biphasic manner, depending on the concentration of F-actin, with two apparent association constants: 2.9 x 10(4) M-1 and one much less than 1 x 10(4) M-1. Since the apparent association constant obtained with the HMM control was similar to the latter value, the association constant for HMM molecules with cross-linked heads was identified to be the former value. The binding of HMM to actin was thus strengthened at least by a factor of 3 by the cross-linking between two HMM heads. These results suggest that HMM heads are trapped by treatment with EDC in the rigor complex configuration and that this configuration is retained even after the HMM has been released from actin. The EDC reactivity of rabbit skeletal muscle HMM, however, was different from that of chicken gizzard HMM. The treatment of acto-HMM complexes with EDC did not generate cross-linking between two skeletal muscle HMM heads.

New subfragment 1 of skeletal muscle myosin obtained by thrombin cleavage

The head of the myosin molecule (i.e., subfragment 1 with a heavy chain of 95 kDa) is usually obtained by chymotryptic cleavage in the presence of a divalent cation chelator. In the present work, we used another specific proteolytic enzyme, thrombin, to produce a limited cut within the myosin molecule, resulting in a new species of N-terminal fragment. Treatment of skeletal muscle myosin yielded a 97-kDa split heavy chain associated with intact light chains, corresponding to a single cut. The ATPase activities of this new S-1 derivative were slightly affected by the breakdown. It recognized actin in an ATP-dependent manner, as expected, with an affinity 2-5 times higher than that of the usual chymotryptic S-1 preparation but with a very different electron microscopic pattern. Functional differences are noted, and we involve them more precisely in relation to possible structural aspects of the additional C-terminal segment extending the usual S-1 heavy chain from 95 to 97 kDa.

Association of microinjected myosin and its subfragments with myofibrils in living muscle cells

Purified skeletal muscle myosin was labeled with iodoacetamidofluorescein and microinjected into cultured chick myotubes. The fluorescent myosin analogue became incorporated within 10-15 min after injection, into either periodic (mean periodicity = 2.23 +/- 0.02 micron) bands or apparently continuous fibrillar structures. Comparison of rhodamine-labeled alpha-actinin with coinjected fluorescein-labeled myosin suggested that myosin fluorescence was localized at the A-bands of myofibrils. In addition, close examination of the fluorescent myosin bands indicated that they were composed of two fluorescent bars separated by a nonfluorescent line that corresponded to the H-zone. Once incorporated, the myosin underwent a relatively slow exchange along myofibrils as indicated by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Glycerinated myofibrils were able to bind fluorescent myosin in a similar pattern in the presence or absence of MgATP, indicating that actin-myosin interactions had little effect on this process. Fluorescent heavy meromyosin did not incorporate into myofibrillar structures after injection. Light meromyosin, however, associated with A-bands as did whole myosin. These results suggest that microinjected myosin, even with its relatively low solubility under the cytoplasmic ionic condition, is capable of association with physiological structures in living muscle cells. Additionally, the light meromyosin portion of the molecule appears to be mainly responsible for the incorporation.

Temperature-dependent conformational transition in the head-rod junctional region of the myosin molecule

The effects of temperature, Mg2+, ATP, and actin on the conformation of the neck region of the myosin head were studied by limited proteolysis of heavy meromyosin (HMM) and subfragment 1 (S1) preparations obtained by papain digestion of myosin in the presence of Mg2+ (Mg-S1) or EDTA (EDTA-S1). The preparations were fluorescently labelled at the SH1 thiol group to enable identification of the COOH-terminal fragments of the head portion of the heavy chain where this group is located. The results indicate that the head-rod junctional region of the myosin heavy chain contains at least three different sites readily susceptible to trypsin at 25 degrees C if the light chain LC2 or its LC2' fragment are absent. The susceptibility of one of these sites dramatically decreases when the temperature is lowered to 0 degree C, indicating a temperature-dependent conformational transition in the head-rod junction. With the method used, this transition is detectable only in LC2/LC'2-deficient preparations since all three sites are protected, although to different extents, by LC2 and its LC'2 derivative. It is, however, most probable that the effect of the light chain is confined to steric hindrance of trypsin access and that the temperature-dependent structural transition in the head-rod junction can occur in the presence of intact LC2 as well and may contribute to the temperature sensitivity of force generation in muscle.

The effect of pyrophosphate on the reaction of myosin with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonate

Myosin was reacted with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonate (TNBS) in the presence or absence of Mg-pyrophosphate. The reaction led to trinitrophenylation of lysyl residues which could be divided on the basis of the reaction into three classes: (i) two rapidly reacting lysyl residues (RLR), one residing on each head of myosin, whose rate of reaction depends on the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate; (ii) two lysyl residues which react with intermediate rate (ILR) and reside on the rod segment of myosin; and (iii) the remaining lysyl residues of myosin which react slowly with TNBS. The rate of the trinitrophenylation of RLR was followed spectrophotometrically and enzymatically, measuring an absorbance change at 345 nm, and also changes in K+ (EDTA)-, Mg2+- and Ca2+-activated ATPase activities, respectively. According to analysis of the kinetics of the reaction, Mg-pyrophosphate inhibited the rate of trinitrophenylation in both heads of myosin, not in one head only as was suggested by Miyanishi et al. (J. Biochem Tokyo 85; 1979). Myosin heads (myosin subfragment-1, S-1) were prepared by digesting myosin trinitrophenylated in the absence and presence of Mg-pyrophosphate with chymotrypsin. S-1, with trinitrophenylated RLR, was separated from non-trinitrophenylated S-1 by DEAE cellulose column chromatography. The trinitrophenylated S-1 had a high Mg2+- and a low K+(EDTA)-activated ATPase while the non-trinitrophenylated species had the usual high K+(EDTA)- and low Mg2+-ATPase activity. This results excluded the possibility suggested by Miyanishi et al., that the myosin head, which is resistant to trinitrophenylation in the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate, did not possess K+(EDTA)-activated ATPase activity. The presence of Mg-pyrophosphate during trinitrophenylation substantially affected the enzymic characteristics of the modified myosin. The myosin trinitrophenylated in the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate had a higher K+(EDTA)- and a lower Mg2+-ATPase activity. SH1 (Cys-707) also probably becomes a target of the reaction if myosin is trinitrophenylated in the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate. This is deduced from the following findings: (i) the addition of dithiothreitol after trinitrophenylation partially reversed the loss in the K+(EDTA)-ATPase activity; and (ii) the specific alkylation of the SH1 thiol by 1,5-IAEDANS prior to trinitrophenylation prevented the effect of dithiothreitol on the ATPase activity of myosin. The results indicated that Mg-pyrophosphate induced structural changes in the myosin molecule which influenced the course and possibly the target(s) of trinitrophenylation.

Nucleotide trapping at the ATPase site of myosin subfragment 1 by a new interthiol crosslinking

When myosin subfragment 1 derivatives in which the reactive sulfhydryl SH1 has been blocked react with N,N'-p-phenylenedimaleimide or 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), the reactive sulfhydryl group SH2 of the 20-kDa domain is crosslinked with a thiol of the 50-kDa domain of the heavy chain. The crosslink induces the stable trapping of a significant amount of Mg2+-nucleotide in the ATPase site.

Fraction of myosin cross-bridges bound to actin in active muscle fibers: estimation by fluorescence anisotropy measurements

Time-resolved and steady-state fluorescence anisotropy measurements from fluorescence-labeled myosin cross-bridges in single glycerinated skeletal muscle fibers in rigor, relaxed, MgADP-induced, and contracting states have been made in order to estimate the fraction of actin-bound cross-bridges in active muscle. When the plane of polarization of the excitation light is perpendicular to the fiber axis and its propagation vector has a component parallel to this axis, actin-bound cross-bridge states, such as rigor and MgADP-induced, have time-zero and steady-state anisotropies that are substantially lower than has the relaxed state. This difference provides a means of determining the fraction of cross-bridges bound to actin in active isometric fibers, by comparing the fluorescence anisotropy from active fibers with the anisotropy from bound and unbound cross-bridges in static states. By assuming that the active cross-bridges are either bound (in the manner of rigor or MgADP-induced states) or relaxed, we estimate that greater than 80% of the cross-bridges are actin-bound in active isometric fibers.

Incorporation of 6-carboxyfluorescein into myosin subfragment 1

We describe for the first time the introduction of a label into the "50K" domain of myosin subfragment 1 (S-1), and we investigate the properties of this fluorescent modification in relation to the ATPase and actin-binding activities, both residing in the myosin head. The labeling consists of a major incorporation of 6-carboxyfluorescein into the "50K" domain of S-1. Using different conditions for tryptic digestion that allowed a fragmentation of the "50K" domain with a loss of 5 kilodaltons (kDa) leading to a final product of 45 kDa, we have shown that the fluorescent dye remains in the 45-kDa final product. By studying cross-linking as a function of time, we have demonstrated that the "50K" domain and the 45-kDa fluorescent peptide are equally cross-linkable to actin. We have also investigated the K+EDTA-, Ca2+-, Mg2+-, and actin-activated ATPase activities of this modified S-1 and after purification observed no enzymatic changes.

Characterization of the ATPase activities of myosins isolated from the membrane and the cytoplasmic fractions of human platelets

Myosin was purified from the membrane fraction and the cytoplasm of human platelets, and the K+(EDTA)- and Ca2+-dependent ATPase activities were studied under various experimental conditions. The ATPase activity of the myosin from the membrane fraction was slightly lower than that of its cytoplasmic counterpart, regardless of the different assay conditions (pH, ionic strength, and temperature). Both myosins showed the same pH optima and a similar ionic strength dependence for the two ATPase activities measured. In addition, they exhibited the same substrate specificity using ATP, CTP, and GTP as substrates. The activation energy of the Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity was essentially the same for the two myosins, while the activation energy of the K+(EDTA)-dependent ATPase activity of the membrane myosin was higher than that of the cytoplasmic myosin. The ATPase activity of the membrane myosin was found to be more sensitive to freezing and thawing than the cytoplasmic myosin. The alkylation of the thiol groups by N-ethylmaleimide or N-iodoacetyl-N-(5-sulfo-1-naphtyl)ethylenediamine, and the trinitrophenylation of the lysyl residues by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonate caused a significant decrease in the K+(EDTA)-dependent ATPase activity of the two myosins. However, the membrane myosin was much less affected than the cytoplasmic myosin. Actin induced inhibition of the K+ (EDTA) ATPase of both myosins, and much smaller quantities of actin were needed to inhibit the cytoplasmic myosin ATPase compared to quantities needed to inhibit the myosin ATPase from the membrane fraction. This indicates that the membrane myosin has a lower affinity toward actin. The observed variations in the ATPase activity of the myosins isolated from the membrane and the cytoplasm fractions of human platelets may reflect differences in their respective physiological functions.

Fluorescence energy transfer between probes on actin and probes on myosin

The structural relationship between F-actin filaments and the biologically active fragments of myosin (either as myosin subfragment-1 or heavy meromyosin) has been investigated using the technique of fluorescence energy transfer. Donor and acceptor probes were used to obtain the following inter- and intramolecular distances. Energy transfer was measured: (1) from the SH1 groups of the myosin 'heads' to the nucleotide sites of F-actin (in the absence of free nucleotide); (2) from the SH1 groups of myosin to multiple probes on the surface of the actin filament; (3) from the nucleotide-binding sites of F-actin to the ATPase sites of myosin; (4) from the ATPase sites of myosin to the nucleotide-binding sites of F-actin; (5) from the SH1 sites of myosin to the nucleotide-binding sites of F-actin; and (6) from the Cys-373 residues of F-actin to the nucleotide binding sites of F-actin. We observed very little energy transfer between the probes on actin and the probes on myosin (10% or less) and we observed a large transfer between the actin Cys-373 and the actin nucleotide. These data strongly suggest that both the SH1 moiety and the ATPase site of myosin are located more than 6 nm from the actin sites. When these distances are combined with similar measurements by other authors and inserted into the most recent three-dimensional reconstruction of electron micrographs of the acto-subfragment-1 complex, it is apparent that the SH1 and the ATPase sites on myosin are not located adjacent to actin and are most probably located in the half of the myosin head that is distal from actin in the actomyosin complex.

Structural and actin-binding properties of the trypsin-produced HMM and S1 from gizzard smooth muscle myosin

The reaction of trypsin on the heavy chain of gizzard myosin and chymotryptic HMM was investigated under restricted fragmentation conditions. The three fragments of the head part with 29 kDa, 50 kDa and 26 kDa were isolated and identified. The 66 K heavy chain segment containing the S1-S2 junction was slowly but extensively degraded liberating a S1-like entity which lacked an intact COOH-terminal 26 kDa region; this isolated species displayed full intrinsic ATPase activities but little actin-binding ability. Tryptic HMM was also formed bearing a fragmented heavy chain and lacking the 20 kDa light chain. Its actin-activated ATPase was derepressed upon cleavage of the 66 kDa segment by papain. We propose that the integral 66 kDa heavy chain component is directly involved in the regulation of the gizzard actomyosin ATPase.

Structure of the actin-myosin interface

The topography of the rigor complex between F-actin and myosin heads (S1) has been investigated by carbodiimide zero-length cross-linking. The results demonstrate for the first time that the 95,000-molecular weight (95K) heavy chain of the myosin head enters into van der Waals contact with two neighbouring actin monomers; one is bound to the 50K domain and the other to the 20K domain of the myosin chain. The covalent F-actin-S1 complex can be isolated; it shows a vastly elevated Mg2+-ATPase. Each pair of actin subunits in the thin filament seems to act as a functional unit for specific binding of a myosin head and stimulation of its Mg2+-ATPase activity.

Structural aspects of actomyosin interaction

Actin binding to myosin-S1 modulates the limited tryptic cleavage of the COOH-terminal region of the 95K heavy chain at the joint connecting the 75K and 20K peptide units; concomitantly actin affords total protection against the resulting loss of acto-S1 Mg2+-ATPase activity. The specificity of the actin effect is illustrated by the fact that it exerts itself not only on free S1 but also on the intact myosin molecule. Mg2+-ATP and Mg2+-ADP impair the protective action of actin to an extent closely related to their respective affinity for the acto-S1 complex. Tryptic fragmentation of S1 heavy chain under highly controlled conditions, using trypsin to S1 weight ratios in the range 1:1000 - 1:1500 led us to establish that peptide bond cleavage at the 75K-20K junction is a sequential process giving rise first to a 22K peptide intermediate which is subsequently converted to the stable 20K fragment. Most importantly, it is also demonstrated that the loss of S1 activation by actin is not due to the initial scission of the 75K-22K linkage but is intimately associated with the breakdown of the 22K precursor into its 20K moiety. Three trypsin-modified S1 derivatives, the heavy chain of which is a complex of two or three fragments, were purified. A detailed analysis of the C-termini of these fragments, as compared to the C-terminal structure of the intact heavy chain, indicated that the 20K fragment is formed mainly through the degradation of a NH2-terminal 2K segment in the 22K precursor and that this proteolytic event is the only one accounting for the acto-S1 ATPase loss. Cross-linking experiments exploiting the reaction of a carbodiimide reagent with rigor complexes containing either fluorescent actin or fluorescent fragmented S1 revealed unequivocally the attachment of the actin monomer to recognition sites on the 20K and 50K units of S1 heavy chain. Specific interactions between the C-terminal 20K domain and light chain LC2 are proposed as being part of the molecular mechanism of the myosin-linked regulation of actomyosin interaction.

Nucleotide induced head-head interaction in myosin

In isolated myosin the reaction sequence of essential thiol groups with N-ethylmaleimide was studied using the following five approaches: kinetics of the modification reaction, effects of modification on enzyme properties, affinity chromatography of isolated subfragment-1 stemming from modified myosin, isolation of cyanogen bromide peptides and identification of the tryptic thiol peptides thereof. All techniques involved revealed differences whether the modification was performed in the presence or absence of pyrophosphate on the one hand and in the presence of ADP or ATP on the other. In the former cases the two thiol-1 groups per myosin, one per active site, reacted at an equal rate indicating an equivalent microenvironment of these groups and hence a symmetric site-site relationship. In contrast, the nucleotides induce the sequential modification of thiol-1 on one head followed by the thiol-2 on the other head. This indicates non-equivalence in microenvironment of the essential thiols connected with each active site and hence that a form of asymmetric head-head interaction is operative.

4,4'-Bis (1-anilinonaphthalene 8-sulfonate) (bis-ANS): a new probe of the active site of myosin

The interaction of myosin subfragment-1 (S-1) with 4,4'-bis(1-anilinonaphthalene 8-sulfonate) (bis-ANS) has been studied by monitoring the fluorescence of the latter when the two components form a complex. Because ATP and ATP analogs partially displace complexed bis-ANS it has also been possible to study interactions of S-1 and nucleotides by using the displacement effect. Approximate values of the parameters of these various interactions have been measured. Some possible applications of bis-ANS have been explored. For example, it provides a very convenient method for obtaining the Michaelis constant, Km, in steady-state S-1 nucleoside triphosphatase; this particular application has also provided some evidence for inferring that in Ca2+ (but not in Mg2+) adenosinetriphosphatase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) S-1 behaves like a mixture of two components, each with its own Km. Clear energy transfer occurs between tryptophan residues and bound bis-ANS. The fluorescence also suggests that S-1 undergoes some slow relaxations following substrate binding.