Crystal structure of a vertebrate smooth muscle myosin motor domain and its complex with the essential light chain: visualization of the pre-power stroke state

Catalytic strategy used by the myosin motor to hydrolyze ATP

Myosin is a molecular motor responsible for biological motions such as muscle contraction and intracellular cargo transport, for which it hydrolyzes adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP). Early steps of the mechanism by which myosin catalyzes ATP hydrolysis have been investigated, but still missing are the structure of the final ADP·inorganic phosphate (Pi) product and the complete pathway leading to it. Here, a comprehensive description of the catalytic strategy of myosin is formulated, based on combined quantum-classical molecular mechanics calculations. A full exploration of catalytic pathways was performed and a final product structure was found that is consistent with all experiments. Molecular movies of the relevant pathways show the different reorganizations of the H-bond network that lead to the final product, whose γ-phosphate is not in the previously reported HPγO4(2-) state, but in the H2PγO4(-) state. The simulations reveal that the catalytic strategy of myosin employs a three-pronged tactic: (i) Stabilization of the γ-phosphate of ATP in a dissociated metaphosphate (PγO3(-)) state. (ii) Polarization of the attacking water molecule, to abstract a proton from that water. (iii) Formation of multiple proton wires in the active site, for efficient transfer of the abstracted proton to various product precursors. The specific role played in this strategy by each of the three loops enclosing ATP is identified unambiguously. It explains how the precise timing of the ATPase activation during the force generating cycle is achieved in myosin. The catalytic strategy described here for myosin is likely to be very similar in most nucleotide hydrolyzing enzymes.

The path to visualization of walking myosin V by high-speed atomic force microscopy

The quest for understanding the mechanism of myosin-based motility started with studies on muscle contraction. From numerous studies, the basic frameworks for this mechanism were constructed and brilliant hypotheses were put forward. However, the argument about the most crucial issue of how the actin-myosin interaction generates contractile force and shortening has not been definitive. To increase the "directness of measurement", in vitro motility assays and single-molecule optical techniques were created and used. Consequently, detailed knowledge of the motility of muscle myosin evolved, which resulted in provoking more arguments to a higher level. In parallel with technical progress, advances in cell biology led to the discovery of many classes of myosins. Myosin V was discovered to be a processive motor, unlike myosin II. The processivity reduced experimental difficulties because it allowed continuous tracing of the motor action of single myosin V molecules. Extensive studies of myosin V were expected to resolve arguments and build a consensus but did not necessarily do so. The directness of measurement was further enhanced by the recent advent of high-speed atomic force microscopy capable of directly visualizing biological molecules in action at high spatiotemporal resolution. This microscopy clearly visualized myosin V molecules walking on actin filaments and at last provided irrefutable evidence for the swinging lever-arm motion propelling the molecules. However, a peculiar foot stomp behavior also appeared in the AFM movie, raising new questions of the chemo-mechanical coupling in this motor and myosin motors in general. This article reviews these changes in the research of myosin motility and proposes new ideas to resolve the newly raised questions.

Novel and recurrent MYO7A mutations in Usher syndrome type 1 and type 2

Usher syndrome (USH) is a group of disorders manifested as retinitis pigmentosa and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, with or without vestibular dysfunction. Here, we recruited three Chinese families affected with autosomal recessive USH for detailed clinical evaluations and for mutation screening in the genes associated with inherited retinal diseases. Using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach, three new alleles and one known mutation in MYO7A gene were identified in the three families. In two families with USH type 1, novel homozygous frameshift variant p.Pro194Hisfs*13 and recurrent missense variant p.Thr165Met were demonstrated as the causative mutations respectively. Crystal structural analysis denoted that p.Thr165Met would very likely change the tertiary structure of the protein encoded by MYO7A. In another family affected with USH type 2, novel biallelic mutations in MYO7A, c.[1343+1G>A];[2837T>G] or p.[?];[Met946Arg], were identified with clinical significance. Because MYO7A, to our knowledge, has rarely been correlated with USH type 2, our findings therefore reveal distinguished clinical phenotypes associated with MYO7A. We also conclude that targeted NGS is an effective approach for genetic diagnosis for USH, which can further provide better understanding of genotype-phenotype relationship of the disease.

Mouse myosin-19 is a plus-end-directed, high-duty ratio molecular motor

Class XIX myosin (Myo19) is a vertebrate-specific unconventional myosin, responsible for the transport of mitochondria. To characterize biochemical properties of Myo19, we prepared recombinant mouse Myo19-truncated constructs containing the motor domain and the IQ motifs using the baculovirus/Sf9 expression system. We identified regulatory light chain (RLC) of smooth muscle/non-muscle myosin-2 as the light chain of Myo19. The actin-activated ATPase activity and the actin-gliding velocity of Myo19-truncated constructs were about one-third and one-sixth as those of myosin-5a, respectively. The apparent affinity of Myo19 to actin was about the same as that of myosin-5a. The RLCs bound to Myo19 could be phosphorylated by myosin light chain kinase, but this phosphorylation had little effect on the actin-activated ATPase activity and the actin-gliding activity of Myo19-truncated constructs. Using dual fluorescence-labeled actin filaments, we determined that Myo19 is a plus-end-directed molecular motor. We found that, similar to that of the high-duty ratio myosin, such as myosin-5a, ADP release rate was comparable with the maximal actin-activated ATPase activity of Myo19, indicating that ADP release is a rate-limiting step for the ATPase cycle of acto-Myo19. ADP strongly inhibited the actin-activated ATPase activity and actin-gliding activity of Myo19-truncated constructs. Based on the above results, we concluded that Myo19 is a high-duty ratio molecular motor moving to the plus-end of the actin filament.

Crystal structure of human myosin 1c--the motor in GLUT4 exocytosis: implications for Ca2+ regulation and 14-3-3 binding

Myosin 1c (Myo1c) plays a key role in supporting motile events that underlie cell migration, vesicle trafficking, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and hearing. Here, we present the crystal structure of the human Myo1c motor in complex with its light chain calmodulin. Our structure reveals tight interactions of the motor domain with calmodulin bound to the first IQ motif in the neck region. Several of the calmodulin residues contributing to this interaction are also involved in Ca(2+) binding. Contact residues in the motor domain are linked to the central β-sheet and the HO helix, suggesting a mechanism for communicating changes in Ca(2+) binding in the neck region to the actin and nucleotide binding regions of the motor domain. The structural context and the chemical environment of Myo1c mutations that are involved in sensorineural hearing loss in humans are described and their impact on motor function is discussed. We show that a construct consisting of the motor domain of Myo1c and the first IQ motif is sufficient to establish a tight interaction with 14-3-3β (KD=0.9 μM) and present the model of a double-headed Myo1c-14-3-3 complex. This complex has been implicated in the exocytosis of glucose transporter 4 storage vesicles during insulin-stimulated glucose uptake.

To understand muscle you must take it apart

Striated muscle is an elegant system for study at many levels. Much has been learned about the mechanism of contraction from studying the mechanical properties of intact and permeabilized (or skinned) muscle fibers. Structural studies using electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction or spectroscopic probes attached to various contractile proteins were possible because of the highly ordered sarcomeric arrangement of actin and myosin. However, to understand the mechanism of force generation at a molecular level, it is necessary to take the system apart and study the interaction of myosin with actin using in vitro assays. This reductionist approach has lead to many fundamental insights into how myosin powers muscle contraction. In addition, nature has provided scientists with an array of muscles with different mechanical properties and with a superfamily of myosin molecules. Taking advantage of this diversity in myosin structure and function has lead to additional insights into common properties of force generation. This review will highlight the development of the major assays and methods that have allowed this combined reductionist and comparative approach to be so fruitful. This review highlights the history of biochemical and biophysical studies of myosin and demonstrates how a broad comparative approach combined with reductionist studies have led to a detailed understanding of how myosin interacts with actin and uses chemical energy to generate force and movement in muscle contraction and motility in general.

A vertebrate myosin-I structure reveals unique insights into myosin mechanochemical tuning

Myosins are molecular motors that power diverse cellular processes, such as rapid organelle transport, muscle contraction, and tension-sensitive anchoring. The structural adaptations in the motor that allow for this functional diversity are not known, due, in part, to the lack of high-resolution structures of highly tension-sensitive myosins. We determined a 2.3-Å resolution structure of apo-myosin-Ib (Myo1b), which is the most tension-sensitive myosin characterized. We identified a striking unique orientation of structural elements that position the motor's lever arm. This orientation results in a cavity between the motor and lever arm that holds a 10-residue stretch of N-terminal amino acids, a region that is divergent among myosins. Single-molecule and biochemical analyses show that the N terminus plays an important role in stabilizing the post power-stroke conformation of Myo1b and in tuning the rate of the force-sensitive transition. We propose that this region plays a general role in tuning the mechanochemical properties of myosins.

Role of the essential light chain in the activation of smooth muscle myosin by regulatory light chain phosphorylation

The activity of smooth and non-muscle myosin II is regulated by phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain (RLC) at serine 19. The dephosphorylated state of full-length monomeric myosin is characterized by an asymmetric intramolecular head-head interaction that completely inhibits the ATPase activity, accompanied by a hairpin fold of the tail, which prevents filament assembly. Phosphorylation of serine 19 disrupts these head-head interactions by an unknown mechanism. Computational modeling (Tama et al., 2005. J. Mol. Biol. 345, 837-854) suggested that formation of the inhibited state is characterized by both torsional and bending motions about the myosin heavy chain (HC) at a location between the RLC and the essential light chain (ELC). Therefore, altering relative motions between the ELC and the RLC at this locus might disrupt the inhibited state. Based on this hypothesis we have derived an atomic model for the phosphorylated state of the smooth muscle myosin light chain domain (LCD). This model predicts a set of specific interactions between the N-terminal residues of the RLC with both the myosin HC and the ELC. Site directed mutagenesis was used to show that interactions between the phosphorylated N-terminus of the RLC and helix-A of the ELC are required for phosphorylation to activate smooth muscle myosin.

Sarcomere-length dependence of myosin filament structure in skeletal muscle fibres of the frog

X-ray diffraction patterns were recorded at beamline ID02 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility from small bundles of skeletal muscle fibres from Rana esculenta at sarcomere lengths between 2.1 and 3.5 μm at 4°C. The intensities of the X-ray reflections from resting fibres associated with the quasi-helical order of the myosin heads and myosin binding protein C (MyBP-C) decreased in the sarcomere length range 2.6-3.0 μm but were constant outside it, suggesting that an OFF conformation of the thick filament is maintained by an interaction between MyBP-C and the thin filaments. During active isometric contraction the intensity of the M3 reflection from the regular repeat of the myosin heads along the filaments decreased in proportion to the overlap between thick and thin filaments, with no change in its interference fine structure. Thus, myosin heads in the regions of the thick filaments that do not overlap with thin filaments are highly disordered during isometric contraction, in contrast to their quasi-helical order at rest. Heads in the overlap region that belong to two-headed myosin molecules that are fully detached from actin are also highly disordered, in contrast to the detached partners of actin-attached heads. These results provide strong support for the concept of a regulatory structural transition in the thick filament involving changes in both the organisation of the myosin heads on its surface and the axial periodicity of the myosin tails in its backbone, mediated by an interaction between MyBP-C and the thin filaments.

MYH9-related disease: a novel prognostic model to predict the clinical evolution of the disease based on genotype-phenotype correlations

MYH9-related disease (MYH9-RD) is a rare autosomal-dominant disorder caused by mutations in the gene for nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NMMHC-IIA). MYH9-RD is characterized by a considerable variability in clinical evolution: patients present at birth with only thrombocytopenia, but some of them subsequently develop sensorineural deafness, cataract, and/or nephropathy often leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We searched for genotype-phenotype correlations in the largest series of consecutive MYH9-RD patients collected so far (255 cases from 121 families). Association of genotypes with noncongenital features was assessed by a generalized linear regression model. The analysis defined disease evolution associated to seven different MYH9 genotypes that are responsible for 85% of MYH9-RD cases. Mutations hitting residue R702 demonstrated a complete penetrance for early-onset ESRD and deafness. The p.D1424H substitution associated with high risk of developing all the noncongenital manifestations of disease. Mutations hitting a distinct hydrophobic seam in the NMMHC-IIA head domain or substitutions at R1165 associated with high risk of deafness but low risk of nephropathy or cataract. Patients with p.E1841K, p.D1424N, and C-terminal deletions had low risk of noncongenital defects. These findings are essential to patients' clinical management and genetic counseling and are discussed in view of molecular pathogenesis of MYH9-RD.

Flexibility within the heads of muscle myosin-2 molecules

We show that negative-stain electron microscopy and image processing of nucleotide-free (apo) striated muscle myosin-2 subfragment-1 (S1), possessing one light chain or both light chains, is capable of resolving significant amounts of structural detail. The overall appearance of the motor and the lever is similar in rabbit, scallop and chicken S1. Projection matching of class averages of the different S1 types to projection views of two different crystal structures of apo S1 shows that all types most commonly closely resemble the appearance of the scallop S1 structure rather than the methylated chicken S1 structure. Methylation of chicken S1 has no effect on the structure of the molecule at this resolution: it too resembles the scallop S1 crystal structure. The lever is found to vary in its angle of attachment to the motor domain, with a hinge point located in the so-called pliant region between the converter and the essential light chain. The chicken S1 crystal structure lies near one end of the range of flexion observed. The Gaussian spread of angles of flexion suggests that flexibility is driven thermally, from which a torsional spring constant of ~ 23 pN·nm/rad² is estimated on average for all S1 types, similar to myosin-5. This translates to apparent cantilever-type stiffness at the tip of the lever of 0.37 pN/nm. Because this stiffness is lower than recent estimates from myosin-2 heads attached to actin, we suggest that binding to actin leads to an allosteric stiffening of the motor–lever junction.

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Elasticity of muscle crossbridges is important, but its structural basis is obscure.

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Muscle myosin heads from rabbit, scallop and chicken share a common structure.

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The lever domain hinges about its connection with the motor domain.

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The stiffness of the motor–lever hinge is lower than estimates for crossbridges.

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Flexibility within the myosin head can be the basis of crossbridge stiffness.

UCS protein Rng3p is essential for myosin-II motor activity during cytokinesis in fission yeast

UCS proteins have been proposed to operate as co-chaperones that work with Hsp90 in the de novo folding of myosin motors. The fission yeast UCS protein Rng3p is essential for actomyosin ring assembly and cytokinesis. Here we investigated the role of Rng3p in fission yeast myosin-II (Myo2p) motor activity. Myo2p isolated from an arrested rng3-65 mutant was capable of binding actin, yet lacked stability and activity based on its expression levels and inactivity in ATPase and actin filament gliding assays. Myo2p isolated from a myo2-E1 mutant (a mutant hyper-sensitive to perturbation of Rng3p function) showed similar behavior in the same assays and exhibited an altered motor conformation based on limited proteolysis experiments. We propose that Rng3p is not required for the folding of motors per se, but instead works to ensure the activity of intrinsically unstable myosin-II motors. Rng3p is specific to conventional myosin-II and the actomyosin ring, and is not required for unconventional myosin motor function at other actin structures. However, artificial destabilization of myosin-I motors at endocytic actin patches (using a myo1-E1 mutant) led to recruitment of Rng3p to patches. Thus, while Rng3p is specific to myosin-II, UCS proteins are adaptable and can respond to changes in the stability of other myosin motors.

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of actin-myosin interactions: a comparative study of cardiac α myosin, β myosin, and fast skeletal muscle myosin

Myosins are a superfamily of actin-binding motor proteins with significant variations in kinetic properties (such as actin binding affinity) between different isoforms. It remains unknown how such kinetic variations arise from the structural and dynamic tuning of the actin-myosin interface at the amino acid residue level. To address this key issue, we have employed molecular modeling and simulations to investigate, with atomistic details, the isoform dependence of actin-myosin interactions in the rigor state. By combining electron microscopy-based docking with homology modeling, we have constructed three all-atom models for human cardiac α and β and rabbit fast skeletal muscle myosin in complex with three actin subunits in the rigor state. Starting from these models, we have performed extensive all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (total of 100 ns per system) and then used the MD trajectories to calculate actin-myosin binding free energies with contributions from both electrostatic and nonpolar forces. Our binding calculations are in good agreement with the experimental finding of isoform-dependent differences in actin binding affinity between these myosin isoforms. Such differences are traced to changes in actin-myosin electrostatic interactions (i.e., hydrogen bonds and salt bridges) that are highly dynamic and involve several flexible actin-binding loops. By partitioning the actin-myosin binding free energy to individual myosin residues, we have also identified key myosin residues involved in the actin-myosin interactions, some of which were previously validated experimentally or implicated in cardiomyopathy mutations, and the rest make promising targets for future mutational experiments.

Three-dimensional structure of the human myosin thick filament: clinical implications

High resolution information about the three-dimensional (3D) structure of myosin filaments has always been hard to obtain. Solving the 3D structure of myosin filaments is very important because mutations in human cardiac muscle myosin and its associated proteins (e.g. titin and myosin binding protein C) are known to be associated with a number of familial human cardiomyopathies (e.g. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy). In order to understand how normal heart muscle works and how it fails, as well as the effects of the known mutations on muscle contractility, it is essential to properly understand myosin filament 3D structure and properties in both healthy and diseased hearts.

The aim of this review is firstly to provide a general overview of the 3D structure of myosin thick filaments, as studied so far in both vertebrates and invertebrate striated muscles. Knowledge of this 3D structure is the starting point from which myosin filaments isolated from human cardiomyopathic samples, with known mutations in either myosin or its associated proteins (titin or C-protein), can be studied in detail. This should, in turn, enable us to relate the structure of myosin thick filament to its function and to understanding the disease process. A long term objective of this research would be to assist the design of possible therapeutic solutions to genetic myosin-related human cardiomyopathies.

Stiffness, working stroke, and force of single-myosin molecules in skeletal muscle: elucidation of these mechanical properties via nonlinear elasticity evaluation

In muscles, the arrays of skeletal myosin molecules interact with actin filaments and continuously generate force at various contraction speeds. Therefore, it is crucial for myosin molecules to generate force collectively and minimize the interference between individual myosin molecules. Knowledge of the elasticity of myosin molecules is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms of muscle contractions because elasticity directly affects the working and drag (resistance) force generation when myosin molecules are positively or negatively strained. The working stroke distance is also an important mechanical property necessary for elucidation of the thermodynamic efficiency of muscle contractions at the molecular level. In this review, we focus on these mechanical properties obtained from single-fiber and single-molecule studies and discuss recent findings associated with these mechanical properties. We also discuss the potential molecular mechanisms associated with reduction of the drag effect caused by negatively strained myosin molecules.

A cross-bridge cycle with two tension-generating steps simulates skeletal muscle mechanics

We examined whether cross-bridge cycle models with one or two tension-generating steps can account for the force-velocity relation of and tension response to length steps of frog skeletal muscle. Transition-state theory defined the strain dependence of the rate constants. The filament stiffness was non-Hookean. Models were refined against experimental data by simulated annealing and downhill simplex runs. Models with one tension-generating step were rejected, as they had a low efficiency and fitted the experimental data relatively poorly. The best model with two tension-generating steps (stroke distances 5.6 and 4.6 nm) and a cross-bridge stiffness of 1.7 pN/nm gave a good account of the experimental data. The two tensing steps allow an efficiency of up to 38% during shortening. In an isometric contraction, 54.7% of the attached heads were in a pre-tension-generating state, 44.5% of the attached heads had undergone the first tension-generating step, and only 0.8% had undergone both tension-generating steps; they bore 34%, 64%, and 2%, respectively, of the isometric tension. During slow shortening, the second tensing step made a greater contribution. During lengthening, up to 93% of the attached heads were in a pre-tension-generating state yet bore elevated tension by being dragged to high strains before detaching.

Metal switch-controlled myosin II from Dictyostelium discoideum supports closure of nucleotide pocket during ATP binding coupled to detachment from actin filaments

G-proteins, kinesins, and myosins are hydrolases that utilize a common protein fold and divalent metal cofactor (typically Mg(2+)) to coordinate purine nucleotide hydrolysis. The nucleoside triphosphorylase activities of these enzymes are activated through allosteric communication between the nucleotide-binding site and the activator/effector/polymer interface to convert the free energy of nucleotide hydrolysis into molecular switching (G-proteins) or force generation (kinesins and myosin). We have investigated the ATPase mechanisms of wild-type and the S237C mutant of non-muscle myosin II motor from Dictyostelium discoideum. The S237C substitution occurs in the conserved metal-interacting switch-1, and we show that this substitution modulates the actomyosin interaction based on the divalent metal present in solution. Surprisingly, S237C shows rapid basal steady-state Mg(2+)- or Mn(2+)-ATPase kinetics, but upon binding actin, its MgATPase is inhibited. This actin inhibition is relieved by Mn(2+), providing a direct and experimentally reversible linkage of switch-1 and the actin-binding cleft through the swapping of divalent metals in the reaction. Using pyrenyl-labeled F-actin, we demonstrate that acto·S237C undergoes slow and weak MgATP binding, which limits the rate of steady-state catalysis. Mn(2+) rescues this effect to near wild-type activity. 2'(3')-O-(N-Methylanthraniloyl)-ADP release experiments show the need for switch-1 interaction with the metal cofactor for tight ADP binding. Our results are consistent with strong reciprocal coupling of nucleoside triphosphate and F-actin binding and provide additional evidence for the allosteric communication pathway between the nucleotide-binding site and the filament-binding region.

The myosin start-of-power stroke state and how actin binding drives the power stroke

We propose that on binding to actin at the start of the power stroke the myosin cross-bridge takes on the rigor configuration at the actin interface. Starting from the prepower stroke state, this can be achieved by a small movement (16° rotation) of the lower 50K domain without twisting the central β-sheet or opening switch-1 or switch-2. The movement of the lower 50K domain puts a strain on the W-helix. This strain tries to twist the β-sheet, which could drive the power stroke. This would provide a coupling between actin binding and the execution of the power stroke. During the power stroke the β-sheet twists, moving the P-loop away from switch-2, which opens the nucleotide binding pocket and separates ADP from Pi . The power stroke is different from the recovery stroke because the upper and lower 50K domains are tethered in the rigor configuration.

Correlative nanoscale imaging of actin filaments and their complexes

Actin remodeling is an area of interest in biology in which correlative microscopy can bring a new way to analyze protein complexes at the nanoscale. Advances in EM, X-ray diffraction, fluorescence, and single molecule techniques have provided a wealth of information about the modulation of the F-actin structure and its regulation by actin binding proteins (ABPs). Yet, there are technological limitations of these approaches to achieving quantitative molecular level information on the structural and biophysical changes resulting from ABPs interaction with F-actin. Fundamental questions about the actin structure and dynamics and how these determine the function of ABPs remain unanswered. Specifically, how local and long-range structural and conformational changes result in ABPs induced remodeling of F-actin needs to be addressed at the single filament level. Advanced, sensitive and accurate experimental tools for detailed understanding of ABP-actin interactions are much needed. This article discusses the current understanding of nanoscale structural and mechanical modulation of F-actin by ABPs at the single filament level using several correlative microscopic techniques, focusing mainly on results obtained by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis of ABP-actin complexes.

Asymmetric myosin binding to the thin filament as revealed by a fluorescent nanocircuit

The interplay between myosin, actin, and striated muscle regulatory proteins involves complex cooperative interactions that propagate along the thin filament. A repeating unit of the tropomyosin dimer, troponin heterotrimer, and the actin protofilament heptamer is sometimes assumed to be able to bind myosin at any of its seven actins when activated even though the regulatory proteins are asymmetrically positioned along this repeating unit. Analysis of the impact of this asymmetry on actin and myosin interactions by sensitized emission luminescence resonance energy transfer spectroscopy and a unique fluorescent nanocircuit design reveals that the troponin affects the structure and function of myosin heads bound nearby in a different manner than myosin heads bound further away from the troponin. To test this hypothesis, a fluorescent nanocircuit reported the position of the myosin lever arm only when the myosin was bound adjacent to the troponin, or in controls, only when the myosin was bound distant from the troponin. Confirming the hypothesis, the myosin lever arm is predominantly in the pre powerstroke orientation when bound near troponin, but is predominantly in the post powerstroke orientation when bound distant from troponin. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that troponin is responsible for the formation of myosin binding target zones along the thin filament.

Direct real-time detection of the actin-activated power stroke within the myosin catalytic domain

We have used transient kinetics, nanosecond time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and kinetics simulations to resolve a structural transition in the Dictyostelium myosin II relay helix during the actin-activated power stroke. The relay helix plays a critical role in force generation in myosin, coupling biochemical changes in the ATPase site with the force-transducing rotation of the myosin light-chain domain. Previous research in the absence of actin showed that ATP binding to myosin induces a dynamic equilibrium between a bent prepower stroke state of the relay helix and a straight postpower stroke state, which dominates in the absence of ATP or when ADP is bound. We now ask whether actin binding reverses this transition and if so, how this reversal is coordinated with actin-activated phosphate release. We labeled a Cys-lite Dictyostelium myosin II motor domain with donor and acceptor probes at two engineered Cys residues designed to detect relay helix bending. We then performed transient time-resolved FRET following stopped-flow mixing of actin with labeled myosin, preincubated with ATP. We determined the kinetics of actin-activated phosphate release, using fluorescent phosphate-binding protein. The results show that actin binding to the myosin.ADP.P complex straightens the relay helix before phosphate dissociation. This actin-activated relay helix straightening is reversible, but phosphate irreversibly dissociates from the postpower stroke state, preventing reversal of the power stroke. Thus, relay helix straightening gates phosphate dissociation, whereas phosphate dissociation provides the thermodynamic driving force underlying force production.

Novel configuration of a myosin II transient intermediate analogue revealed by quick-freeze deep-etch replica electron microscopy

In the present paper, we described our attempt to characterize the rough three-dimensional features of the structural analogue of the key intermediate of myosin's cross-bridge cycle. Using quick-freeze deep-etch replica electron microscopy, we observed that actin-attached myosin during in vitro sliding was bent superficially as postulated by the conventional hypothesis, but in the opposite direction of the putative pre-power-stroke configuration, as for ADP·Vi (inorganic vanadate)-bound myosin. We searched for the conformational species with a similar appearance and found that SH1-SH2 (thiols 1 and 2)-cross-linked myosin is a good candidate. To characterize such small asymmetric structures, we employed a new pattern-recognition procedure that accommodates the metal-replicated samples. In this method, the best-matched views of the target microscopic images were selected from a comprehensive set of images simulated from known atomic co-ordinates of relevant proteins. Together with effective morphological filtering, we could define the conformational species and the view angles of the catalytic domain and the lever arm cropped from averaged images of disulfide-cross-linked myosin. Whereas the catalytic domain of the new conformer closely resembled the pPDM (N,N'-p-phenylenedimaleimide)-treated, but SH2 Lys705-cross-linked, structure (PDB code 1L2O), a minor product of the same cross-linking reaction, the lever arm projected differently. Using separately determined view angles of the catalytic domain and the lever arm, we built a model of disulfide-cross-linked myosin. Further combination with the 'displacement-mapping' procedure enabled us to reconstruct the global three-dimensional envelope of the unusual structure whose lever arm orientation is compatible with our reports on the actin-sliding cross-bridge structure. Assuming this conformer as the structural analogue of the transient intermediate during actin sliding, the power stroke of the lever arm might accompany the reversal of the disorganized SH1 helix.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of squid heavy meromyosin

All muscle-based movement is dependent upon carefully choreographed interactions between the two major muscle components, myosin and actin. Regulation of vertebrate smooth and molluscan muscle contraction is myosin based (both are in the myosin II class), and requires the double-headed form of myosin. Removal of Ca2+ from these muscles promotes a relatively compact conformation of the myosin dimer, which inhibits its interaction with actin. Although atomic structures of single myosin heads are available, the structure of any double-headed portion of myosin, including the ∼375 kDa heavy meromyosin (HMM), has only been visualized at low (∼20 Å) resolution by electron microscopy. Here, the growth of three-dimensional crystals of HMM with near-atomic resolution (up to ∼5 Å) and their X-ray diffraction are reported for the first time. These crystals were grown in off-state conditions, that is in the absence of Ca2+ and the presence of nucleotide analogs, using HMM from the funnel retractor muscle of squid. In addition to the crystallization conditions, the techniques used to isolate and purify this HMM are also described. Efforts at phasing and improving the resolution of the data in order to determine the structure are ongoing.

The Qdot-labeled actin super-resolution motility assay measures low-duty cycle muscle myosin step size

Myosin powers contraction in heart and skeletal muscle and is a leading target for mutations implicated in inheritable muscle diseases. During contraction, myosin transduces ATP free energy into the work of muscle shortening against resisting force. Muscle shortening involves relative sliding of myosin and actin filaments. Skeletal actin filaments were fluorescently labeled with a streptavidin conjugate quantum dot (Qdot) binding biotin-phalloidin on actin. Single Qdots were imaged in time with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and then spatially localized to 1-3 nm using a super-resolution algorithm as they translated with actin over a surface coated with skeletal heavy meromyosin (sHMM) or full-length β-cardiac myosin (MYH7). The average Qdot-actin velocity matches measurements with rhodamine-phalloidin-labeled actin. The sHMM Qdot-actin velocity histogram contains low-velocity events corresponding to actin translation in quantized steps of ~5 nm. The MYH7 velocity histogram has quantized steps at 3 and 8 nm in addition to 5 nm and larger compliance compared to that of sHMM depending on the MYH7 surface concentration. Low-duty cycle skeletal and cardiac myosin present challenges for a single-molecule assay because actomyosin dissociates quickly and the freely moving element diffuses away. The in vitro motility assay has modestly more actomyosin interactions, and methylcellulose inhibited diffusion to sustain the complex while preserving a subset of encounters that do not overlap in time on a single actin filament. A single myosin step is isolated in time and space and then characterized using super-resolution. The approach provides a quick, quantitative, and inexpensive step size measurement for low-duty cycle muscle myosin.

Molecular machines directly observed by high-speed atomic force microscopy

Molecular machines made of proteins are highly dynamic and carry out sophisticated biological functions. The direct and dynamic high-resolution visualization of molecular machines in action is considered to be the most straightforward approach to understanding how they function but this has long been infeasible until recently. High-speed atomic force microscopy has recently been realized, making such visualization possible. The captured images of myosin V, F1-ATPase, and bacteriorhodopsin have enabled their dynamic processes and structure dynamics to be revealed in great detail, giving unique and deep insights into their functional mechanisms.

Head-head interactions of resting myosin crossbridges in intact frog skeletal muscles, revealed by synchrotron x-ray fiber diffraction

The intensities of the myosin-based layer lines in the x-ray diffraction patterns from live resting frog skeletal muscles with full thick-thin filament overlap from which partial lattice sampling effects had been removed were analyzed to elucidate the configurations of myosin crossbridges around the thick filament backbone to nanometer resolution. The repeat of myosin binding protein C (C-protein) molecules on the thick filaments was determined to be 45.33 nm, slightly longer than that of myosin crossbridges. With the inclusion of structural information for C-proteins and a pre-powerstroke head shape, modeling in terms of a mixed population of regular and perturbed regions of myosin crown repeats along the filament revealed that the myosin filament had azimuthal perturbations of crossbridges in addition to axial perturbations in the perturbed region, producing pseudo-six-fold rotational symmetry in the structure projected down the filament axis. Myosin crossbridges had a different organization about the filament axis in each of the regular and perturbed regions. In the regular region that lacks C-proteins, there were inter-molecular interactions between the myosin heads in axially adjacent crown levels. In the perturbed region that contains C-proteins, in addition to inter-molecular interactions between the myosin heads in the closest adjacent crown levels, there were also intra-molecular interactions between the paired heads on the same crown level. Common features of the interactions in both regions were interactions between a portion of the 50-kDa-domain and part of the converter domain of the myosin heads, similar to those found in the phosphorylation-regulated invertebrate myosin. These interactions are primarily electrostatic and the converter domain is responsible for the head-head interactions. Thus multiple head-head interactions of myosin crossbridges also characterize the switched-off state and have an important role in the regulation or other functions of myosin in thin filament-regulated muscles as well as in the thick filament-regulated muscles.

Atomic model of the human cardiac muscle myosin filament

Of all the myosin filaments in muscle, the most important in terms of human health, and so far the least studied, are those in the human heart. Here we report a 3D single-particle analysis of electron micrograph images of negatively stained myosin filaments isolated from human cardiac muscle in the normal (undiseased) relaxed state. The resulting 28-Å resolution 3D reconstruction shows axial and azimuthal (no radial) myosin head perturbations within the 429-Å axial repeat, with rotations between successive 132 Å-, 148 Å-, and 149 Å-spaced crowns of heads close to 60°, 35°, and 25° (all would be 40° in an unperturbed three-stranded helix). We have defined the myosin head atomic arrangements within the three crown levels and have modeled the organization of myosin subfragment 2 and the possible locations of the 39 Å-spaced domains of titin and the cardiac isoform of myosin-binding protein-C on the surface of the myosin filament backbone. Best fits were obtained with head conformations on all crowns close to the structure of the two-headed myosin molecule of vertebrate chicken smooth muscle in the dephosphorylated relaxed state. Individual crowns show differences in head-pair tilts and subfragment 2 orientations, which, together with the observed perturbations, result in different intercrown head interactions, including one not reported before. Analysis of the interactions between the myosin heads, the cardiac isoform of myosin-binding protein-C, and titin will aid in understanding of the structural effects of mutations in these proteins known to be associated with human cardiomyopathies.

SH3 domains: modules of protein-protein interactions

Src homology 3 (SH3) domains are involved in the regulation of important cellular pathways, such as cell proliferation, migration and cytoskeletal modifications. Recognition of polyproline and a number of noncanonical sequences by SH3 domains has been extensively studied by crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance and other methods. High-affinity peptides that bind SH3 domains are used in drug development as candidates for anticancer treatment. This review summarizes the latest achievements in deciphering structural determinants of SH3 function.

Calcium regulation of myosin-I tension sensing

Myo1b is a myosin that is exquisitely sensitive to tension. Its actin-attachment lifetime increases > 50-fold when its working stroke is opposed by 1 pN of force. The long attachment lifetime of myo1b under load raises the question: how are actin attachments that last >50 s in the presence of force regulated? Like most myosins, forces are transmitted to the myo1b motor through a light-chain binding domain that is structurally stabilized by calmodulin, a calcium-binding protein. Thus, we examined the effect of calcium on myo1b motility using ensemble and single-molecule techniques. Calcium accelerates key biochemical transitions on the ATPase pathway, decreases the working-stroke displacement, and greatly reduces the ability of myo1b to sense tension. Thus, calcium provides an effective mechanism for inhibiting motility and terminating long-duration attachments.

Molecular mechanism of actin-myosin motor in muscle

The interaction of actin and myosin powers striated and smooth muscles and some other types of cell motility. Due to its highly ordered structure, skeletal muscle is a very convenient object for studying the general mechanism of the actin-myosin molecular motor. The history of investigation of the actin-myosin motor is briefly described. Modern concepts and data obtained with different techniques including protein crystallography, electron microscopy, biochemistry, and protein engineering are reviewed. Particular attention is given to X-ray diffraction studies of intact muscles and single muscle fibers with permeabilized membrane as they give insight into structural changes that underlie force generation and work production by the motor. Time-resolved low-angle X-ray diffraction on contracting muscle fibers using modern synchrotron radiation sources is used to follow movement of myosin heads with unique time and spatial resolution under near physiological conditions.

A novel Myosin essential light chain mutation causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with late onset and low expressivity

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is caused by mutations in genes encoding sarcomere proteins. Mutations in MYL3, encoding the essential light chain of myosin, are rare and have been associated with sudden death. Both recessive and dominant patterns of inheritance have been suggested. We studied a large family with a 38-year-old asymptomatic HCM-affected male referred because of a murmur. The patient had HCM with left ventricular hypertrophy (max WT 21 mm), a resting left ventricular outflow gradient of 36 mm Hg, and left atrial dilation (54 mm). Genotyping revealed heterozygosity for a novel missense mutation, p.V79I, in MYL3. The mutation was not found in 300 controls, and the patient had no mutations in 10 sarcomere genes. Cascade screening revealed a further nine heterozygote mutation carriers, three of whom had ECG and/or echocardiographic abnormalities but did not fulfil diagnostic criteria for HCM. The penetrance, if we consider this borderline HCM the phenotype of the p.V79I mutation, was 40%, but the mean age of the nonpenetrant mutation carriers is 15, while the mean age of the penetrant mutation carriers is 47. The mutation affects a conserved valine replacing it with a larger isoleucine residue in the region of contact between the light chain and the myosin lever arm. In conclusion, MYL3 mutations can present with low expressivity and late onset.

Fluorescence microscopy for simultaneous observation of 3D orientation and movement and its application to quantum rod-tagged myosin V

Single molecule fluorescence polarization techniques have been used for three-dimensional (3D) orientation measurements to observe the dynamic properties of single molecules. However, only few techniques can simultaneously measure 3D orientation and position. Furthermore, these techniques often require complex equipment and cumbersome analysis. We have developed a microscopy system and synthesized highly fluorescent, rod-like shaped quantum dots (Q rods), which have linear polarizations, to simultaneously measure the position and 3D orientation of a single fluorescent probe. The optics splits the fluorescence from the probe into four different spots depending on the polarization angle and projects them onto a CCD camera. These spots are used to determine the 2D position and 3D orientation. Q rod orientations could be determined with better than 10° accuracy at 33 ms time resolution. We applied our microscopy and Q rods to simultaneously measure myosin V movement along an actin filament and rotation around its own axis, finding that myosin V rotates 90° for each step. From this result, we suggest that in the two-headed bound state, myosin V necks are perpendicular to one another, while in the one-headed bound state the detached trailing myosin V head is biased forward in part by rotating its lever arm about its own axis. This microscopy system should be applicable to a wide range of dynamic biological processes that depend on single molecule orientation dynamics.

How myosin motors power cellular functions: an exciting journey from structure to function: based on a lecture delivered at the 34th FEBS Congress in Prague, Czech Republic, July 2009

Molecular motors such as myosins are allosteric enzymes that power essential motility functions in the cell. Structural biology is an important tool for deciphering how these motors work. Myosins produce force upon the actin-driven conformational changes controlling the sequential release of the hydrolysis products of ATP (Pi followed by ADP). These conformational changes are amplified by a 'lever arm', which includes the region of the motor known as the converter and the adjacent elongated light chain binding region. Analysis of four structural states of the motor provides a detailed understanding of the rearrangements and pathways of communication in the motor that are necessary for detachment from the actin track and repriming of the motor. However, the important part of the cycle in which force is produced remains enigmatic and awaits new high-resolution structures. The value of a structural approach is particularly evident from clues provided by the structural states of the reverse myosin VI motor. Crystallographic structures have revealed that rearrangements within the converter subdomain occur, which explains why this myosin can produce a large stroke in the opposite direction to all other myosins, despite a very short lever arm. By providing a detailed understanding of the motor rearrangements, structural biology will continue to reveal essential information and help solve current enigma, such as how actin promotes force production, how motors are tuned for specific cellular roles or how motor/cargo interactions regulate the function of myosin in the cell.

Neck-motor interactions trigger rotation of the kinesin stalk

Rotation of the coiled-coil stalk of the kinesin-14 motors is thought to drive displacements or steps by the motor along microtubules, but the structural changes that trigger stalk rotation and the nucleotide state in which it occurs are not certain. Here we report a kinesin-14 neck mutant that releases ADP more slowly than wild type and shows weaker microtubule affinity, consistent with defective stalk rotation. Unexpectedly, crystal structures show the stalk fully rotated - neck-motor interactions destabilize the stalk, causing it to rotate and ADP to be released, and alter motor affinity for microtubules. A new structural pathway accounts for the coupling of stalk rotation - the force-producing stroke - to changes in motor affinity for nucleotide and microtubules. Sequential disruption of salt bridges that stabilize the unrotated stalk could cause the stalk to initiate and complete rotation in different nucleotide states.

Real-space processing of helical filaments in SPARX

We present a major revision of the iterative helical real-space refinement (IHRSR) procedure and its implementation in the SPARX single particle image processing environment. We built on over a decade of experience with IHRSR helical structure determination and we took advantage of the flexible SPARX infrastructure to arrive at an implementation that offers ease of use, flexibility in designing helical structure determination strategy, and high computational efficiency. We introduced the 3D projection matching code which now is able to work with non-cubic volumes, the geometry better suited for long helical filaments, we enhanced procedures for establishing helical symmetry parameters, and we parallelized the code using distributed memory paradigm. Additional features include a graphical user interface that facilitates entering and editing of parameters controlling the structure determination strategy of the program. In addition, we present a novel approach to detect and evaluate structural heterogeneity due to conformer mixtures that takes advantage of helical structure redundancy.

Transgenic expression and purification of myosin isoforms using the Drosophila melanogaster indirect flight muscle system

Biophysical and structural studies on muscle myosin rely upon milligram quantities of extremely pure material. However, many biologically interesting myosin isoforms are expressed at levels that are too low for direct purification from primary tissues. Efforts aimed at recombinant expression of functional striated muscle myosin isoforms in bacterial or insect cell culture have largely met with failure, although high level expression in muscle cell culture has recently been achieved at significant expense. We report a novel method for the use of strains of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster genetically engineered to produce histidine-tagged recombinant muscle myosin isoforms. This method takes advantage of the single muscle myosin heavy chain gene within the Drosophila genome, the high level of expression of accessible myosin in the thoracic indirect flight muscles, the ability to knock out endogenous expression of myosin in this tissue and the relatively low cost of fruit fly colony production and maintenance. We illustrate this method by expressing and purifying a recombinant histidine-tagged variant of embryonic body wall skeletal muscle myosin II from an engineered fly strain. The recombinant protein shows the expected ATPase activity and is of sufficient purity and homogeneity for crystallization. This system may prove useful for the expression and isolation of mutant myosins associated with skeletal muscle diseases and cardiomyopathies for their biochemical and structural characterization.

Alternative relay and converter domains tune native muscle myosin isoform function in Drosophila

Myosin isoforms help define muscle-specific contractile and structural properties. Alternative splicing of myosin heavy chain gene transcripts in Drosophila melanogaster yields muscle-specific isoforms and highlights alternative domains that fine-tune myosin function. To gain insight into how native myosin is tuned, we expressed three embryonic myosin isoforms in indirect flight muscles lacking endogenous myosin. These isoforms differ in their relay and/or converter domains. We analyzed isoform-specific ATPase activities, in vitro actin motility and myofibril structure/stability. We find that dorsal acute body wall muscle myosin (EMB-9c11d) shows a significant increase in MgATPase V(max) and actin sliding velocity, as well as abnormal myofibril assembly compared to cardioblast myosin (EMB-11d). These properties differ as a result of alternative exon-9-encoded relay domains that are hypothesized to communicate signals among the ATP-binding pocket, actin-binding site and the converter domain. Further, EMB-11d shows significantly reduced levels of basal Ca- and MgATPase as well as MgATPase V(max) compared to embryonic body wall muscle isoform (EMB) (expressed in a multitude of body wall muscles). EMB-11d also induces increased actin sliding velocity and stabilizes myofibril structure compared to EMB. These differences arise from exon-11-encoded alternative converter domains that are proposed to reposition the lever arm during the power and recovery strokes. We conclude that relay and converter domains of native myosin isoforms fine-tune ATPase activity, actin motility and muscle ultrastructure. This verifies and extends previous studies with chimeric molecules and indicates that interactions of the relay and converter during the contractile cycle are key to myosin-isoform-specific kinetic and mechanical functions.

Disrupting the myosin converter-relay interface impairs Drosophila indirect flight muscle performance

Structural interactions between the myosin converter and relay domains have been proposed to be critical for the myosin power stroke and muscle power generation. We tested this hypothesis by mutating converter residue 759, which interacts with relay residues I508, N509, and D511, to glutamate (R759E) and determined the effect on Drosophila indirect flight muscle mechanical performance. Work loop analysis of mutant R759E indirect flight muscle fibers revealed a 58% and 31% reduction in maximum power generation (P(WL)) and the frequency at which maximum power (f(WL)) is generated, respectively, compared to control fibers at 15 °C. Small amplitude sinusoidal analysis revealed a 30%, 36%, and 32% reduction in mutant elastic modulus, viscous modulus, and mechanical rate constant 2πb, respectively. From these results, we infer that the mutation reduces rates of transitions through work-producing cross-bridge states and/or force generation during strongly bound states. The reductions in muscle power output, stiffness, and kinetics were physiologically relevant, as mutant wing beat frequency and flight index decreased about 10% and 45% compared to control flies at both 15 °C and 25 °C. Thus, interactions between the relay loop and converter domain are critical for lever-arm and catalytic domain coordination, high muscle power generation, and optimal Drosophila flight performance.

Phosphorylated smooth muscle heavy meromyosin shows an open conformation linked to activation

Smooth muscle myosin and smooth muscle heavy meromyosin (smHMM) are activated by regulatory light chain phosphorylation, but the mechanism remains unclear. Dephosphorylated, inactive smHMM assumes a closed conformation with asymmetric intramolecular head-head interactions between motor domains. The "free head" can bind to actin, but the actin binding interface of the "blocked head" is involved in interactions with the free head. We report here a three-dimensional structure for phosphorylated, active smHMM obtained using electron crystallography of two-dimensional arrays. Head-head interactions of phosphorylated smHMM resemble those found in the dephosphorylated state but occur between different molecules, not within the same molecule. The light chain binding domain structure of phosphorylated smHMM differs markedly from that of the "blocked" head of dephosphorylated smHMM. We hypothesize that regulatory light chain phosphorylation opens the inhibited conformation primarily by its effect on the blocked head. Singly phosphorylated smHMM is not compatible with the closed conformation if the blocked head is phosphorylated. This concept has implications for the extent of myosin activation at low levels of phosphorylation in smooth muscle.

Comparative statistical mechanics of myosin molecular motors in rat heart, diaphragm and tracheal smooth muscle

PURPOSE

Statistical mechanics establishes a link between microscopic properties of matter and its bulk properties. A. Huxley's equations (1957) [1] provide the necessary phenomenological formalism to use statistical mechanics.

METHODS

We compared statistical mechanics in rat diaphragm in tetanus (tet; n=10) and twitch (tw; n=12) modes, in heart in twitch mode (n=20), and in tracheal smooth muscle in tetanus mode (TSM; n=10). This powerful tool makes it possible to determine: (i) statistical entropy (S) which is related to the dispersal of energy and represents a measure of the degree of disorder in muscular system; (ii) thermodynamic force A/T (chemical affinity A and temperature T); (iii) thermodynamic flow (υ); (iv) entropy production rate (A/T×υ), which quantifies irreversible chemical processes generated by myosin crossbridge (CB) molecular motors.

RESULTS

All muscles studied operated near equilibrium, i.e., A<<2500J/mol and in a stationary linear regime, i.e., A/T varied linearly with υ. The heart operated farther from equilibrium than both diaphragm (tet and tw) and TSM, as attested by its high entropy production rate. S was of the same order of magnitude in heart and TSM but lower in diaphragm (tet and tw).

CONCLUSION

CB kinetics derived from A. Huxley's equations conferred a characteristic profile in terms of statistical mechanics on each muscle type. All studied muscles differed in terms of statistical entropy, chemical affinity, and entropy production rate. Stimulation mode (tet and tw) modulated CB kinetics and statistical mechanics. All muscle types operated near equilibrium and in a stationary linear regime.

Functional adaptation between yeast actin and its cognate myosin motors

We employed budding yeast and skeletal muscle actin to examine the contribution of the actin isoform to myosin motor function. While yeast and muscle actin are highly homologous, they exhibit different charge density at their N termini (a proposed myosin-binding interface). Muscle myosin-II actin-activated ATPase activity is significantly higher with muscle versus yeast actin. Whether this reflects inefficiency in the ability of yeast actin to activate myosin is not known. Here we optimized the isolation of two yeast myosins to assess actin function in a homogenous system. Yeast myosin-II (Myo1p) and myosin-V (Myo2p) accommodate the reduced N-terminal charge density of yeast actin, showing greater activity with yeast over muscle actin. Increasing the number of negative charges at the N terminus of yeast actin from two to four (as in muscle) had little effect on yeast myosin activity, while other substitutions of charged residues at the myosin interface of yeast actin reduced activity. Thus, yeast actin functions most effectively with its native myosins, which in part relies on associations mediated by its outer domain. Compared with yeast myosin-II and myosin-V, muscle myosin-II activity was very sensitive to salt. Collectively, our findings suggest differing degrees of reliance on electrostatic interactions during weak actomyosin binding in yeast versus muscle. Our study also highlights the importance of native actin isoforms when considering the function of myosins.

EPR spectra and molecular dynamics agree that the nucleotide pocket of myosin V is closed and that it opens on binding actin

We have used EPR spectroscopy and computational modeling of nucleotide-analog spin probes to investigate conformational changes at the nucleotide site of myosin V. We find that, in the absence of actin, the mobility of a spin-labeled diphosphate analog [spin-labeled ADP (SLADP)] bound at the active site is strongly hindered, suggesting a closed nucleotide pocket. The mobility of the analog increases when the MV·SLADP complex (MV=myosin V) binds to actin, implying an opening of the active site in the A·MV·SLADP complex (A=actin). The probe mobilities are similar to those seen with myosin II, despite the fact that myosin V has dramatically altered kinetics. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was used to understand the EPR spectra in terms of the X-ray database. The X-ray structure of MV·ADP·BeFx shows a closed nucleotide site and has been proposed to be the detached state. The MV·ADP structure shows an open nucleotide site and has been proposed to be the A·MV·ADP state at the end of the working powerstroke. MD simulation of SLADP docked in the closed conformation gave a probe mobility comparable to that seen in the EPR spectrum of the MV·SLADP complex. The simulation of the open conformation gave a probe mobility that was 35-40° greater than that observed experimentally for the A·MV·SLADP state. Thus, EPR, X-ray diffraction, and computational analysis support the closed conformation as a myosin V state that is detached from actin. The MD results indicate that the MV·ADP crystal structure, which may correspond to the strained actin-bound post-powerstroke conformation resulting from head-head interaction in the dimeric processive motor, is superopened.

Coarse-grained modeling of conformational transitions underlying the processive stepping of myosin V dimer along filamentous actin

To explore the structural basis of processive stepping of myosin V along filamentous actin, we have performed comprehensive modeling of its key conformational states and transitions with an unprecedented residue level of details. We have built structural models for a myosin V monomer complexed with filamentous actin at four biochemical states [adenosine diphosphate (ATP)-, adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-phosphate-, ADP-bound or nucleotide-free]. Then we have modeled a myosin V dimer (consisting of lead and rear head) at various two-head-bound states with nearly straight lever arms rotated by intramolecular strain. Next, we have performed transition pathway modeling to determine the most favorable sequence of transitions (namely, phosphate release at the lead head followed by ADP release at the rear head, while ADP release at the lead head is inhibited), which underlie the kinetic coordination between the two heads. Finally, we have used transition pathway modeling to reveal the order of structural changes during three key biochemical transitions (phosphate release at the lead head, ADP release and ATP binding at the rear head), which shed lights on the strain-dependence of the allosterically coupled motions at various stages of myosin V's work cycle. Our modeling results are in agreement with and offer structural insights to many results of kinetic, single-molecule and structural studies of myosin V.

Switch I closure simultaneously promotes strong binding to actin and ADP in smooth muscle myosin

The motor protein myosin uses energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to produce force and motion. Important conserved components (P-loop, switch I, and switch II) help propagate small conformational changes at the active site into large scale conformational changes in distal regions of the protein. Structural and biochemical studies have indicated that switch I may be directly responsible for the reciprocal opening and closing of the actin and nucleotide-binding pockets during the ATPase cycle, thereby aiding in the coordination of these important substrate-binding sites. Smooth muscle myosin has displayed the ability to simultaneously bind tightly to both actin and ADP, although it is unclear how both substrate-binding clefts could be closed if they are rigidly coupled to switch I. Here we use single tryptophan mutants of smooth muscle myosin to determine how conformational changes in switch I are correlated with structural changes in the nucleotide and actin-binding clefts in the presence of actin and ADP. Our results suggest that a closed switch I conformation in the strongly bound actomyosin-ADP complex is responsible for maintaining tight nucleotide binding despite an open nucleotide-binding pocket. This unique state is likely to be crucial for prolonged tension maintenance in smooth muscle.

Geometrical conditions indispensable for muscle contraction

Computer simulation has uncovered the geometrical conditions under which the vertebrate striated muscle sarcomere can contract. First, all thick filaments should have identical structure, namely: three myosin cross-bridges, building a crown, should be aligned at angles of 0°, 120°, 180°, and the successive crowns and the two filament halves should be turned around 120°. Second, all thick filaments should act simultaneously. Third, coordination in action of the myosin cross-bridges should exist, namely: the three cross-bridges of a crown should act simultaneously and the cross-bridge crowns axially 43 and 14.333 nm apart should act, respectively, simultaneously and with a phase shift. Fifth, six thin filaments surrounding the thick filament should be turned around 180° to each other in each sarcomere half. Sixth, thin filaments should be oppositely oriented in relation to the sarcomere middle. Finally, the structure of each of the thin filaments should change in consequence of strong interaction with myosin heads, namely: the axial distance and the angular alignment between neighboring actin monomers should be, respectively, 2.867 nm and 168° instead of 2.75 nm and 166.15°. These conditions ensure the stereo-specific interaction between actin and myosin and good agreement with the data gathered by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. The results suggest that the force is generated not only by the myosin cross-bridges but also by the thin filaments; the former acts by cyclical unwrapping and wrapping the thick filament backbone, and the latter byelongation.