Dilated cardiomyopathy in homozygous myosin-binding protein-C mutant mice

To elucidate the role of cardiac myosin-binding protein-C (MyBP-C) in myocardial structure and function, we have produced mice expressing altered forms of this sarcomere protein. The engineered mutations encode truncated forms of MyBP-C in which the cardiac myosin heavy chain-binding and titin-binding domain has been replaced with novel amino acid residues. Analogous heterozygous defects in humans cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Mice that are homozygous for the mutated MyBP-C alleles express less than 10% of truncated protein in M-bands of otherwise normal sarcomeres. Homozygous mice bearing mutated MyBP-C alleles are viable but exhibit neonatal onset of a progressive dilated cardiomyopathy with prominent histopathology of myocyte hypertrophy, myofibrillar disarray, fibrosis, and dystrophic calcification. Echocardiography of homozygous mutant mice showed left ventricular dilation and reduced contractile function at birth; myocardial hypertrophy increased as the animals matured. Left-ventricular pressure-volume analyses in adult homozygous mutant mice demonstrated depressed systolic contractility with diastolic dysfunction. These data revise our understanding of the role that MyBP-C plays in myofibrillogenesis during cardiac development and indicate the importance of this protein for long-term sarcomere function and normal cardiac morphology. We also propose that mice bearing homozygous familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-causing mutations may provide useful tools for predicting the severity of disease that these mutations will cause in humans.

The interface between MyBP-C and myosin: site-directed mutagenesis of the CX myosin-binding domain of MyBP-C

Myosin-binding protein-C (MyBP-C or C-protein) is a ca. 130 kDa protein present in the thick filaments of all vertebrate striated muscle. The protein contains ten domains, each of ca. 90-100 amino acids; seven are members of the IgI family of proteins, three of the fibronectin type III family. The motifs are arranged in the following order (from N- to C-terminus): Ig-Ig-Ig-Ig-Ig-Fn-Fn-Ig-Fn-Ig. The C-terminal Ig motif (domain X or CX) contains its light meromyosin-binding site. A recombinant form of CX, beginning at Met-1027, exhibits saturable binding to myosin with an affinity comparable to the C-terminal 13 kDa chymotryptic fragment of native MyBP-C. To identify the surface in CX involved in its interaction with myosin, nine site-directed mutants (R37E, K43E, N49D, E52R, D56K, R73E, R74E, G80D and R103E) were constructed. Using a new assay for assessing the binding of CX with the light meromyosin (LMM) portion of myosin, we demonstrate that recombinant CX, just as the full-length protein, is able to facilitate LMM polymerization. Moreover, we show that residues Arg-37, Glu-52, Asp-56, Arg-73, and Arg-74 are involved in this interaction with the myosin rod. All of these amino acids interact with negatively charged residues of LMM, since the mutants R37E, R73E and R74E are unable to bind myosin, whereas E52R and D56K bind myosin with higher affinity than wild-type CX. Residues Lys-43 and Arg-103 show a small but significant influence on the binding reaction; residues Asn-49 and Gly-80 seem not to be involved in this interaction. Based on these data, a model is proposed for the interaction between MyBP-C CX and myosin filaments. In this model, CX interacts with four molecules of LMM at four different sites of the binding protein, thus explaining the effects of MyBP-C on the critical concentration of myosin polymerization.

Slow tonic muscle fibers in the thyroarytenoid muscles of human vocal folds; a possible specialization for speech

Most of the sounds of human speech are produced by vibration of the vocal folds, yet the biomechanics and control of these vibrations are poorly understood. In this study the muscle within the vocal fold, the thyroarytenoid muscle (TA), was examined for the presence and distribution of slow tonic muscle fibers (STF), a rare muscle fiber type with unique contraction properties. Nine human TAs were frozen and serially sectioned in the frontal plane. The presence and distribution pattern of STF in each TA were examined by immunofluorescence microscopy using the monoclonal antibodies (mAb) ALD-19 and ALD-58 which react with the slow tonic myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform. In addition, TA muscle samples from adjacent frozen sections were also examined for slow tonic MyHC isoform by electrophoretic immunoblotting. STF were detected in all nine TAs and the presence of slow tonic MyHC isoform was confirmed in the immunoblots. The STF were distributed predominantly in the medial aspect of the TA, a distinct muscle compartment called the vocalis which is the vibrating part of the vocal fold. STF do not contract with a twitch like most muscle fibers, instead, their contractions are prolonged, stable, precisely controlled, and fatigue resistant. The human voice is characterized by a stable sound with a wide frequency spectrum that can be precisely modulated and the STF may contribute to this ability. At present, the evidence suggests that STF are not presented in the vocal folds of other mammals (including other primates), therefore STF may be a unique human specialization for speech.

Identification of the A-band localization domain of myosin binding proteins C and H (MyBP-C, MyBP-H) in skeletal muscle

Although major constituents of the thick filaments of vertebrate striated muscles, the myosin binding proteins (MyBP-C and MyBP-H) are still of uncertain function. Distributed in the cross-bridge bearing zone of the A-bands of myofibrils, in a series of transverse 43 nm stripes, the proteins are constructed of a tandem series of small globular domains, each composed of approximately 90–100 amino acids, which have sequence similarities to either the C2-set of immunoglobulins (IgC2) and the fibronectin type III (FnIII) motifs. MyBP-C is composed of ten globular domains (approximately 130 kDa) whereas MyBP-H is smaller (approximately 58 kDa) and consists of a unique N-terminal segment followed by four globular domains, the order of which is identical to that of MyBP-C (FnIII-IgC2-FnIII-IgC2). To improve our understanding of this protein family we have characterized the domains in each of these two proteins which are required for targeting the proteins to their native site(s) in the sarcomere during myogenesis. Cultures of skeletal muscle myoblasts were transfected with expression plasmids encoding mutant constructs of the MyBPs bearing an N-terminal myc epitope, and their localization to the A-band examined by immunofluorescence microscopy. Based on the clarity and intensity of the myc A-band signals we concluded that constructs encoding the four C-terminal motifs of MyBP-C and MyBP-H (approximately 360 amino acids) were all that was necessary to efficiently localize each of these peptides to the A-band. Truncation mutants lacking one of these 4 domains were less efficiently targeted to the C-zone of the sarcomere. Deletion of the last C-terminal motif of MyBP-H, its myosin binding domain, abolished all localization to the A-band. A chimeric construct, HU-3C10, in which the C-terminal motif of MyBP-H was replaced by the myosin binding domain of MyBP-C, efficiently localized to the A-band. Taken together, these observations indicate that MyBP-C and MyBP-H are localized to the A-band by the same C-terminal domain, composed of two IgC2 and two FnIII motifs. A model has been proposed for the interaction and positioning of the MyBPs in the thick filament through a ternary complex of the four C-terminal motifs with the myosin rods and titin.

Isoform-specific interaction of the myosin-binding proteins (MyBPs) with skeletal and cardiac myosin is a property of the C-terminal immunoglobulin domain

Full-length cDNAs encoding chicken and human skeletal MyBP-H and MyBP-C have been isolated and sequenced (1-5). All are members of a protein family with repetitive immunoglobulin C2 and fibronectin type III motifs. The myosin binding domain was mapped to a single immunoglobulin motif in cardiac MyBP-C and skeletal MyBP-H. Limited alpha-chymotryptic digestion of cardiac MyBP-C generated three peptides, similar in relative mobility to those of skeletal MyBP-C: approximately 100, 40, and 15 kDa. Tryptic digestion of MyBP-H yielded two peptides: approximately 50 and 14 kDa. Partial amino acid sequences proved that the 15- and 14-kDa fragments are located at the C termini of cardiac MyBP-C and skeletal MyBP-H, respectively. Only the 14- and 15-kDa peptides bound to myosin. Thus, the myosin binding site in all three proteins resides within an homologous, C-terminal immunoglobulin domain. Binding reactions (2) between the skeletal and cardiac MyBPs and corresponding myosin isoforms demonstrated saturable binding of the MyBP proteins and their C-terminal peptides to myosin, but there are higher limiting stoichiometries with the homologous isoform partners. Evidence is presented indicating that MyBP-H and -C compete for binding to a discrete number of sites in myosin filaments.

Skeletal muscle-specific myosin binding protein-H is expressed in Purkinje fibers of the cardiac conduction system

Heart contraction is coordinated by conduction of electrical excitation through specialized tissues of the cardiac conduction system. By retroviral single-cell tagging and lineage analyses in the embryonic chicken heart, we have recently demonstrated that a subset of cardiac muscle cells terminally differentiates as cells of the peripheral conduction system (Purkinje fibers) and that this occurs invariably in perivascular regions of developing coronary arteries. Cis regulatory elements that function in transcriptional regulation of cells in the conducting system have been distinguished from those in contractile cardiac muscle cells; eg, 5' regulatory sequences of the desmin gene act as enhancer elements in skeletal muscle and in the conduction system but not in cardiac muscle. We hypothesize that Purkinje fiber differentiation involves a switch of the gene expression program from that characteristic of cardiac muscle to one typical of skeletal muscle. To test this hypothesis, we examined the expression of myosin binding protein-H (MyBP-H) in Purkinje fibers of chicken hearts. This unique myosin binding protein is present in skeletal but not cardiac myocytes. A site-directed polyclonal antibody (AB105) was generated against MyBP-H. Immunohistological analysis of the myocardium mapped the AB105 antigen predominantly to A bands of myofibrils within Purkinje fibers. Western blot analysis of whole extracts from the ventricular wall of adult chicken hearts revealed that the AB105 epitope was restricted to a single protein of approximately 86 kD, the same size as MyBP-H in skeletal muscle. Biochemical properties of the Purkinje fiber 86-kD protein and RNase protection analyses of its mRNA indicate that Purkinje fiber 86-kD protein is indistinguishable from skeletal muscle MyBP-H. The results provide evidence that skeletal muscle MyBP-H is expressed in a subset of cardiac muscle cells that differentiate into Purkinje fibers of the heart.

The polyclonal origin of myocyte lineages

The heart beat is coordinated by the integrated activities of three myocyte subpopulations: atrial myocytes, ventricular myocytes, and cells of the cardiac conduction system. In this review we discuss the classic fate map and recent retroviral cell lineage studies to better understand the origin, timing, and mechanisms regulating (a) the formation of these three myocyte lineages and (b) the morphogenetic plan underlying formation of the myocardial walls and the conduction system.

Modulation of myosin filament organization by C-protein family members

We have analyzed the interactions between two types of sarcomeric proteins: myosin heavy chain (MyHC) and members of an abundant thick filament-associated protein family (myosin-binding protein; MyBP). Previous work has demonstrated that when MyHC is transiently transfected into mammalian nonmuscle COS cells, the expressed protein forms spindle-shaped structures consisting of bundles of myosin thick filaments. Co-expression of MyHC and MyBP-C or -H modulates the MyHC structures, resulting in dramatically longer cables consisting of myosin and MyBP encircling the nucleus. Immunoelectron microscopy indicates that these cable structures are more uniform in diameter than the spindle structures consisting solely of MyHC, and that the myosin filaments are compacted in the presence of MyBP. Deletion analysis of MyBP-H indicates that cable formation is dependent on the carboxy terminal 24 amino acids. Neither the MyHC spindles nor the MyHC/MyBP cables associate with the endogenous actin cytoskeleton of the COS cell. While there is no apparent co-localization between these structures and the microtubule network, colchicine treatment of the cells promotes the formation of longer assemblages, suggesting that cytoskeletal architecture may physically impede or regulate polymer formation/extension. The data presented here contribute to a greater understanding of the interactions between the MyBP family and MyHC, and provide additional evidence for functional homology between MyBP-C and MyBP-H.

The carboxyl terminus of myosin binding protein C (MyBP-C, C-protein) specifies incorporation into the A-band of striated muscle

Myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C), also known as C-protein, is a major constituent of the thick filaments of vertebrate striated muscles. The protein, approximately 130 kDa, consists of a series of 10 globular motifs (numbered I to X) each of approximately 90–100 amino acids, bearing resemblance to the C2-set of immunoglobins (Ig C2) and to the fibronectin type III (FnIII) motifs. Using pure preparations of myosin and MyBP-C, it has been demonstrated that the major myosin binding domain of MyBP-C resides within the C-terminal Ig C2 motif (motif X). However, in the context of the in vivo thick filament, it is uncertain if the latter domain is sufficient to target MyBP-C correctly to the A-band or if other regions of the molecule are required for this process. To answer this question, cultures of skeletal muscle myoblasts were transfected with expression plasmids encoding seven truncation mutants of MyBP-C, and their targeting to the A-band investigated by immunofluorescence microscopy. To distinguish the recombinant proteins from endogenous MyBP-C, a myc epitope was inserted at each amino terminus. Recombinant MyBP-C exhibited an identical distribution in the sarcomere to that of native MyBP-C; i.e. it was found exclusively in the C-zone of the A-band. A mutant encoding the C-terminal 372 amino acids, but lacking motifs I-VI (termed delta 1–6), also targeted correctly to the A-band. This fragment, which is composed of two Ig C2 and two FnIII motifs, was the minimal protein fragment required for correct A-band incorporation. Larger amino-terminal deletions or deletion of motif X, the myosin binding domain, abolished all localization to the A-band. One construct (delta 10) lacking only motif X strongly inhibited myofibril assembly. We conclude that the myosin binding domain of MyBP-C, although essential, is not sufficient for correct incorporation into the A-band and that motifs VII to IX are required for this process. The data suggest a topological model in which MyBP-C is associated with the thick filament through its C terminus.

Immunohistochemical analysis of C-protein isoforms in cardiac and skeletal muscle of the axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum

Of the several proteins located within sarcomeric A-bands, C-protein, a myosin binding protein (MyBP) is thought to regulate and stabilize thick filaments during assembly. This paper reports the characterization of C-protein isoforms in juvenile and adult axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum, by means of immunofluorescent microscopy and Western blot analyses. C-protein and myosin are found specifically within the A-bands, whereas tropomyosin and alpha-actin are detected in the I-bands of axolotl myofibrils. The MF1 antibody prepared against the fast skeletal muscle isoform of chicken C-protein specifically recognizes a cardiac isoform (Axcard1) in juvenile and adult axolotls but does not label axolotl skeletal muscle. The ALD66 antibody, which reacts with the C-protein slow isoform in chicken, local- izes only in skeletal muscle of the axolotl. This slow axolotl isoform (Axslow) displays a heterogeneous distribution in fibers of dorsalis trunci skeletal muscle. The C315 antibody against the chicken C-protein cardiac isoform identifies a second axolotl cardiac isoform (Axcard2), which is present also in axolotl skeletal muscle. No C-protein was detected in smooth muscle of the juvenile and adult axolotl with these antibodies.

Antisense suppression of skeletal muscle myosin light chain-1 biosynthesis impairs myofibrillogenesis in cultured myotubes

Although the alkali or essential light chains of skeletal muscle myosin are not required for actin-activated myosin ATPase activity, these myosin subunits are necessary for force transmission with in vitro actin motility assays and are believed to stabilize the alpha-helical neck region of myosin subfragment-1. To probe the functions of the essential light chains during myofibril assembly, we used recombinant DNA procedures to deplete this light chain in cultured muscle. Retroviral expression vectors were constructed which encoded the exon-1 sequence of the myosin light chain-1 gene in antisense orientation. These vectors were applied to myogenic cells from embryonic chick and quail pectoralis muscle. Colonies expressing antisense RNA were selected in growth medium containing the neomycin analogue G-418, plus 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and triggered to differentiate by removal of the latter. Expression of antisense myosin light chain-1 mRNA impaired muscle development. In the antisense cultures there were more mononucleated cells, fewer and smaller myotubes which had poorly developed myofibrils and high levels of diffusely staining myosin heavy chain, not apparent in control myotubes. Protein synthesis in the myotube cultures was analyzed by 35S-methionine labelling and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Except for a suppression of approximately 80% of myosin light chain-1f synthesis, the overall pattern of protein synthesis was not altered significantly. These studies suggest that retardation of myosin light chain-1f accumulation inhibits or delays myofibrillogenesis.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor is required for in vivo cardiac myocyte proliferation at early embryonic stages of heart development

In birds and mammals, cardiac myocytes terminate mitotic activity in the neonatal period and regeneration of cardiac muscle does not occur after myocardial injury in adult hearts. Even embryonic myocytes, which actively proliferate in vivo, quickly lose mitotic activity when placed in cell culture. Several growth factors, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF), have been documented in embryonic hearts and some have been shown to influence myocyte terminal differentiation in culture. However, none of these growth factors have been shown to reactivate cell division in postmitotic myocytes nor have their in vivo functions been defined satisfactorily. To clarify the role of FGF signaling in heart growth, we prepared two retroviral vectors capable of suppressing (i) functions of FGF receptors (FGFRs) with a dominant-negative mutant of receptor type 1 (FGFR1) or (ii) the translation of endogenous FGFR1 by transcribing its antisense RNA. Both vectors inhibited myocyte proliferation and/or survival during the first week of chicken embryonic development but had much less effect after the second week. No apparent alteration of myocyte growth was observed after overexpression of full-length FGFR1. These results suggest that receptor-coupled FGF signaling regulates cardiac myocyte growth during tubular stages of cardiogenesis but that myocyte growth becomes FGF-independent after the second week of embryogenesis.

Sequential appearance of muscle-specific proteins in myoblasts as a function of time after cell division: evidence for a conserved myoblast differentiation program in skeletal muscle

Based on the assumption that a conserved differentiation program governs the assembly of sarcomeres in skeletal muscle in a manner analogous to programs for viral capsid assembly, we have defined the temporal and spatial distribution of 10 muscle-specific proteins in mononucleated myoblasts as a function of the time after terminal cell division. Single cells in mitosis were identified in monolayer cultures of embryonic chicken pectoralis, followed for selected time points (0-24 h postmitosis) by video time-lapse microscopy, and then fixed for immunofluorescence staining. For convenience, the myoblasts were termed x-h-old to define their age relative to their mitotic "birthdate." All 6 h myoblasts that emerged in a mitogen-rich medium were desmin+ but only 50% were positive for a alpha-actin, troponin-I, alpha-actinin, MyHC, zeugmatin, titin, or nebulin. By 15 h postmitosis, approximately 80% were positive for all of the above proteins. The up-regulation of these 7 myofibrillar proteins appears to be stochastic, in that many myoblasts were alpha-actinin+ or zeugmatin+ but MyHC- or titin- whereas others were troponin-I+ or MyHC+ but alpha-actinin- or alpha-actin-. In 15-h-old myoblasts, these contractile proteins were organized into nonstriated myofibrils (NSMFs). In contrast to striated myofibrils (SMFs), the NSMFs exhibited variable stoichiometries of the sarcomeric proteins and these were not organized into any consistent pattern. In this phase of maturation, two other changes occurred: (1) the microtubule network was reorganized into parallel bundles, driving the myoblasts into polarized, needle-shaped cells; and (2) the sarcolemma became fusion-competent. A transition from NSMFs to SMFs took place between 15 and 24 h (or later) postmitosis and was correlated with the late appearance of myomesin, and particularly, MyBP-C (C protein). The emergence of one, or a string of approximately 2 mu long sarcomeres, was invariably characterized by the localization of myomesin and MyBP-C to their mature positions in the developing A-bands. The latter group of A-band proteins may be rate-limiting in the assembly program. The great majority of myoblasts stained positively for desmin and myofibrillar proteins prior to, rather than after, fusing to form myotubes. This sequential appearance of muscle-specific proteins in vitro fully recapitulates myofibrillar assembly steps in myoblasts of the myotome and limb bud in vivo, as well as in nonmuscle cells converted to myoblasts by MyoD. We suggest that this cell-autonomous myoblast differentiation program may be blocked at different control points in immortalized myogenic cell lines.

The major myosin-binding domain of skeletal muscle MyBP-C (C protein) resides in the COOH-terminal, immunoglobulin C2 motif

A common feature shared by myosin-binding proteins from a wide variety of species is the presence of a variable number of related internal motifs homologous to either the Ig C2 or the fibronectin (Fn) type III repeats. Despite interest in the potential function of these motifs, no group has clearly demonstrated a function for these sequences in muscle, either intra- or extracellularly. We have completed the nucleotide sequence of the fast type isoform of MyBP-C (C protein) from chicken skeletal muscle. The deduced amino acid sequence reveals seven Ig C2 sets and three Fn type III motifs in MyBP-C. alpha-chymotryptic digestion of purified MyBP-C gives rise to four peptides. NH2-terminal sequencing of these peptides allowed us to map the position of each along the primary structure of the protein. The 28-kD peptide contains the NH2-terminal sequence of MyBP-C, including the first C2 repeat. It is followed by two internal peptides, one of 5 kD containing exclusively spacer sequences between the first and second C2 motifs, and a 95-kD fragment containing five C2 domains and three fibronectin type III motifs. The C-terminal sequence of MyBP-C is present in a 14-kD peptide which contains only the last C2 repeat. We examined the binding properties of these fragments to reconstituted (synthetic) myosin filaments. Only the COOH-terminal 14-kD peptide is capable of binding myosin with high affinity. The NH2-terminal 28-kD fragment has no myosin-binding, while the long internal 100-kD peptide shows very weak binding to myosin. We have expressed and purified the 14-kD peptide in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein exhibits saturable binding to myosin with an affinity comparable to that of the 14-kD fragment obtained by proteolytic digestion (1/2 max binding at approximately 0.5 microM). These results indicate that the binding to myosin filaments is mainly restricted to the last 102 amino acids of MyBP-C. The remainder of the molecule (1,032 amino acids) could interact with titin, MyBP-H (H protein) or thin filament components. A comparison of the highly conserved Ig C2 domains present at the COOH-terminus of five MyBPs thus far sequenced (human slow and fast MyBP-C, human and chicken MyBP-H, and chicken MyBP-C) was used to identify residues unique to these myosin-binding Ig C2 repeats.

Complete sequence of human fast-type and slow-type muscle myosin-binding-protein C (MyBP-C). Differential expression, conserved domain structure and chromosome assignment

Myosin-binding-protein C (MyBP-C) is a myosin-associated protein of unknown function found in the cross-bridge-bearing zone (C region) of A bands in striated muscle. Using a cDNA clone encoding the fast-type isoform of chicken MyBP-C, we screened a human fetal muscle cDNA library and isolated clones encoding the full-length human fast-type isoform of MyBP-C. cDNA clones encoding the slow-type isoform of human MyBP-C, were also isolated and fully sequenced. Northern-blot analysis demonstrated skeletal muscle-specific expression of these gene products. Using human/hamster somatic-cell hybrids, we were able to map the slow-type MyBP-C to human chromosome 12, and the fast-type MyBP-C to chromosome 19. The cDNA for human fast-type MyBP-C encodes a polypeptide of 1142 amino acids with an expected molecular mass of 128.1 kDa. Comparison of this cDNA with other members of the MyBP family reveals extensive primary-sequence conservation. Each MyBP-C contains seven immunoglobulin C2 motifs and three fibronectin type-III repeats in the arrangement C2-C2-C2-C2-C2-III-III-C2-III-C2. Regions of high identity shared by the chicken and the two human proteins are not restricted to the immunoglobulin and fibronectin motifs. Sequence comparison of all three proteins has allowed us to map a highly conserved region between the first and second C2 motifs, the only large spacer sequence present between motifs in these proteins.

Human myosin-binding protein H (MyBP-H): complete primary sequence, genomic organization, and chromosomal localization

Vertebrate striated muscle contains a set of myosin-associated proteins with discrete distributions in the A-band. Some of these proteins, including MyBP-H and MyBP-C, are characterized by a series of internal repeats (motifs) with homology to either the C2-set of the immunoglobulin superfamily or the fibronectin type III repeat. These repeats are predicted to be involved in protein-protein interactions within the myofibril. The cDNA sequence, the genomic organization, and the chromosomal localization of the human homologue of MyBP-H are presented. The 1.8-kb cDNA encodes a 52-kDa polypeptide containing two Ig-C2 and two type III repeats. The mRNA is expressed in a skeletal muscle-specific pattern. A 28-kb region of genomic sequence has been isolated that encompasses the 5' and 3' ends of the cDNA. This region includes 4.2 kb of upstream sequence with a potential promoter and 14 kb of downstream sequence containing the polyadenylation site. The chromosomal assignment was made by high resolution chromosomal in situ hybridization. This method maps the gene to chromosome 1q32.1. The repeat structure described previously in chicken MyBP-H and MyBP-C was also detected in human MyBP-H. The primary sequence of the C-terminal Ig-C2 motif and its predicted secondary structure have been extensively conserved in MyBP-H homologues and other members of the MyBP family. This Ig-C2 motif has been implicated in myosin binding.

Molecular cloning of chicken myosin-binding protein (MyBP) H (86-kDa protein) reveals extensive homology with MyBP-C (C-protein) with conserved immunoglobulin C2 and fibronectin type III motifs

The complete nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone encoding the chicken skeletal muscle myosin-binding protein H (MyBP-H), formerly termed 86-kDa protein, has been established and the predicted amino acid sequence compared with other proteins entered into the GenBank data base. The full-length cDNA of 2066 base pairs contains a single open reading frame of 1611 base pairs encoding a muscle-specific protein of 58,487 Da. The predicted molecular weight differs significantly from the relative mobility of 86-kDa protein in reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels (SDS-PAGE). The full-length protein expressed in Escherichia coli also exhibits an anomalously slow mobility in SDS-PAGE; this gel retardation is a property of the N-terminal 24 kDa of the protein which contain two extended motifs of alternating alanine and proline residues, resembling the N terminus of skeletal muscle myosin light chain 1 (Nabeshima, Y. I., Fujii-Kuriyama, Y., Muramatsu, M., and Ogata, K. (1984) Nature 308, 333-338). The C-terminal 40 kDa share 49.6% sequence identity and 17% conservative substitutions with chicken skeletal muscle MyBP-C (C-protein) (Einheber, S., and Fischman, D. A. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 2157-2161). The protein contains four internal repeats of approximately 100 amino acids each, two of which bear significant resemblance to the C2 set of the immunoglobulin superfamily, and the other two are related to the type III fibronectin repeat. The arrangement of these repeats, -III-C2-III-C2-, is identical to that seen in the C-terminal 40-kDa section of MyBP-C. This repeat structure is implicated in myosin binding for the MyBP family. Finally, genomic Southern blots indicate that a single gene encodes fast skeletal muscle MyBP-H.

Retroviral analysis of cardiac morphogenesis: discontinuous formation of coronary vessels

Cellular progenitors of the coronary vasculature are believed to enter the chicken heart during epicardial morphogenesis between stages 17 and 27 (days 3-5) of egg incubation. To trace cells which give rise to the coronary arteries in vivo, we applied retroviral cell tagging procedures and analyzed clonal populations of vascular smooth muscle, endothelium, and connective tissue in the hearts of post-hatch chickens. Our data provide direct proof that (i) vascular smooth muscle progenitors begin to enter the heart at stage 17, substantially after the heart begins propulsive contractions; (ii) cardiac myocytes, vascular smooth muscle, perivascular fibroblasts, and coronary endothelial cells all derive from independent precursors when these cells migrate into the heart; (iii) endothelial cells of the coronary vessels have a different clonal origin than endothelial cells of the endocardium; (iv) coronary arteries form by the coalescence of discontinuous colonies (i.e., in situ vasculogenesis), each derived from a founder cell tagged at the time of retroviral injection (stages 17-18); and (v) coronary arteries contain discrete segments composed of "polyclones." These studies indicate the feasibility of gene targeting to coronary progenitors through the use of recombinant retroviruses.

Clonal analysis of cardiac morphogenesis in the chicken embryo using a replication-defective retrovirus. III: Polyclonal origin of adjacent ventricular myocytes

Replication-incompetent variants of the avian spleen necrosis virus (SNV) encoding cytoplasmic or nuclear-directed beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) have been used to trace the clonal growth of myocytes during left ventricular free-wall formation. Tubular-stage hearts were infected with a mixed suspension of both retroviruses and, after hatching, the progeny of marked cells in the ventricular wall were examined by X-gal histochemistry. When a small number of virions was introduced individual blue patches contained myocytes with only one label type (cytoplasmic or nuclear). These results confirmed our previous conclusion that each cluster or patch represents a single clone (Mikawa et al., 1992, Dev. Dynamics, 193:11-23). Each of these clones formed a clone-shaped patch which often extended through the entire thickness of the ventricular myocardium, but typically each patch was heterogeneous, containing a mixture of labeled and unlabeled cells. We then asked whether the two populations of myocytes in each patch were clonally related or generated from more than one progenitor. When hearts were infected with high titer viral suspensions many patches were observed in which cytoplasmic-tagged myocytes were intermingled with nuclear-tagged myocytes. Thus, the cone-shaped myocyte patches in the ventricular wall are polyclones derived from separate progenitors in the precardiac mesoderm. This finding led us to examine the separation of clonally related ventricular myocytes in the developing hearts. Embryos were infected with retroviral suspensions at varying stages of development and the resulting colonies examined after hatching.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Myosin heavy chain composition of single fibres and their origins and distribution in developing fascicles of sheep tibialis cranialis muscles

The myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of single muscle fibres in developing sheep tibialis cranialis muscles was examined immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies to MHC isozymes. Data were collected with conventional microscopy and computerized image analysis from embryonic day (E) 76 to postnatal day (PN) 20, and from adult animals. At E76, 23% of the young myofibres stained for slow-twitch MHC. The number of these fibres considerably exceeded the number of primary and secondary myotubes. By E100, smaller fibres, negative for slow-twitch MHC, encircled each fibre from the initial population to form rosettes. A second population of small fibres appeared in the unoccupied spaces between rosettes. Small fibres, whether belonging to rosettes or not, did not initially express slow-twitch MHC, expressing mainly neonatal myosin instead. These small fibres then diverged into three separate groups. In the first group most fibres transiently expressed adult fast myosin (maximal at E110-E120), but in the adult expressed slow myosin. This transformation to the slow MHC phenotype commenced at E110, was nearing completion by 20 postnatal days, and was responsible for approximately 60% of the adult slow twitch fibre population. In the other two groups expression of adult fast MHC was maintained, and in the adult they accounted for 14% (IIa MHC) and 17% (IIb MHC) of the total fibre numbers. We conclude that muscle fibre formation in this large muscle involves at least three generations of myotube. Secondary myotubes are generated on a framework of primary myotubes and both populations differentiate into the young myofibres which we observed at E76 to form rosettes. Tertiary myotubes, in turn, appear in the spaces between rosettes and along the borders of fascicles, using the outer fibres of rosettes as scaffolds.

The vinculin/sarcomeric-alpha-actinin/alpha-actin nexus in cultured cardiac myocytes

Experiments are described supporting the proposition that the assembly of stress fibers in non-muscle cells and the assembly of myofibrils in cardiac cells share conserved mechanisms. Double staining with a battery of labeled antibodies against membrane-associated proteins, myofibrillar proteins, and stress fiber proteins reveals the following: (a) dissociated, cultured cardiac myocytes reconstitute intercalated discs consisting of adherens junctions (AJs) and desmosomes at sites of cell-cell contact and sub-sarcolemmal adhesion plaques (SAPs) at sites of cell-substrate contact; (b) each AJ or SAP associates proximally with a striated myofibril, and conversely every striated myofibril is capped at either end by an AJ or a SAP; (C) the invariant association between a given myofibril and its SAP is especially prominent at the earliest stages of myofibrillogenesis; nascent myofibrils are capped by oppositely oriented SAPs; (d) the insertion of nascent myofibrils into AJs or into SAPs invariably involves vinculin, alpha-actin, and sarcomeric alpha-actinin (s-alpha-actinin); (e) AJs are positive for A-CAM but negative for talin and integrin; SAPs lack A-CAM but are positive for talin and integrin; (f) in cardiac cells all alpha-actinin-containing structures invariably are positive for the sarcomeric isoform, alpha-actin and related sarcomeric proteins; they lack non-s-alpha-actinin, gamma-actin, and caldesmon; (g) in fibroblasts all alpha-actinin-containing structures are positive for the non-sarcomeric isoform, gamma-actin, and related non-sarcomeric proteins, including caldesmon; and (h) myocytes differ from all other types of adherent cultured cells in that they do not assemble authentic stress fibers; instead they assemble stress fiber-like structures of linearly aligned I-Z-I-like complexes consisting exclusively of sarcomeric proteins.

Expression of sarcomeric myosin in the presumptive myocardium of chicken embryos occurs within six hours of myocyte commitment

The distribution of sarcomeric myosin heavy chain (MyHC) has been examined immunocytochemically in the presumptive myocardial cells of chicken embryos (stages 6-10) prior to the onset of the heart beat. Embryos were stained with monoclonal antibody MF20, a reagent which recognizes all chicken sarcomeric MyHCs (Bader et al., 1982), and then examined both in whole mount by immunofluorescence and in semithin, plastic-embedded sections following immunoperoxidase labeling. We observed that myosin could be detected as early as stage 7 (0-2 pairs of somites) in 29% of the 31 embryos examined, and by stage 8 (4 pairs of somites) more than 80% of the embryos were MF20+. Every embryo with 5 pairs of somites (stage 8+) labeled strongly with MF20. Labeling was first detected at stage 7 to 7+ as a diffuse fluorescent signal within pleomorphic cells of the splanchnic mesoderm located in two crescent-shaped regions bordering each side of the anterior intestinal portal (AIP). With progressive development, the two crescent-shaped regions merged at the apex of the AIP, and as the two heart tubes began fusion at stage 9, the MyHC+ regions extended cranially and medially. By somite stages 9-10, the myosin-positive cells completely encircled the heart tube. From stages 7 to 9 the myosin signal had no sarcomeric distribution; i.e., there were no MyHC striations nor periodic repeats evident in the presumptive myocytes until late stage 9 and stage 10. Semithin sections revealed that myosin was first distributed in apical regions of the myocytes, adjacent to the pericardial coelom. The implications of these findings for myocyte determination, differentiation and morphogenesis are discussed.

Clonal analysis of cardiac morphogenesis in the chicken embryo using a replication-defective retrovirus: I. Formation of the ventricular myocardium

Cells of the precardiac mesoderm (stages 4-6) and dividing myocytes of early hearts (stages 10-15) were tagged with a replication-incompetent retrovirus (CXL) (Mikawa et al., 1991b) encoding bacterial beta-galactosidase (beta-gal). Two protocols were used to infect the cardiogenic cells. (1) Small blocks (approximately 50 micron 2) of anterolateral mesoderm were dissected from gastrula-stage embryos (stages 4-6) and incubated in liquid medium containing the retrovirus. After removal of CXL, the tissues were dispersed into single-cell suspensions and pressure injected into the precardiac areas of recipient embryos (stages 4-6). Such embryos were then incubated in vitro at 37 degrees C for 2 days (New, 1968), and those embryos with beating hearts were fixed for X-gal histochemistry and paraffin serial sectioning. (2) CXL was pressure injected in ovo (embryonic stages 4-15) into cardiogenic tissues and the eggs subsequently returned to an incubator. At selected stages of development embryos or whole hearts were fixed, stained with X-gal, and serially sectioned after paraffin embedding. The first method showed that (1) cells of the precardiac mesoderm could be infected with the retrovirus, (2) the transplanted cells would differentiate into beating myocytes, and (3) beta-gal expression was sufficiently high to be detected histochemically. With the second procedure we could show that (1) beta-gal-tagged cells formed colonies in the myocardium, (2) the labeled cells were exclusively myocytes, (3) the number of cells per colony increased with increasing age of embryonic development, (4) the size of colonies was larger in the left than the right ventricle, (5) many of the colonies were transmural, i.e., they extended from epicardial to endocardial layers of the myocardium and generally exhibited a cone or funnel-shape with the base of the cone nearest the epicardium, (6) the orientation of myocytes within each colony changed at different layers of the myocardium, and (7) the cones contained both beta-gal+ and beta-gal- myocytes. DNA labeling studies with [3H]thymidine indicated that cardiogenic cells divided every 16-18 hr during the first week of development and that the CXL-labeled cells divided indistinguishably from unlabeled myocytes. Based on these observations a model for the growth of the myocardium is presented.

In vivo analysis of a new lacZ retrovirus vector suitable for cell lineage marking in avian and other species

To obtain a replication-defective retrovirus vector well suited for cell lineage marking in early avian embryos, we have constructed and tested a derivative of the avian spleen necrosis virus (SNV) carrying the marker gene lacZ. Consistently high titers of this virus, designated CXL, were produced from retroviral packaging cells with no evidence of contaminating helper virus even after 12 months of continuous culture. CXL expresses lacZ strongly and stably in avian cells and has a host range that extends to other avian and some mammalian species. We show that CXL has the potential to mark a wide variety of chick embryo cell types by infection in ovo. The high titers obtainable with this virus can provide a significant advantage over alternative lacZ vectors, especially in lineage marking of early stage embryos. As an example of this, we show that CXL can be used to mark cells of the precardiac mesoderm in stage 4-5 chick embryos.

Visualization of myosin exchange between synthetic thick filaments

Exchange of myosin molecules between synthetic thick filaments was examined by fluorescence energy transfer and visualized by electron microscopy using streptavidin-gold to detect exchanged biotinylated myosin molecules. N-hydroxysuccinimido-biotin (NHS-biotin) was covalently linked to purified adult chicken pectoralis myosin to obtain assembly-competent biotinylated myosin molecules. Two distinct classes of synthetic filaments, distinguishable by length, were prepared. Biotinylated filaments (575 +/- 100 nm) were assembled by a quick dilution (QD) method and unlabelled filaments (1025 +/- 250 nm) were obtained by a sequential dilution (SD). The two filament population maintained their distinct length distributions even when mixed. To measure exchange, biotinylated short (QD) filaments were combined with unlabelled long (SD) filaments at a 1:5 ratio, sampled at varying times and the entry of biotinylated myosin into the previously unlabelled long filaments visualized by the addition of streptavidin-gold. The number of gold particles per micron was examined for fully biotinylated short filaments (less than 700 nm), unlabelled long filaments (greater than 900 nm), and exchanged filaments. Equivalent binding of streptavidin-gold to the two filament types was detected by 60 min suggesting randomization of biotinylated monomers by this time. The precise location of streptavidin-gold sites on the long filaments was also measured. Although labeling was detected along the full length of the filaments, at the earliest time points (5 min) filament ends contained twice the number of gold particles as the filament centers. Approximately equivalent labeling along the entire length of the filaments was observed by 60 min. These results provide additional support for our earlier report of extensive myosin exchange between synthetic thick filaments and show that extensive exchange takes place rapidly along the full length of synthetic thick filaments.

Cell-free incorporation of newly synthesized myosin subunits into thick myofilaments

Although a substantial literature exists on the in vitro polymerization of purified myosin, little is known about native thick filament assembly, remodeling or turnover. We have recently described a cell-free system (Bouche et al., 1988) to examine the interactions between thick filaments and soluble, newly synthesized myofibrillar proteins. In the present manuscript we describe our studies on myosin heavy (MHC) and light chain (LC) incorporation into myofibrils or native and synthetic thick filaments. 35S-labeled myofibrillar proteins or myosin subunits were synthesized in a reticulocyte lysate translation system after which myofibrils or myofilaments were added and incubated with these proteins in the lysate. The added filaments were then sedimented and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and fluorography to establish which of the labeled protein subunits were co-pelleted. Operationally, this co-sedimentation of labeled proteins with myofilaments has been termed 'protein incorporation'. We observed that newly synthesized MHC, LCs 1, 2 and 3 all incorporated into the thick filaments. However, the quantity and specificity of LC incorporation depended upon the structure or composition of the filaments. LCs 1 and 3 were preferentially incorporated into myofibrils and native thick filaments, whereas LC2 was selectively taken up by synthetic filaments prepared from purified myosin. These results suggest that soluble MHCs and LCs interact independently with myofilaments. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that selective removal of soluble MHCs, or of a single LC, did not alter the incorporation of the remaining myosin subunits. Similarly, MHCs synthesized in the absence of LCs also incorporated into myofilaments or myofibrils. We propose that myosin subunits are capable of independent incorporation into and exchange from myofilaments.

Molecular analysis of protein assembly in muscle development

The challenge presented by myofibril assembly in striated muscle is to understand the molecular mechanisms by which its protein components are arranged at each level of organization. Recent advances in the genetics and cell biology of muscle development have shown that in vivo assembly of the myofilaments requires a complex array of structural and associated proteins and that organization of whole sarcomeres occurs initially at the cell membrane. These studies have been complemented by in vitro analyses of the renaturation, polymerization, and three-dimensional structure of the purified proteins.

Post-translational incorporation of actin into myofibrils in vitro: evidence for isoform specificity

The incorporation of actin into myofibrils has been examined in a cell-free system [Bouché et al.: Journal of Cell Biology 107:587-596, 1988; Goldfine et al.: Cellular and Molecular Biology of Muscle Development, 1989]. Actin was translated in a reticulocyte lysate in the presence of 35S-methionine (35S-actin) or purified from muscle and labeled with fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC-actin). Myofibrils were incubated with either 35S-actin or FITC-actin and then analyzed by gel electrophoresis or fluorescence microscopy. When myofibrils were incubated with FITC-actin monomer in the reticulocyte lysate buffer, strong fluorescent labeling was observed in Z-band regions and less so in I-bands. No fluorescence was detected in non-overlap regions of A-bands. Confocal microscopic analysis of these myofibrils indicated that FITC-actin was distributed evenly across the diameter of the myofibrils. These observations suggest that actin incorporation in the reticulocyte lysate buffer occurred at sites in the sarcomere which contain actin. In contrast, FITC-actin showed a variety of non-physiological incorporation patterns when incubated with myofibrils in the presence of an isotonic buffer (I-buffer). However, when ATP was added to I-buffer, FITC-actin showed a pattern of incorporation into myofibrils similar to that seen in the reticulocyte lysate buffer. Immunoblots indicated that actin of native size was released from myofibrils during incubation in the reticulocyte lysate buffer. No actin release was detected when the myofibrils were incubated in I-buffer lacking ATP. We used this system to compare the incorporation of actin isoforms into myofibrils. Both alpha- and beta-actins exhibited incorporation into the myofibrils but there was a three-fold greater incorporation of the alpha isoform. We propose that the differential affinities of actin isoforms for myofibrils and other cytoskeletal structures could provide a mechanism for actin isoform targeting within the cytoplasm.

Polarized release of enveloped viruses in the embryonic chick heart: demonstration of epithelial polarity in the presumptive myocardium

The presumptive myocardium of the embryonic vertebrate heart is composed of cells which exhibit the morphology of a cuboidal epithelium. To examine the functional polarity of these developing myocytes, embryonic chick hearts (Hamburger-Hamilton stages 10-13) were infected with either influenza virus (FLU) or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). These viruses have been shown to sort vectorially to either apical (FLU) or basolateral (VSV) membrane surfaces in monolayers of polarized kidney (MDCK) cells. Our results demonstrate that these viruses bud with comparable polarity from differentiating myocytes. However, there appear to be stage-dependent differences in the polarized budding of the two viruses: restricted basolateral release of VSV is present before or shortly after the formation of the heart tube, whereas polarized budding of FLU is established later in development. These results are discussed in terms of plasma membrane organization during the early stages of cardiac development.

Differential distribution of subsets of myofibrillar proteins in cardiac nonstriated and striated myofibrils

Cultured cardiac myocytes were stained with antibodies to sarcomeric alpha-actinin, troponin-I, alpha-actin, myosin heavy chain (MHC), titin, myomesin, C-protein, and vinculin. Attention was focused on the distribution of these proteins with respect to nonstriated myofibrils (NSMFs) and striated myofibrils (SMFs). In NSMFs, alpha-actinin is found as longitudinally aligned, irregular approximately 0.3-microns aggregates. Such aggregates are associated with alpha-actin, troponin-I, and titin. These I-Z-I-like complexes are also found as ectopic patches outside the domain of myofibrils in close apposition to the ventral surface of the cell. MHC is found outside of SMFs in the form of discrete fibrils. The temporal-spatial distribution and accumulation of the MHC-fibrils with respect to the I-Z-I-like complexes varies greatly along the length of the NSMFs. There are numerous instances of I-Z-I-like complexes without associated MHC-fibrils, and also cases of MHC-fibrils located many microns from I-Z-I-like complexes. The transition between the terminal approximately 1.7-microns sarcomere of any given SMF and its distal NSMF-tip is abrupt and is marked by a characteristic narrow alpha-actinin Z-band and vinculin positive adhesion plaque. A titin antibody T20, which localizes to an epitope at the Z-band in SMFs, precisely costains the 0.3-microns alpha-actinin aggregates in ectopic patches and NSMFs. Another titin antibody T1, which in SMFs localizes to an epitope at the A-I junction, typically does not stain ectopic patches and NSMFs. Where detectable, the T1-positive material is adjacent to rather than part of the 0.3-microns alpha-actinin aggregates. Myomesin and C-protein are found only in their characteristic sarcomeric locations (even in just perceptible SMFs). These A-band-associated proteins appear to be absent in ectopic patches and NSMFs.

Isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone encoding avian skeletal muscle C-protein: an intracellular member of the immunoglobulin superfamily

C-protein is a thick filament-associated protein located in the crossbridge region of vertebrate striated muscle A bands. Its function is unknown. To improve our understanding of its primary structure, we undertook the molecular cloning of C-protein mRNA. We describe the isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone, lambda C-86, that encodes approximately 80% of the fast isoform of C-protein in the chicken. Sequence analysis of the insert revealed that C-protein, although an intracellular, nonmembrane-associated protein, is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Like several cell surface adhesion molecules that belong to this superfamily, C-protein contains sequence motifs that resemble immunoglobulin domains and fibronectin type III repeats. Computer searches using the C-protein sequence also lead to the identification of related domains in chicken smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase that have not been reported previously.

Size and charge heterogeneity of C-protein isoforms in avian skeletal muscle. Expression of six different isoforms in chicken muscle

C-protein is an abundant protein, of unknown function, found in the striated muscles of all vertebrates (Offer et al., 1973). Based on differences in size, charge, antigenicity and sarcomere distribution, at least three different isoforms of this protein have been identified (Callaway & Bechtel, 1981; Yamamoto & Moos, 1983; Reinach et al., 1982; Dhoot et al., 1985). These have been termed fast-, slow- and cardiac-type isoforms, relative to their distribution in adult striated muscles. Each of these isoforms appears to be expressed sequentially during the development of the chicken pectoralis muscle (Obinata et al., 1984; Obinata, 1985). To better characterize the various isoforms of C-protein, we have reexamined its in vivo expression during avian myogenesis using a combination of 1- and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, cell-free translation and immunoblotting procedures. In this manuscript we demonstrate for the first time that at least four major C-protein isoforms can be distinguished in adult chicken muscles. These include a fast-type isoform in the pectoralis (PECT) muscle (Cf), a slow-type isoform in the anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle (Cs3), a second slow-type isoform in the posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD) muscle (Cs4) and a cardiac-type in the ventricle (Cc). During embryonic development of the PECT muscle two additional isoforms can be resolved. These are both slow-type isoforms based on their reactivities with ALD66, a monoclonal antibody specific for adult slow-type C-protein. These latter isoforms have been termed Cs1 and Cs2. Several of the isoforms, particularly Cs1 ands Cs3, exhibit two or more spots of different charge but identical molecular weight on 2-D gels. This observation suggests the possibility that these isoforms are post-translationally modified and possibly phosphorylated. Our data show the C-protein family in avian striated muscles to be highly complex. Additional genetic analyses and primary sequence studies will be required to distinguish transcriptional from post-transcriptional variants.

Polygons and adhesion plaques and the disassembly and assembly of myofibrils in cardiac myocytes

Successive stages in the disassembly of myofibrils and the subsequent assembly of new myofibrils have been studied in cultures of dissociated chick cardiac myocytes. The myofibrils in trypsinized and dispersed myocytes are sequentially disassembled during the first 3 d of culture. They split longitudinally and then assemble into transitory polygons. Multiples of single sarcomeres, the cardiac polygons, are analogous to the transitory polygonal configurations assumed by stress fibers in spreading fibroblasts. They differ from their counterparts in fibroblasts in that they consist of muscle alpha-actinin vertices and muscle myosin heavy chain struts, rather than of the nonmuscle contractile protein isoforms of stress fiber polygons. EM sections reveal the vertices and struts in cardiac polygons to be typical Z and A bands. Most cardiac polygons are eliminated by day 5 of culture. Concurrent with the disassembly and elimination of the original myofibrils new myofibrils are rapidly assembled elsewhere in the same myocyte. Without exception both distal tips of each nascent myofibril terminate in adhesion plaques. The morphology and composition of the adhesion plaques capping each end of each myofibril are similar to those of the termini of stress fibers in fibroblasts. However, whereas the adhesion complexes involving stress fibers in fibroblasts consist of vinculin/nonmuscle alpha-actinin/beta- and gamma-actins, the analogous structures in myocytes involving myofibrils consist of vinculin/muscle alpha-actinin/alpha-actin. The addition of 1.7-2.0 microns sarcomeres to the distal tips of an elongating myofibril, irrespective of whether the myofibril consists of 1, 10, or several hundred tandem sarcomeres, occurs while the myofibril appears to remain linked to its respective adhesion plaques. The adhesion plaques in vitro are the equivalent of the in vivo intercalated discs, both in terms of their molecular composition and with respect to their functioning as initiating sites for the assembly of new sarcomeres. How 1.7-2.0 microns nascent sarcomeres can be added distally during elongation while the tips of the myofibrils remain inserted into submembranous adhesion plaques is unknown.

Recombinant growth hormone enhances muscle myosin heavy-chain mRNA accumulation and amino acid accrual in humans

A potentially lethal complication of trauma, malignancy, and infection is a progressive erosion of muscle protein mass that is not readily reversed by nutritional support. Growth hormone is capable of improving total body nitrogen balance, but its role in myofibrillar protein synthesis in humans is unknown. The acute, in situ muscle protein response to an infusion of methionyl human growth hormone was investigated in the limbs of nutritionally depleted subjects during a period of intravenous refeeding. A 6-hr methionyl growth hormone infusion achieved steady-state serum levels comparable to normal physiologic peaks and was associated with a significant increase in limb amino acid uptake, without a change in body amino acid oxidation. Myosin heavy-chain mRNA levels, measured by quantitative dot blot hybridization, were also significantly elevated after growth hormone administration. The data indicate that methionyl growth hormone can induce intracellular amino acid accrual and increased levels of myofibrillar protein mRNA during hospitalized nutritional support and suggest growth hormone to be a potential therapy of lean body wasting.

Starvation leads to decreased levels of mRNA for myofibrillar proteins

Malnutrition is a common complicating factor in surgical illness. To investigate the cellular changes and mechanisms responsible for the protein wasting associated with nutritional deprivation, Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to total protein-calorie starvation for 3 (n = 12) or 5 days (n = 12) and compared to freely fed animals monitored for 3 (n = 8) or 5 (n = 8) days. Gastrocnemius protein and RNA content and levels of mRNA coding for the myofibrillar proteins myosin heavy chain, myosin light chain, and alpha-actin were measured. Starvation resulted in a significant decrease in gastrocnemius mass and protein content, and was associated with decreases in mRNA levels for the three myofibrillar proteins assayed. We conclude that changes in mRNA levels for these proteins likely contribute to the loss of peripheral protein which occurs during total nutritional deprivation. In addition, the changes in mRNA levels for these three structural proteins appear to be coordinate, suggesting that transcription of no single myofibrillar protein is rate-limiting in the regulation of skeletal muscle protein content.

Differential response of myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins in cells treated with phorbol myristate acetate

Muscle-specific and nonmuscle contractile protein isoforms responded in opposite ways to 12-o-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Loss of Z band density was observed in day-4-5 cultured chick myotubes after 2 h in the phorbol ester, TPA. By 5-10 h, most I-Z-I complexes were selectively deleted from the myofibril, although the A bands remained intact and longitudinally aligned. The deletion of I-Z-I complexes was inversely related to the appearance of numerous cortical, alpha-actinin containing bodies (CABs), transitory structures approximately 3.0 microns in diameter. Each CAB consisted of a filamentous core that costained with antibodies to alpha-actin and sarcomeric alpha-actinin. In turn each CAB was encaged by a discontinuous rim that costained with antibodies to vinculin and talin. Vimentin and desmin intermediate filaments and most cell organelles were excluded from the membrane-free CABs. These curious bodies disappeared over the next 10 h so that in 30-h myosacs all alpha-actin and sarcomeric alpha-actinin structures had been eliminated. On the other hand vinculin and talin adhesion plaques remained prominent even in 72-h myosacs. Disruption of the A bands was first initiated after 15-20 h in TPA (e.g., 15-20-h myosacs). Thick filaments of apparently normal length and structure were progressively released from A segments, and by 40 h all A bands had been broken down into enormous numbers of randomly dispersed, but still intact single thick filaments. This breakdown correlated with the formation of amorphous cytoplasmic aggregates which invariably colocalized antibodies to myosin heavy chain, MLC 1-3, myomesin, and C protein. Complete elimination of all immunoreactive thick filament proteins required 60-72 h of TPA exposure. The elimination of the thick filament-associated proteins did not involve the participation of vinculin or talin. In contrast to its effects on myofibrils, TPA did not induce the disassembly of the contractile proteins in stress fibers and microfilaments either in myosacs or in fibroblastic cells. Similarly, TPA, which rapidly induces the translocation of vinculin and talin to ectopic sites in many types of immortalized cells, had no gross effect on the adhesion plaques of myosacs, primary fibroblastic cells, or presumptive myoblasts. Clearly, the response to TPA of contractile protein and some cytoskeletal isoforms not only varies among phenotypes, but even within the domains of a given myotube the myofibrils respond one way, the stress fibers/microfilaments another.

Cachectin/TNF or IL-1 alpha induces cachexia with redistribution of body proteins

Macrophage secretory products are suspected to participate in the severe lean tissue wasting related to chronic illness. The protein metabolic effects of chronic, 7-day cachectin/tumor necrosis factor (cachectin) or interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) administration in vivo were studied in male Wistar rats that were 1) freely fed, 2) pair fed, 3) total protein and calorie starved, 4) twice daily lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administered, 5) twice daily cachectin administered, and 6) twice daily IL-1 alpha administered. LPS, cachectin, or IL-1 alpha administration produced anorexia; weight loss in these groups was comparable to respective pair-fed animals. However, LPS, cachectin, or IL-1 alpha accelerated peripheral protein wasting while preserving liver protein content, unlike the pattern in the pair-fed or starved animals in which loss of liver proteins and relative preservation of skeletal muscle protein were observed. The decrease in skeletal muscle protein content in LPS- or cytokine-treated animals was associated with coordinate decreases in muscle mRNA levels for the myofibrillar proteins myosin heavy chain, myosin light chain, actin, and in the 18S and 28S subunits of ribosomal RNA. We conclude that chronic exposure to the cytokines, IL-1 alpha or cachectin, can simulate those body and muscle protein changes seen in experimental LPS administration or chronic disease and markedly differ from the pattern of protein redistribution due to caloric restriction.

Diversity in expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms and M-band proteins in rat muscle spindles

The composition of adult rat soleus muscle spindles, with respect to myosin heavy chain isoforms and M-band proteins, was studied by light-microscope immunohistochemistry. Serial sections were labelled with antibodies against slow tonic, slow twitch, fast twitch and neonatal myosin isoforms as well as against myomesin, M-protein and the MM form of creatine kinase. Intrafusal fiber types were distinguished according to the pattern of ATPase activity following acid and alkaline preincubations. Nuclear bag1 fibers were always strongly stained throughout with anti-slow tonic myosin, were positive for anti-slow twitch myosin towards and in the C-region but were unstained with anti-fast twitch and anti-neonatal myosins. The staining of nuclear bag2 fibers was in general highly variable. However, they were most often strongly stained by anti-slow tonic myosin in the A-region and gradually lost this reactivity towards the poles, whereas a positive reaction with anti-slow twitch myosins was found along the whole fiber. Regional staining variability with anti-neonatal and anti-fast myosins was apparent, often with decreasing intensity towards the polar regions. Nuclear chain fibers showed strong transient reactivity with anti-slow tonic myosin in the equatorial region, did not react with anti-slow twitch and were always evenly stained by anti-fast twitch and anti-neonatal myosins. All three intrafusal fiber types were stained with anti-myomesin. Nuclear bag1 fibers lacked staining for M-protein, whereas bag2 fibers displayed intermediate staining, with regional variability, often increasing in reactivity towards the polar regions. Chain fibers were always strongly stained by anti-M-protein. The MM form of creatine kinase was present in all three fiber types, but bag1 fibers were less reactive and clear striations were not observed, in contrast to bag2 and chain fibers. Out of 38 cross sectioned spindles two were found to have an atypical fiber composition (lack of chain fibers) and a rather diverse staining pattern for the different antibodies tested. Taken together, the data show that in adult rat soleus, slow tonic and neonatal myosin heavy chain isoforms are only expressed in the muscle spindle fibers and that each intrafusal fiber type has a unique, although variable, composition of myosin heavy chain isoforms and M-band proteins. We propose that both motor and sensory innervation might be the determining factors regulating the variable expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms and M-band proteins in intrafusal fibers of rat muscle spindles.

Posttranslational incorporation of contractile proteins into myofibrils in a cell-free system

The incorporation of newly synthesized protein into myofibrils has been examined in a cell-free system. Myofibrils were added to a reticulocyte lysate after the in vitro translation of muscle-specific poly(A)+RNA. Only a small number of the many synthesized proteins were found to associate with the exogenously added myofibrils. These proteins were all identified as sarcomeric components and had subunit mobilities (Mr) of 200, 140, 95, 86, 43, 38, 35, 25, 23, 20, and 18 kD. The association was rapid (t1/2 less than 15 min) and, for most of the proteins, relatively temperature insensitive. Except for a 43-kD polypeptide, tentatively identified as beta-actin, none of the proteins encoded by brain poly(A)+RNA associated with the myofibrils. When filaments made from purified myosin or actin were used as the "capture" substrates, only thick or thin filament proteins, respectively, were incorporated. Incorporation was substantially reduced when cross-linked myosin filaments were used. These results are compatible with a model in which proteins of the sarcomere are in kinetic equilibrium with homologous proteins in a soluble pool.

Immunochemical analysis of protein isoforms in thick myofilaments of regenerating skeletal muscle

The expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) and C-protein isoforms has been examined immunocytochemically in regenerating skeletal muscles of adult chickens. Two, five, and eight days after focal freeze injury to the anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) and posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD) muscles, cryostat sections of injured and control tissues were reacted with a series of monoclonal antibodies previously shown to specifically bind MHC or C-protein isoforms in adult or embryonic muscles. We observed that during the course of regeneration in each of these muscles there was a reproducible sequence of antigenic changes consistent with differential isoform expression for these two proteins. These isoform switches appear to be tissue specific; i.e., the isoforms of MHC and C-protein which are expressed during the regeneration of a "slow" muscle (ALD) differ from those which are synthesized in a regenerating "fast" muscle (PLD). Evidence has been obtained for the transient expression of a "fast-type" MHC and C-protein during ALD regeneration. Furthermore, during early stages of PLD regeneration this muscle contains MHCs which antigenically resemble those found in the pectoralis muscle at embryonic and early posthatch stages of development. Both regenerating muscles express an isoform of C-protein which appears immunochemically identical to that normally expressed in embryonic and adult cardiac muscle. These results support the concept that isoform transitions in regenerating skeletal muscles qualitatively resemble those found in developing muscles but differences may exist in temporal and tissue-specific patterns of gene expression.

Dynamic exchange of myosin molecules between thick filaments

To examine thick filament assembly and myosin exchange, a fluorescence energy transfer assay has been established. Assembly-competent myosin molecules labeled with the sulfhydryl-specific fluorochromes 5-(2-[(iodoacetyl)-amino]ethyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acids (IAEDANS) or 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein (IAF) were prepared. Using IAEDANS-labeled myosin as fluorescence donor and IAF-labeled myosin as acceptor, thick filament formation was followed by the decrease in donor fluorescence at 0.1 M KCl/10 mM potassium phosphate, pH 6.9. The critical concentration of myosin--i.e., that concentration that remained unassembled at equilibrium with fully formed filaments--was 40 nM. In FET and 125I-labeled myosin incorporation assays, extensive exchange of myosin between thick filaments was observed. The presence of a critical concentration and the measurements of extensive exchange suggest a dynamic equilibrium between fully polymerized myosin and a small pool of soluble myosin.

Myosin heavy chain expression in embryonic cardiac cell cultures

Chick embryonic heart cell isolates and monolayer cultures were prepared from atria and ventricles at selected stages of cardiac development. The cardiac myocytes were assayed for myosin heavy chain (MHC) content using monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) specific in the heart for atrial (B-1), ventricular (ALD-19), or conductive system (ALD-58) isoforms. Using immunofluorescence microscopy or radioimmunoassay, MHC accumulation was measured before plating and at 48 hr or 7 days in culture. Reproducible changes in MHC antigenicity were observed by 7 days in both atrial and ventricular cultures. The changes were stage dependent and tissue specific but generally resulted in a decreased reactivity with the tissue specific MHC McAbs. In addition, the isoform recognized by ALD-58, characteristic of the conductive system cells in vivo, was never present in cultured myocytes. These results indicate that MHC isoforms produced in vivo may be replaced in monolayer cultures by an isoform(s) not recognized by our tissue specific MHC McAbs. This suggests that the intrinsic program of cardiac myogenesis, within cardiac myocytes, may not be sufficient to establish and maintain differential expression of tissue specific MHC in monolayer cell culture.

Electron microscopy of C-protein molecules from chicken skeletal muscle

C-protein from chicken pectoralis muscle has been purified by sequential DEAE-Sephadex and hydroxyapatite chromatography and examined by transmission electron microscopy after spraying in glycerol onto mica and replicating by rotary shadowing with platinum. The most frequently observed particles were of three forms: rod-shaped, U-shaped and V-shaped. Within a size range of 15-40 nm these three groups accounted for 70% of over 800 particles categorized and measured. The remaining particles could not be classified. Since the relative abundance of each of these three forms was well in excess of any of the contaminating proteins detectable by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we conclude that these variant forms represent C-protein molecules in differing conformations and/or deformations. Particles were observed which were intermediate between rod-shaped and tightly curved U-shaped forms, and between rod and acutely angled V-shaped forms. These results are compatible with a molecular model of a 32 nm X 3 nm flexible, rod-shaped C-protein monomer similar to one previously proposed from hydrodynamic studies and extend recent observations on the ultrastructure of cardiac C-protein. Infrequently, a discontinuously larger V-shaped form was seen, possibly representing a C-protein dimer.

Monoclonal antibodies to desmin: evidence for stage-dependent intermediate filament immunoreactivity during cardiac and skeletal muscle development

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with desmin (D3 and D76) have been generated and their specificities validated by immunoblots, RIAs, and immunocytochemistry. No cross-reaction with other IFPs has been observed. The McAbs recognized different epitopes but both reside in the amino-terminal rod domain of desmin. Whereas McAb D3 produces a staining pattern characteristic of desmin throughout the development of cardiac and skeletal muscles, McAb D76 was selectively unreactive with certain regions of early (three days in ovo) embryonic cardiac anlage, with cultured cardiac myocytes derived from 7-day-old embryos, and with skeletal myotubes in early stages of myogenesis in vitro. Positive reactivity of D76 was seen at stages of myofibrillogenesis when the sarcomeres assume lateral alignment. Evidence was presented that differential reactivity of D76 did not result from the biosynthesis of a new desmin isoform or the post-translational modification of an existing protein. We suggest that the appearance of D76 immunoreactivity during striated muscle development represents an unmasking of the epitope by some IF-associated protein. Since this transition during skeletal muscle differentiation occurs during lateral alignment of the myofibrils, this antibody may serve as a useful probe for exploring this reorganization of the contractile apparatus during myogenesis and muscle regeneration.