Single particle analysis of relaxed and activated muscle thin filaments

J Mol Biol. 2005 Feb 25;346(3):761-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2004.12.013. Epub 2005 Jan 11.

Abstract

The movement of tropomyosin from actin's outer to its inner domain plays a key role in sterically regulating muscle contraction. This movement, from a low Ca2+ to a Ca2+-induced position has been directly demonstrated by electron microscopy and helical reconstruction. Solution studies, however, suggest that tropomyosin oscillates dynamically between these positions at all Ca2+ levels, and that it is the position of this equilibrium that is controlled by Ca2+. Helical reconstruction reveals only the average position of tropomyosin on the filament, and not information on the local dynamics of tropomyosin in any one Ca2+ state. We have therefore used single particle analysis to analyze short filament segments to reveal local variations in tropomyosin behavior. Segments of Ca2+-free and Ca2+ treated thin filaments were sorted by cross-correlation to low and high Ca2+ models of the thin filament. Most segments from each data set produced reconstructions matching those previously obtained by helical reconstruction, showing low and high Ca2+ tropomyosin positions for low and high Ca2+ filaments. However, approximately 20% of segments from Ca2+-free filaments fitted best to the high Ca2+ model, yielding a corresponding high Ca2+ reconstruction. Conversely, approximately 20% of segments from Ca2+-treated filaments fitted best to the low Ca2+ model and produced a low Ca2+ reconstruction. Hence, tropomyosin position on actin is not fixed in either Ca2+ state. These findings provide direct structural evidence for the equilibration of tropomyosin position in both high and low Ca2+ states, and for the concept that Ca2+ controls the position of this equilibrium. This flexibility in the localization of tropomyosin may provide a means of sterically regulating contraction at low energy cost.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / chemistry
  • Actins / physiology
  • Actins / ultrastructure
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cattle
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Models, Molecular
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Muscle Contraction / physiology
  • Muscle Proteins / chemistry*
  • Muscle Proteins / physiology
  • Muscle Proteins / ultrastructure*
  • Muscle Relaxation / physiology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Myocardial Contraction / physiology
  • Myocardium / chemistry
  • Rabbits
  • Tropomyosin / chemistry
  • Tropomyosin / physiology
  • Tropomyosin / ultrastructure
  • Troponin / chemistry
  • Troponin / physiology
  • Troponin / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Actins
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Tropomyosin
  • Troponin
  • Calcium