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Biomedical subjects

M L Greaser

Publications and source records attributed to M L Greaser.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Altered kinetics of contraction in skeletal muscle fibers containing a mutant myosin regulatory light chain with reduced divalent cation binding.

We examined the kinetic properties of rabbit skinned skeletal muscle fibers in which the endogenous myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) was partially replaced with a mutant RLC (D47A) containing a point mutation within the Ca2+/Mg2+ binding site that severely reduced its affinity for divalent cations. We found that when approximately 50% of the endogenous RLC was replaced by the mutant, maximum tension declined to approximately 60% of control and the rate constant of active tension redevelopment (ktr) after mechanical disruption of cross-bridges was reduced to approximately 70% of control. This reduction in ktr was not an indirect effect on kinetics due to a reduced number of strongly bound myosin heads, because when the strongly binding cross-bridge analog N-ethylmaleimide-modified myosin subfragment1 (NEM-S1) was added to the fibers, there was no effect upon maximum ktr. Fiber stiffness declined after D47A exchange in a manner indicative of a decrease in the number of strongly bound cross-bridges, suggesting that the force per cross-bridge was not significantly affected by the presence of D47A RLC. In contrast to the effects on ktr, the rate of tension relaxation in steadily activated fibers after flash photolysis of the Ca2+ chelator diazo-2 increased by nearly twofold after D47A exchange. We conclude that the incorporation of the nondivalent cation-binding mutant of myosin RLC decreases the proportion of cycling cross-bridges in a force-generating state by decreasing the rate of formation of force-generating bridges and increasing the rate of detachment. These results suggest that divalent cation binding to myosin RLC plays an important role in modulating the kinetics of cross-bridge attachment and detachment.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Calcium alone does not fully activate the thin filament for S1 binding to rigor myofibrils.

Skeletal muscle contraction is regulated by calcium via troponin and tropomyosin and appears to involve cooperative activation of cross-bridge binding to actin. We studied the regulation of fluorescent myosin subfragment 1 (fS1) binding to rigor myofibrils over a wide range of fS1 and calcium levels using highly sensitive imaging techniques. At low calcium and low fS1, the fluorescence was restricted to the actin-myosin overlap region. At high calcium and very low fS1, the fluorescence was still predominantly in the overlap region. The ratio of nonoverlap to overlap fluorescence intensity showed that increases in the fS1 level resulted in a shift in maximum fluorescence from the overlap to the nonoverlap region at both low and high calcium; this transition occurred at lower fS1 levels in myofibrils with high calcium. At a fixed fS1 level, increases in calcium also resulted in a shift in maximum fluorescence from the overlap region to the nonoverlap region. These results suggest that calcium alone does not fully activate the thin filament for rigor S1 binding and that, even at high calcium, the thin filament is not activated along its entire length.

Actins↗
PubMed1996

A double fluorescence staining protocol to determine the cross-sectional area of myofibers using image analysis.

A double fluorescence staining protocol was developed to facilitate computer based image analysis. Myofibers from experimentally treated (irradiated) and control growing turkey skeletal muscle were labeled with the anti-myosin antibody MF-20 and detected using fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC). Extracellular material was stained with concanavalin A (ConA)-Texas red. The cross-sectional area of the myofibers was determined by calculating the number of pixels (0.83 mu m(2)) overlying each myofiber after subtracting the ConA-Texas red image from the MF-20-FITC image for each region of interest. As expected, myofibers in the irradiated muscle were smaller (P < 0.05) than those in the non-irradiated muscle. This double fluorescence staining protocol combined with image analysis is accurate and less labor-intensive than classical procedures for determining the cross-sectional area of myofibers.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Effects of a non-divalent cation binding mutant of myosin regulatory light chain on tension generation in skinned skeletal muscle fibers.

Each myosin molecule contains two heavy chains and a total of four low-molecular weight light chain subunits, two "essential" and two "regulatory" light chains (RLCs). Although the roles of myosin light chains in vertebrate striated muscle are poorly understood at present, recent studies on the RLC have suggested that it has a modulatory role with respect to Ca2+ sensitivity of tension and the rate of tension development, effects that may be mediated by Ca2+ binding to the RLC. To examine possible roles of the RLC Ca2+/Mg2+ binding site in tension development by skeletal muscle, we replaced endogenous RLC in rabbit skinned psoas fibers with an avian mutant RLC (D47A) having much reduced affinity for divalent cations. After replacement of up to 80% of the endogenous RLC with D47A RLC, maximum tension (at pCa 4.5) was significantly reduced compared with preexchange tension, and the amount of decrease was directly related to the extent of D47A exchange. Fiber stiffness changed in proportion to tension, indicating that the decrease in tension was due to a decrease in the number of tension-generating cross-bridges. Decreases in both tension and stiffness were substantially, although incompletely, reversed after reexchange of native RLC for D47A. RLC exchange was also performed using a wild-type RLC. Although a small decrease in tension was observed after wild-type RLC exchange, the decrease was not proportional to the extent of RLC exchange and was not reversed by reexchange of the native RLC. D47A exchange also decreased the Ca2+ sensitivity of tension and reduced the apparent cooperativity of tension development. The results suggest that divalent cation binding to myosin RLC plays an important role in tension generation in skeletal muscle fibers.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Characterization of a 5.4 kb cDNA fragment from the Z-line region of rabbit cardiac titin reveals phosphorylation sites for proline-directed kinases.

Titin is an approximately 3 MDa protein that spans from the M- to the Z-line in the sarcomeres of vertebrate striated muscle. The protein is presumably encoded by unusually large mRNAs of 70-80 kb. Although titin has been studied by several laboratories, barely more than half of the cDNA sequence (approximately 45 kb) has been published, most of it obtained from the A-band and M-line region (corresponding to the C-terminal half of the molecule). A special cDNA library was constructed using size selected total RNA from adult rabbit cardiac muscle in order to obtain sequence data from titin's unknown N-terminal region. A monoclonal antibody (T12), which binds to an epitope close to the Z-line, was used to identify initial cDNA clones. Additional overlapping clones were isolated and sequenced yielding a 5.4 kb contig. The encoded polypeptide contains 16 Type-II domains and four unique intervening segments. Polyclonal sera, raised against an expressed protein fragment encoded by the 5' end of the contig, strongly stained the Z-line of myofibrils of different species. However, the sequence of this fragment is 83% identical at the amino acid level with the previously reported C-terminal (i.e. M-line) end of chicken embryonic skeletal muscle titin. The expressed protein fragment could be phosphorylated in vitro by embryonic skeletal muscle extract and by the purified proline-directed kinase ERK1, presumably at the xSPxR recognition sites located in the first interdomain segment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Isolation and characterization of titin T1 from bovine cardiac muscle.

Methods were developed for isolation of bovine cardiac titin in the apparently full-sized T1 form. The pure protein could be obtained either in the denatured state after chromatography of myofibril extracts on Sephacryl S-1000 or in the native state using hydroxylapatite chromatography. Titin-specific chicken polyclonal antibodies against denatured titin stained the I band regions and weakly stained the M line area of cardiac myofibrils but primarily stained the A-I junction positions in skeletal muscle myofibrils. Bovine cardiac titin contained 176 +/- 5 mumol of sulfhydryl groups per gram in the presence of 6 M guanidine hydrochloride or 0.1% SDS; only 45% of these groups were reactive under non-denaturing condition. Circular dichroism measurements indicated that titin contained approximately 53% beta-sheet and 47% random coil at pH 7.0. These results are consistent with the idea that titin is primarily composed of immunoglobulin C2 and fibronectin type III like motifs throughout its length, including the flexible I band region.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1994

Beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation increases unloaded shortening velocity of skinned single ventricular myocytes from rats.

In vitro biochemical experiments have suggested that stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptor may increase the rate of crossbridge cycling in mammalian myocardium, but recent attempts to demonstrate a mechanical correlate have yielded conflicting results. To investigate this issue, we measured the effect of isoproterenol (ISO) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) on unloaded shortening velocity (Vo). Vo is thought to be determined by the rate-limiting step of the crossbridge cycle, ie, the rate of crossbridge detachment from actin, and is therefore an index of the cycling rate. Single rat ventricular myocytes were enzymatically isolated, incubated in Ringer's solution without (control) or with 0.1 mumol/L ISO, and then rapidly skinned. Some control cells were subsequently treated with 3 micrograms/mL PKA for 40 minutes. Vo was then measured during maximal activation (pCa 4.5) in control, ISO-treated, and PKA-treated cells using the slack-test method. To test the efficacy of the agonist treatments, Ca2+ sensitivity of isometric tension was also assessed for each treatment by determining the [Ca2+] required for half-maximal tension (ie, pCa50). Both ISO and PKA treatment reduced the Ca2+ sensitivity of isometric tension compared with same-day control cells, in agreement with previous studies in intact and in skinned preparations. Vo was increased 38% by ISO treatment and 41% by PKA treatment compared with same-day control cells. 32P autoradiography showed that troponin I and C protein were the principal proteins phosphorylated by PKA treatment. We conclude that beta-adrenergic stimulation increases the rate of crossbridge release from actin, by a mechanism that most likely involves the phosphorylation of troponin I and/or C protein by PKA.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Quantitation of satellite cell proliferation in vivo using image analysis.

A nonisotopic, double fluorescence technique was developed to study myogenic satellite cell proliferation in posthatch turkey skeletal muscle. Labeled satellite cell nuclei were identified on enzymatically isolated myofiber segments using a mouse monoclonal antibody (anti-BrdU) followed by fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody. Myofiber nuclei (myonuclei+satellite cell nuclei) were counterstained with propidium iodide (PI). The myofiber segment length, myofiber segment diameter, and the number of PI and FITC labeled nuclei contained in each segment was determined using a Nikon fluorescence microscope, a SIT video camera and Image-1 software. Data collected by three different operators of the image analysis system revealed 5.0 +/- 1.4 satellite cell nuclei per 1000 myofiber nuclei and 5284 +/- 462 microns3 of cytoplasm surrounding each myofiber nucleus in the pectoralis thoracicus of 9-week-old tom turkeys. BrdU immunohistochemistry coupled with the new approach of PI staining of whole myofiber mounts is an effective combination to allow the use of an efficient semi-automated image analysis protocol.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Partial titin cDNA sequence isolated from rabbit cardiac muscle RNA.

Two regions of the rabbit cardiac titin cDNA were amplified from rabbit cardiac muscle total RNA using primers based on rabbit skeletal muscle titin (connectin) cDNAs. These 1.7 kb and 1.5 kb RNA-PCR products were based on the 3' regions of the skeletal muscle titin clones CE12 and MS2, respectively. The cDNA sequence of the 1.7 kb product was extended an additional 1.5 kb by a novel 3' extension technique which used random primers in RNA-PCR. The cardiac titin cDNAs were 99% identical in nucleotide sequence to their skeletal muscle counterparts and predicted two types of 100-residue repeats. Southern blot analysis suggested that both cardiac and skeletal titin are encoded by the same gene. PCR amplification of human genomic DNA with titin specific primers indicated that there is strong sequence similarity between rabbit and human titin sequences. The successful amplification of a 907 basepair region from human genomic DNA suggested that titin contains large exons which span multiple motif borders. This may be particularly advantageous in the processing of such a large RNA transcript.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Characterization of a partial cDNA clone encoding porcine skeletal muscle titin: comparison with rabbit and mouse skeletal muscle titin sequences.

1. A cDNA fragment encoding 571 amino acid residues of porcine skeletal muscle titin was isolated from total RNA using RNA-PCR. 2. The porcine titin clone hybridized to a large RNA species (> 23 kb) in rabbit cardiac muscle, rabbit skeletal muscle and porcine skeletal muscle. 3. The porcine skeletal muscle titin clone encoded two types of 100-residue motifs and its amino acid sequence was 96% and 93% identical to the corresponding sequence of rabbit and mouse skeletal muscle titin, respectively. These results suggest that the titin sequence is highly conserved among mammalian species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Scanning electron microscopy of muscle myofibrils after high pressure freezing and freeze-substitution-staining.

A novel approach to study the three dimensional ultrastructure of organelles and cells by means of scanning electron microscopy is described. Muscle myofibrils have been used in the development of the techniques since their structure is well characterized using conventional electron microscopic methods. Myofibrils in rigor buffer (with no cryo-protectants or pressure sealants) were frozen at high pressure (2300 bar) within specially designed chambers. The frozen specimens were then freeze-substituted-stained with methanol containing tungsten and iron salts and finally critical point dried. These methods allowed scanning electron microscopic observations of the organization of individual filaments within whole myofibrils over several sarcomeres. Images obtained showed excellent structural preservation with three dimensional information which is not available with other electron microscopic techniques. Success in these approaches was ascribed to (a) rapid and uniform freezing at high pressure without ice segregation patterns, (b) uniform electro-conductivity of the specimen closely attached to the polished carbon piston/carrier, and (c) good electron emission (secondary and back-scattered) from the metal incorporated into the myofibril structure without additional coating.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Developmental changes in troponin T isoform expression and tension production in chicken single skeletal muscle fibres.

1. The Ca2+ sensitivity of tension development was characterized in single skinned fibres from the slow anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD), fast posterior latissimus dorsi (PLD), and fast pectoralis major (PM) muscles of the chicken at adult and neonatal (2 weeks post-hatch) stages of development. In the adult, the PM was most sensitive, the ALD intermediate, and the PLD least sensitive to Ca2+. 2. PM and PLD fibres were less sensitive to Ca2+ at the neonatal stage of development than in the adult. However, ALD fibres exhibited no age-dependent changes in Ca2+ sensitivity. 3. Characterization of regulatory protein composition indicated that the PM and PLD fibres had identical fast isoforms of troponin C and troponin I at each developmental stage examined, but there were muscle-specific and age-dependent expressions of troponin T isoforms in these fibres. 4. In the ALD fibres, identical slow isoforms of troponin C, troponin I and tropomyosin were found at each stage. In addition, the troponin T isoform that was present did not change with age. 5. The results suggest a relationship between the specific troponin T isoform composition of individual muscle fibres and their calcium sensitivities of tension development.

Aging↗
PubMed1992

Myosin heavy chain composition in the rat diaphragm: effect of age and exercise training.

Increases in aerobic capacity in both young and senescent rats consequent to endurance exercise training are now known to occur not only in locomotor skeletal muscle but also in diaphragm. In the current study the effects of aging and exercise training on the myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition were determined in both the costal and crural diaphragm regions of female Fischer 344 rats. Exercise training [treadmill running at 75% maximal oxygen consumption (1 h/day, 5 day/wk, x 10 wk)] resulted in similar increases in plantaris muscle citrate synthase activity in both young (5 mo) and old (23 mo) trained animals (P < 0.05). Computerized densitometric image analysis of fast and slow MHC bands revealed the ratio of fast to slow MHC to be significantly higher (P < 0.005) in the crural compared with costal diaphragm region in both age groups. In addition, a significant age-related increase (P < 0.05) in percentage of slow MHC was observed in both diaphragm regions. However, exercise training failed to change the relative proportion of slow MHC in either the costal or crural region.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed1991

Chicken cardiac myofibrillogenesis studied with antibodies specific for titin and the muscle and nonmuscle isoforms of actin and tropomyosin.

Myofibrillogenesis was studied in cultured chick cardiomyocytes using indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and antibodies against alpha- and gamma-actin, muscle and nonmuscle tropomyosin, muscle myosin, and titin. Initially, cardiomyocytes, devoid of myofibrils, developed variable numbers of stress fiber-like structures with uniform staining for anti-muscle and nonmuscle actin and tropomyosin, and diffuse, weak staining with anti-titin. Anti-myosin labeled bundles of filaments that exhibited variable degrees of association with the stress fiber-like structures. Myofibrillogenesis occurred with a progressive, and generally simultaneous, longitudinal reorganization of stress fiber-like structures to form primitive sarcomeric units. Titin appeared to attain its mature pattern before the other major contractile proteins. Changes in the staining patterns of actin, tropomyosin, and myosin as myofibrils matured were interpreted as due to longitudinal filament alignment occurring before ordering in the axial direction. Non-muscle actin and tropomyosin were found with sarcomeric periodicity in the initial stages of sarcomere myofibrillogenesis, although their staining patterns were not identical. The localization of the "sarcomeric" proteins alpha-actin and muscle tropomyosin in stress fiber-like structures and the incorporation of non-muscle proteins in the initial stages of sarcomere organization bring into question the meaning of "sarcomeric" proteins in regard to myofibrillogenesis.

Actins↗
PubMed1991

C-protein limits shortening velocity of rabbit skeletal muscle fibres at low levels of Ca2+ activation.

1. Effects on maximum shortening velocity (Vmax) due to partial extraction of C-protein were investigated in skinned fibres from rabbit psoas muscles. Up to 80% of endogenous C-protein was extracted, as assessed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of fibre segments obtained before and after the extraction protocol. Vmax was obtained at 15 degrees C by measuring the times required to take up various amounts of slack imposed at one end of the fibre. 2. During maximal activation with Ca2+, Vmax in control fibres was 4.26 +/- 0.16 (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 7) muscle lengths per second (ML/s). Following extraction of approximately 40% of endogenous C-protein, Vmax in these same fibres was 4.41 +/- 0.24 ML/s. 3. At sufficiently low levels of submaximal activation, high- and low-velocity phases of unloaded shortening were observed. Partial extraction of C-protein significantly increased Vmax in the low-velocity phase but had no effect on the high-velocity phase. The effect on low-velocity Vmax was fully reversed by re-addition of purified C-protein. 4. At low levels of activation, the amount of shortening to the break-point between the high- and low-velocity phases was not significantly affected by C-protein extraction. Under control conditions the average break-point was 85.6 +/- 3.1 nm/half-sarcomere, while 84.1 +/- 3.1 nm/half-sarcomere was obtained following partial extraction of C-protein. 5. These results are considered in terms of a model in which an internal load slows Vmax at low levels of activation once a given amount of active shortening has occurred. C-protein may contribute to this internal load either by binding to actin and myosin or by influencing mechanical properties of myosin cross-bridges.

Animals↗