Project description:Cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) is an integral part of the sarcomeric machinery in cardiac muscle that enables normal function. cMyBP-C regulates normal cardiac contraction by functioning as a brake through interactions with the sarcomere's thick, thin, and titin filaments. cMyBP-C's precise effects as it binds to the different filament systems remain obscure, particularly as it impacts on the myosin heavy chain's head domain, contained within the subfragment 2 (S2) region. This portion of the myosin heavy chain also contains the ATPase activity critical for myosin's function. Mutations in myosin's head, as well as in cMyBP-C, are a frequent cause of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC). We generated transgenic lines in which endogenous cMyBP-C was replaced by protein lacking the residues necessary for binding to S2 (cMyBP-C(S2-)). We found, surprisingly, that cMyBP-C lacking the S2 binding site is incorporated normally into the sarcomere, although systolic function is compromised. We show for the first time the acute and chronic in vivo consequences of ablating a filament-specific interaction of cMyBP-C. This work probes the functional consequences, in the whole animal, of modifying a critical structure-function relationship, the protein's ability to bind to a region of the critical enzyme responsible for muscle contraction, the subfragment 2 domain of the myosin heavy chain. We show that the binding is not critical for the protein's correct insertion into the sarcomere's architecture, but is essential for long-term, normal function in the physiological context of the heart.
Project description:Phosphorylation of cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) accelerates cardiac contractility. However, the mechanisms by which cMyBP-C phosphorylation increases contractile kinetics have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that phosphorylation of cMyBP-C releases myosin heads from the inhibited super-relaxed state (SRX), thereby determining the fraction of myosin available for contraction. Mice with various alanine (A) or aspartic acid (D) substitutions of the three main phosphorylatable serines of cMyBP-C (serines 273, 282, and 302) were used to address the association between cMyBP-C phosphorylation and SRX. Single-nucleotide turnover in skinned ventricular preparations demonstrated that phosphomimetic cMyBP-C destabilized SRX, whereas phospho-ablated cMyBP-C had a stabilizing effect on SRX. Strikingly, phosphorylation at serine 282 site was found to play a critical role in regulating the SRX. Treatment of WT preparations with protein kinase A (PKA) reduced the SRX, whereas, in nonphosphorylatable cMyBP-C preparations, PKA had no detectable effect. Mice with stable SRX exhibited reduced force production. Phosphomimetic cMyBP-C with reduced SRX exhibited increased rates of tension redevelopment and reduced binding to myosin. We also used recombinant myosin subfragment-2 to disrupt the endogenous interaction between cMyBP-C and myosin and observed a significant reduction in the population of SRX myosin. This peptide also increased force generation and rate of tension redevelopment in skinned fibers. Taken together, this study demonstrates that the phosphorylation-dependent interaction between cMyBP-C and myosin is a determinant of the fraction of myosin available for contraction. Furthermore, the binding between cMyBP-C and myosin may be targeted to improve contractile function.
Project description:Cardiac muscle contraction is triggered by calcium binding to troponin. The consequent movement of tropomyosin permits myosin binding to actin, generating force. Cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) plays a modulatory role in this activation process. One potential mechanism for the N-terminal domains of cMyBP-C to achieve this is by binding directly to the actin-thin filament at low calcium levels to enhance the movement of tropomyosin. To determine the molecular mechanisms by which cMyBP-C enhances myosin recruitment to the actin-thin filament, we directly visualized fluorescently labeled cMyBP-C N-terminal fragments and GFP-labeled myosin molecules binding to suspended actin-thin filaments in a fluorescence-based single-molecule microscopy assay. Binding of the C0C3 N-terminal cMyBP-C fragment to the thin filament enhanced myosin association at low calcium levels. However, at high calcium levels, C0C3 bound in clusters, blocking myosin binding. Dynamic imaging of thin filament-bound Cy3-C0C3 molecules demonstrated that these fragments diffuse along the thin filament before statically binding, suggesting a mechanism that involves a weak-binding mode to search for access to the thin filament and a tight-binding mode to sensitize the thin filament to calcium, thus enhancing myosin binding. Although shorter N-terminal fragments (Cy3-C0C1 and Cy3-C0C1f) bound to the thin filaments and displayed modes of motion on the thin filament similar to that of the Cy3-C0C3 fragment, the shorter fragments were unable to sensitize the thin filament. Therefore, the longer N-terminal fragment (C0C3) must possess the requisite domains needed to bind specifically to the thin filament in order for the cMyBP-C N terminus to modulate cardiac contractility.
Project description:Although myosin VI has properties that would allow it to function optimally as a dimer, full-length myosin VI exists as a monomer in isolation. Based on the ability of myosin VI monomers to dimerize when held in close proximity, we postulated that cargo binding normally regulates dimerization of myosin VI. We tested this hypothesis by expressing a known dimeric cargo adaptor protein of myosin VI, optineurin, and the myosin VI-binding segment from a monomeric cargo adaptor protein, Dab2. In the presence of these adaptor proteins, full-length myosin VI has ATPase properties of a dimer, appears as a dimer in electron micrographs, and moves processively on actin filaments. The results support a model in which cargo binding exposes internal dimerization sequences within full-length myosin VI. Because, unexpectedly, a monomeric fragment of Dab2 triggers dimerization, it would appear that myosin VI is designed to function as a dimer in cells.
Project description:Structural changes in the myosin II light meromyosin (LMM) that influence thick filament mechanical properties and muscle function are modulated by LMM-binding proteins. Flightin is an LMM-binding protein indispensable for the function of Drosophila indirect flight muscle (IFM). Flightin has a three-domain structure that includes WYR, a novel 52 aa domain conserved throughout Pancrustacea. In this study, we (i) test the hypothesis that WYR binds the LMM, (ii) characterize the secondary structure of WYR, and (iii) examine the structural impact WYR has on the LMM. Circular dichroism at 260-190 nm reveals a structural profile for WYR and supports an interaction between WYR and LMM. A WYR-LMM interaction is supported by co-sedimentation with a stoichiometry of ~2.4:1. The WYR-LMM interaction results in an overall increased coiled-coil content, while curtailing ɑ helical content. WYR is found to be composed of 15% turns, 31% antiparallel β, and 48% 'other' content. We propose a structural model of WYR consisting of an antiparallel β hairpin between Q92-K114 centered on an ASX or β turn around N102, with a G1 bulge at G117. The Drosophila LMM segment used, V1346-I1941, encompassing conserved skip residues 2-4, is found to possess a traditional helical profile but is interpreted as having <30% helical content by multiple methods of deconvolution. This low helicity may be affiliated with the dynamic behavior of the structure in solution or the inclusion of a known non-helical region in the C-terminus. Our results support the hypothesis that WYR binds the LMM and that this interaction brings about structural changes in the coiled-coil. These studies implicate flightin, via the WYR domain, for distinct shifts in LMM secondary structure that could influence the structural properties and stabilization of the thick filament, scaling to modulation of whole muscle function.
Project description:Decreased expression of cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBPC) in the heart has been implicated as a consequence of mutations in cMyBPC that lead to abnormal contractile function at the myofilament level, thereby contributing to the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in humans. It has not been established whether increasing the levels of cMyBPC in the intact heart can improve myofilament and in vivo contractile function and attenuate maladaptive remodeling processes because of reduced levels of cMyBPC.We performed in vivo gene transfer of cMyBPC by direct injection into the myocardium of cMyBPC-deficient (cMyBPC(-/-)) mice, and mechanical experiments were conducted on skinned myocardium isolated from cMyBPC(-/-) hearts 21 days and 20 weeks after gene transfer. Cross-bridge kinetics in skinned myocardium isolated from cMyBPC(-/-) hearts after cMyBPC gene transfer were significantly slower compared with untreated cMyBPC(-/-) myocardium and were comparable to wild-type myocardium and cMyBPC(-/-) myocardium that was reconstituted with recombinant cMyBPC in vitro. cMyBPC content in cMyBPC(-/-) skinned myocardium after in vivo cMyBPC gene transfer or in vitro cMyBPC reconstitution was similar to wild-type levels. In vivo echocardiography studies of cMyBPC(-/-) hearts after cMyBPC gene transfer revealed improved systolic and diastolic contractile function and reductions in left ventricular wall thickness.This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that gene therapy designed to increase expression of cMyBPC in the cMyBPC-deficient myocardium can improve myofilament and in vivo contractile function, suggesting that cMyBPC gene therapy may be a viable approach for treatment of cardiomyopathies because of mutations in cMyBPC.
Project description:Cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) phosphorylation is differentially regulated in the normal heart and during disease development. Our objective was to examine in detail three phosphorylatable sites (Ser-273, Ser-282, and Ser-302) present in the protein's cardiac-specific sequences, as these residues are differentially and reversibly phosphorylated during normal and abnormal cardiac function. Three transgenic lines were generated: DAA, which expressed cMyBP-C containing Asp-273, Ala-282, and Ala-302, in which a charged amino acid was placed at residue 273 and the remaining two sites rendered nonphosphorylatable by substituting alanines for the two serines; AAD containing Ala-273, Ala-282, and Asp-302, in which aspartate was placed at residue 302 and the remaining two sites rendered nonphosphorylatable; and SDS containing Ser-273, Asp-282, and Ser-302. These mice were compared to mice constructed previously along similar lines: wild type, in which normal cMyBP-C is transgenically expressed, AllP-, in which alanines were substituted and ADA mice as well. DAA and AAD mice showed pathology that was more severe than cMyBP-C nulls. DAA and AAD animals exhibited left ventricular chamber dilation, interstitial fibrosis, irregular cardiac rhythm and sudden cardiac death. Our results define the effects of the sites' post-translational modifications on cMyBP-C functionality and together, give a comprehensive picture of the potential consequences of site-specific phosphorylation. Ser-282 is a key residue in controlling S2 interaction with the thick and thin filaments. The new DAA and AAD constructs show that phosphorylation at one site in the absence of the ability to phosphorylate the other sites, depending upon the particular residues involved, can lead to severe cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
Project description:Myosin binding protein C (MYBPC) is a crucial component of the sarcomere and an important regulator of muscle function. While mutations in different myosin binding protein C (MYBPC) genes are well known causes of various human diseases, such as hypertrophic (HCM) and dilated (DCM) forms of cardiomyopathy as well as skeletal muscular disorders, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain not well understood. A variety of MYBPC3 (cardiac isoform) mutations have been studied in great detail and several corresponding genetically altered mouse models have been generated. Most MYBPC3 mutations may cause haploinsufficiency and with it they may cause a primary increase in calcium sensitivity which is potentially able to explain major features observed in HCM patients such as the hypercontractile phenotype and the well known secondary effects such as myofibrillar disarray, fibrosis, myocardial hypertrophy and remodelling including arrhythmogenesis. However the presence of poison peptides in some cases cannot be fully excluded and most probably other mechanisms are also at play. Here we shall discuss MYBPC interacting proteins and possible pathways linked to cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
Project description:RationaleMutations in the gene encoding the sarcomeric protein cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) are a leading cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Mouse models targeting cMyBP-C and use of recombinant proteins have been effective in studying its roles in contractile function and disease. Surprisingly, while the N-terminus of cMyBP-C is important to regulate myofilament binding and contains many HCM mutations, an incorrect sequence, lacking the N-terminal 8 amino acids has been used in many studies.ObjectivesTo determine the N-terminal cMyBP-C sequences in ventricles and investigate the roles of species-specific differences in cMyBP-C on myofilament binding.Methods and resultsWe determined cMyBP-C sequences in mouse and human by inspecting available sequence databases. N-terminal differences were confirmed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Cosedimentation assays with actin or myosin were used to examine binding in mouse, human and chimeric fusion proteins of cMyBP-C. Time-resolved FRET (TR-FRET) with site-directed probes on cMyBP-C was employed to measure structural dynamics. LC-MS/MS supported the sequencing data that mouse cMyBP-C contains an eight-residue N-terminal extension (NTE) not found in human. Cosedimentation assays revealed that cardiac myosin binding was strongly influenced by the presence of the NTE, which reduced binding by 60%. 75% more human C0-C2 than mouse bound to myosin. Actin binding of mouse C0-C2 was not affected by the NTE. 50% more human C0-C2 than mouse bound to actin. TR-FRET indicates that the NTE did not significantly affect structural dynamics across domains C0 and C1.ConclusionsOur functional results are consistent with the idea that cardiac myosin binding of N-terminal cMyBP-C is reduced in the mouse protein due to the presence of the NTE, which is proposed to interfere with myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) binding. The NTE is a critical component of mouse cMyBP-C, and should be considered in extrapolation of studies to cMyBP-C and HCM mechanisms in human.
Project description:The human hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutation R453C results in one of the more severe forms of the myopathy. Arg-453 is found in a conserved surface loop of the upper 50-kDa domain of the myosin motor domain and lies between the nucleotide binding pocket and the actin binding site. It connects to the cardiomyopathy loop via a long α-helix, helix O, and to Switch-2 via the fifth strand of the central β-sheet. The mutation is, therefore, in a position to perturb a wide range of myosin molecular activities. We report here the first detailed biochemical kinetic analysis of the motor domain of the human β-cardiac myosin carrying the R453C mutation. A recent report of the same mutation (Sommese, R. F., Sung, J., Nag, S., Sutton, S., Deacon, J. C., Choe, E., Leinwand, L. A., Ruppel, K., and Spudich, J. A. (2013) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 110, 12607-12612) found reduced ATPase and in vitro motility but increased force production using an optical trap. Surprisingly, our results show that the mutation alters few biochemical kinetic parameters significantly. The exceptions are the rate constants for ATP binding to the motor domain (reduced by 35%) and the ATP hydrolysis step/recovery stroke (slowed 3-fold), which could be the rate-limiting step for the ATPase cycle. Effects of the mutation on the recovery stroke are consistent with a perturbation of Switch-2 closure, which is required for the recovery stroke and the subsequent ATP hydrolysis.