Dataset Information

A Beetle Flight Muscle Displays Leg Muscle Microstructure.

ABSTRACT: In contrast to major flight muscles in the Mecynorrhina torquata beetle, the third axillary (3Ax) muscle is a minor flight muscle that uniquely displays a powerful mechanical function despite its considerably small volume, ?1/50 that of a major flight muscle. The 3Ax muscle contracts relatively slowly, and in flight strongly pulls the beating wing to attenuate the stroke amplitude. This attenuation leads to left-right turning in flight or wing folding to cease flying. What enables this small muscle to be so powerful? To explore this question, we examined the microstructure of the 3Ax muscle using synchrotron x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and immunoblotting analysis. We found that the 3Ax muscle has long (?5 ?m) myofilaments and that the ratio of thick (myosin) filaments to thin (actin) filaments is 1:5 or 1:6. These characteristics are not observed in the major flight muscles, which have shorter myofilaments (?3.5 ?m) with a smaller ratio (1:3), and instead are more typical of a leg muscle. Furthermore, the flight-muscle-specific troponin isoform, TnH, is not expressed in the 3Ax muscle. Since such a microstructure is suitable for generating large tension, the 3Ax muscle is appropriately designed to pull the wing strongly despite its small volume.

SUBMITTER: Shimomura T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5034364 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Beetle Flight Muscle Displays Leg Muscle Microstructure.

Shimomura Toshiki T Iwamoto Hiroyuki H Vo Doan Tat Thang TT Ishiwata Shin'ichi S Sato Hirotaka H Suzuki Madoka M

Biophysical journal 20160901 6

In contrast to major flight muscles in the Mecynorrhina torquata beetle, the third axillary (3Ax) muscle is a minor flight muscle that uniquely displays a powerful mechanical function despite its considerably small volume, ∼1/50 that of a major flight muscle. The 3Ax muscle contracts relatively slowly, and in flight strongly pulls the beating wing to attenuate the stroke amplitude. This attenuation leads to left-right turning in flight or wing folding to cease flying. What enables this small mus ...[more]

PMID: 27653488

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Project description:The only exogenous substrates oxidized by mitochondria isolated from the flight muscle of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) are proline, pyruvate and glycerol 3-phosphate. The highest rate of oxygen consumption is obtained with proline. The oxidation of proline leads to the production of more NH3 than alanine, indicating a functioning glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.2). Studies of mitochondrial extracts confirm the presence of a very active glutamate dehydrogenase, and this enzyme is found to be activated by ADP and inhibited by ATP. These extracts also show high alanine aminotransferase activity (EC 2.6.1.2) and a uniquely active "malic' enzyme (EC 1.1.1.39). The "malic' enzyme is activated by succinate and inhibited by ATP and by pyruvate. It is suggested that the input of tricarboxylate-cycle intermediate from proline oxidation is balanced by the formation of pyruvate from malate, and the complete oxidation of the majority of the pyruvate. Studies of the steady-state concentrations of mitochondrial CoASH and CoA thioesters during proline oxidation show a high succinyl (3-carboxypropionyl)-CoA content which falls on activating respiration with ADP. There is a concomitant rise in CoASH. However, the reverse transition, from state-3 to state-4 respiration, causes only very slight changes in acylation. The reasons for this are discussed. Studies of the mitochondrial content of glutamate, 2-oxoglutarate, malate, pyruvate, citrate and isocitrate during the same phases of proline oxidation give results consistent with control at the level of glutamate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase during proline oxidation, with the possibility of further control at "malic' enzyme. During the oxidation of pyruvate all of the tricarboxylate-cycle intermediates and NAD(P)H follow the pattern of changes described in the blowfly (Johnson & Hansford, 1975; Hansford, 1974) and isocitrate dehydrogenase is identified as the primary site of control.?2OAuthor

Dataset Information

A Beetle Flight Muscle Displays Leg Muscle Microstructure.

Publications

A Beetle Flight Muscle Displays Leg Muscle Microstructure.

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