Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2006. / "August, 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-110). Online version available on the World Wide Web.

Theses (Ph. D.)--Marshall University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains xiii, 124 pages including illustrations. Includes vitae. Bibliographical references at the end of Chapters 1-3.

Myosin subfragment-2 (S2) is an intrinsically unstable coiled coil. This dissertation tests if the mechanical stability of myosin S2 would influence the availability of myosin S1 heads to actin thin filaments. The elevated instability in myosin S2 coiled coil could be one of the causes for hypercontractility in Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (FHC). As hypothesized FHC mutations, namely E924K and E930del, in myosin S2 displayed an unstable myosin S2 coiled coil compared to wild type as measured by Fluorescence Resonant Energy Transfer (FRET) and gravitational force spectroscopy (GFS). To remedy this, anti-S2 peptides; the stabilizer and the destabilizer peptides by namesake were designed in our lab to increase and decrease the stability of myosin S2 coiled coil to influence the actomyosin interaction. Firstly, the effectiveness of anti-S2 peptides were tested on muscle myosin S2 peptides across MYH11 (smooth), MYH7 (cardiac), and MYH2 (skeletal) with GFS and FRET. The results demonstrated that the mechanical stability was increased by the stabilizer and decreased by the destabilizer across the cardiac and skeletal myosin S2 isoform but not for the smooth muscle isoform. The destabilizer peptide had dissociation binding constants of 9.97 × 10-1 μM to MYH7 isoform, 1.00 μM to MYH2 isoform, and no impact on MYH11, and the stabilizer peptide had dissociation binding constants of 2.12 × 10-2 μM to MYH7 isoform, 3.41 × 10-1 μM to MYH2 isoform, and no impact on MYH11 revealed by FRET. In presence of the stabilizer, FRET assay, affinity of the E930del and E924K increased by 10.23 and 0.60 fold respectively. The force required to uncoil muscle myosin S2 peptides in the presence of the stabilizer peptide was more than in its absence in muscle myosin S2 isoforms of MYH7 (1.80 fold higher), MYH2 (1.40 fold higher), and E930del (2.60 fold higher) and no change for MYH11 compared to control. The force required to uncoil muscle myosin S2 in presence of the destabilizer was less than in its absence in both MYH7 (2.00 fold lower) and MYH2 (2.5 fold lower) but the same for MYH11 compared to their controls. Both FRET and GFS assays demonstrated that both anti-S2 peptides do not have any impact on smooth muscle myosin S2 isoform. In FRET assay, there was no significant difference in the lifetime value in the presence or absence of anti-S2 peptides in smooth muscle myosin S2. In GFS assay, there was no significant difference in the force required to uncoil the dimer in presence or absence of the anti-S2 peptides smooth muscle myosin S2. Effectively, the stabilizer peptide improved the stability of FHC mutant (E924K and E930del) myosin S2 peptide. FHC mutations showed high lifetime value in FRET assay and low force to uncoil coiled coil myosin S2 in GFS assay. In the presence of the stabilizer, lifetime value decreased in FRET assay and more force was required to uncoil myosin S2 coiled coil in GFS assay. This study demonstrated that structure of muscle myosin S2 can be altered by small peptides. The stabilizer peptide enhanced dimer formation in wild type and mutant cardiac, and skeletal myosin S2 peptides, and destabilizer increased flexibility of cardiac and skeletal myosin S2 wild type peptide. Neither anti-S2 peptides had impacts on smooth muscle myosin S2 isoform. The study thus effectively demonstrates the mechanical stability of myosin S2 coiled coil in striated muscle system could be modified using the specific anti-S2 peptides. Stabilizer of the anti-S2 peptide was effective to remedy the dampened stability of FHC myosin S2 coiled coil thus providing a new dimension of treating cardiovascular and skeletal muscle disorders by targeting the structural property of muscle proteins.

<p>Primary cilia are evolutionarily conserved, acetylated microtubule-based organelles that transduce mechanical and chemical signals. Primary cilium assembly is tightly controlled and its deregulation causes a spectrum of human diseases. Formation of primary cilium is a collaborative effort of multiple cellular machineries, including microtubule, actin network and membrane trafficking. How cells coordinate these components to construct the primary cilia remains unclear. In this dissertation research, we utilized a combination of cell biology, biochemistry and light microscopy technologies to tackle the enigma of primary cilia formation, with particular focus on isoform-specific roles of non-muscle myosin II family members. We found that myosin IIB (Myh10) is required for cilium formation. In contrast, myosin IIA (Myh9) suppresses cilium formation. In Myh10 deficient cells, Myh9 inactivation significantly restores cilia formation. Myh10 antagonizes Myh9 and increases actin dynamics, permitting pericentrosomal preciliary complex formation required for cilium assembly. Importantly, Myh10 is upregulated upon serum starvation-induced ciliogenesis and this induction requires Atat1/Mec-17, the microtubule acetyltransferase. Our findings suggest that Atat1/Mec17-mediated microtubule acetylation is coupled to Myh10 induction, whose accumulation overcomes the Myh9-dependent actin cytoskeleton, thereby activating cilium formation. Thus, Atat1/Mec17 and myosin II coordinate microtubules and the actin cytoskeleton to control primary cilium biogenesis.</p> / Dissertation

The purpose of this investigation was to employ newly improved qualitative and quantitative chromatographic techniques to obtain purified myosin from 1 G and 3 G chick embryos and to determine if muscle myosin production either follows or precedes the unparallel bone growth during chronic acceleration as reported by several investigators.

No description available.

Das Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Beteiligung der nichtmuskulären schweren Myosinketten an der Kontraktion der glatten Muskeln unter physiologischen Bedingungen zu untersuchen. Als Versuchsmodell wurde die Harnblase von neugeborenen Wildtyp und transgenen Mäusen verwendet, bei denen das Gen für die glattmuskelspezifischen schweren Myosinketten durch "Gene Targeting" funktionell eliminiert wurde (Knock-Out). Das Fehlen der Expression der glattmuskelspezifischen schweren Myosinketten wurde durch Elektrophorese und Immunfärbung bestätigt. Im Gegensatz dazu blieb die Expression der nichtmuskulären schweren Myosinketten unverändert. Die mechanische Analyse des glatten Muskels wurde mit intakten Muskelpräparaten aus der Harnblase durchgeführt. Das Muskelpräparat wurde in KCl-Lösung oder mit Phorbolester stimuliert. Die Aktivierung mittels depolarisierender KCl-Lösung führte bei neugeborenen Wildtyp Mäusen zuerst zu einer transienten Kontraktion (Phase 1) mit hoher Kraftentwicklung und maximaler Verkürzungsgeschwindigkeit, und danach zu einer tonischen Kontraktion (Phase 2) mit niedrigerer Kraftentwicklung und maximaler Verkürzungsgeschwindigkeit. Blasenpräparate neugeborener Knock-Out Mäuse dagegen zeigten keine Phase 1, sondern nur eine tonische Kontraktion, die mit Wildtyp Mäusen vergleichbar war. Daher scheint nichtmuskuläres Myosin an der tonischen Kontraktion des glatten Muskels beteiligt zu sein. Durch Stimulierung mit Phorbolester waren ähnliche tonische Muskelkontraktionen der Blasenpräparate sowohl bei Wildtyp als auch bei Knock-Out Mäusen zu beobachten. Vermutlich wird also das nichtmuskuläre Myosin durch Stimulierung mit Phorbolester aktiviert. Intrazelluläre Filamente wurden durch Immunfluoreszenz mit einem spezifischen Antikörper gegen nichtmuskuläre schwere Myosinketten in kultivierten primären glatten Muskelzellen untersucht. Dabei zeigten die Muskelzellen sowohl von Wildtyp als auch von Knock-Out Mäusen intrazelluläre dicke Myosinfilamente, was für die Beteiligung des nichtmuskulären Myosins an der glatten Muskelkontraktion spricht. Entsprechend wurden intrazelluläre Filamente mit einem Antikörper gegen glattmuskelspezifische schwere Myosinketten in kultivierten primären glatten Muskelzellen untersucht. Wie erwartet, konnten nur in glatten Muskelzellen von Wildtyp Mäusen intrazelluläre Filamente nachgewiesen werden, nicht aber in denen von Knock-Out Mäusen. In dieser Arbeit konnte zum ersten Mal gezeigt werden, dass nichtmuskuläres Myosin zumindest an der tonischen Kontraktion glatter Muskelzellen beteiligt sein kann. / The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvement of non-muscle myosin heavy chain in smooth muscle contraction under physiological conditions. As an experimental model urinary bladder from neonatal wild-type mice as well as from neonatal mice with disrupted smooth muscle myosin heavy chain expression was used. This animal model was established through gene targeting technology, resulting in complete elimination of the expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chains. The lack of expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chains was confirmed by electrophoresis and immunoblotting. On the other hand, non-muscle myosin heavy chain expression remained normal, as verified by Western blot analysis. The mechanical analysis of smooth muscle was performed with intact urinary bladder preparations, stimulated using prolonged KCl depolarization or with phorbol ester. Prolonged activation by KCl depolarization of intact bladder preparations from wild-type neonatal mice produced an initial transient state (phase 1) of high force generation and maximal shortening velocity, followed by a sustained state (phase 2) with lower force generation and maximal shortening velocity. In contrast, bladder preparations from homozygous knockout neonatal mice did not exhibit phase 1, but phase 2 could be observed, i.e. a similar isometric force and maximal shortening velocity, compared to wild-type phase 2. Thus, non-muscle myosin appears to be recruited in the sustained phase of smooth muscle contraction during prolonged KCl depolarization in the animal model used. Upon stimulation with phorbol ester a similar sustained contraction was observed in both wild-type and knockout smooth muscle preparations. Therefore, non-muscle myosin may also be recruited during phorbol ester stimulation in both wild-type and knockout muscle preparations. The participation of non-muscle myosin in smooth muscle contraction was further supported by the finding of longitudinally arranged intracellular filaments in cultivated smooth muscle cells from both wild-type and knockout mice by immunofluorescence microscopy, using a specific antibody raised against non-muscle myosin heavy chain. In a similar way, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain structures were investigated in cultivated smooth muscle cells. As expected, longitudinally arranged intracellular filamentous structures of smooth muscle myosin were observed in wild-type smooth muscle cells, but not in smooth muscle cells from knockout mice. In conclusion, in neonatal smooth muscle the initial phase of contraction elicited by KCl depolarization is generated by smooth muscle myosin heavy chain recruitment. Upon prolonged KCl depolarization non-muscle myosin is recruited in the sustained phase of contraction, as well as upon stimulation with phorbol ester. Thus, it was possible, for the first time, to verify the involvement of the non-muscle myosin in smooth muscle contraction in vivo. The results of the present study contribute to the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of smooth muscle contraction.

La cytokine TRAIL est un candidat anticancéreux qui induit la mort spécifique de cellules tumorales. La liaison de TRAIL à ses récepteurs (DR) permet de former le complexe DISC qui induit la mort cellulaire. La raison de la mort sélective des cellules tumorales induite par TRAIL est inconnue. Nous avons découvert des partenaires de DR: chaînes lourdes de myosine IIa, IIb (NMHCIIa, NMHCIIb), chaîne légère régulatrice de myosine (MLC2) et ß-actine. Dans les cellules tumorales, la liaison de TRAIL abroge l'interaction NMHCII/DR, et DISC est activé. Au contraire, dans les cellules normales, l'interaction NMHCII/DR persiste et l'activation de DISC est incomplète. Affaiblir l'interaction NMHCII/DR par des inhibiteurs chimiques ou diminuer NMHCIIa permet d'augmenter l'apoptose liée à TRAIL. L'interaction réduite NMHCII/DR induit des niveaux altérés de phospho-MLC2 et de kinases régulant MLC2. Nous proposons que la résistance de cellules normales à TRAIL soit basée sur l'interaction DR/cytosquelette, déficiente dans des tumeurs. NMHCII étant aussi impliqué dans l'adhésion/migration cellulaire, il serait intéressant d'étudier les fonctions de NMHCII/DISC dans le détachement cellulaire, afin de mieux comprendre la résistance à TRAIL de certains cancers. / The cytokine TRAIL is a promising cancer therapeutic candidate as it induces apoptosis selectively in transformed cells. TRAIL-induced clustering of its receptors (DR) is essential for the DISC complex formation, which induces cell death. The mechanism for TRAIL’s tumour selective effect is largely unknown. We identified the cytoskeleton proteins non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIa, IIb (NMHCIIa, NMHCIIb), myosin regulatory light chain (MLC2) and ß-actin as novel DR-interactors. An initially weak and TRAIL-induced abrogation of NMHCII/DR interaction correlated with efficient DISC formation in tumour cells. In contrast, a robust NMHCII/DR interaction that was sustained upon TRAIL stimulus was accompanied by incomplete DISC arrangement. Weakening the NMHCII/DR interaction in normal cells using chemical inhibitors enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Intriguingly, siRNA-mediated NMHCIIa- but not NMHCIIb depletion potently released TRAIL resistance in normal cells and influenced DISC composition. Reduced NMHCII/DR interaction in transformed cells was characterised by diminished MLC2 phosphorylation and altered protein expression of upstream regulatory kinases. Our results suggest that normal cell resistance to TRAIL-apoptosis is based on the interaction of cytoskeleton components with DR that is impaired upon transformation. Since NMHCII function in cell adhesion and migration, it will be interesting to study possible roles of the interaction in cell detachment and altered TRAIL sensitivity; moreover this link may provide clues as to the cause of TRAIL resistance in some cancers.

The aim of this project was to produce and study a murine homozygous knock-in model containing a fast skeletal regulatory light chain (RLC) containing a Asp49toAla point mutation. The D49A mutation is in the functional calcium binding loop of RLC, which is believed to modulate muscle contraction in striated muscle. To introduce the mutation, a reversible knock-out/knock-in system was employed. The Cre/Lox-P strategy was used to conditionally knock-in the RLC D49A mutation. The generation of the knock-in mouse was attempted with two different breeding strategies consisting of two Cre mouse lines with differential expression patterns during development. The proposed animal was never produced because the RLC knock-out recombination event introduced a splicing error resulting in a stop codon in intron 2. Extensive DNA, RNA and protein analysis as well as histological, gross morphology and muscle physiology studies obtained from the animals of the two breeding strategies lead to the identification of the splicing error. Evidence for this outcome is presented. A recommendation for a different strategy in future studies is included.

No description available.