Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paul Dowling, Stephen Gargan, Dieter Swandulla, Kay Ohlendieck
Summary: The loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength is the main cause of frailty syndrome, which is closely associated with sarcopenia in the elderly. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic surveys have improved our understanding of the molecular and cellular changes during muscle atrophy and age-related fiber-type shifting. Proteomic analysis suggests that contractile proteins can be used as markers of fiber-type transitions during aging.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sathish Thiyagarajan, Shuyuan Wang, Ting Gang Chew, Junqi Huang, Lokesh Kumar, Mohan K. Balasubramanian, Ben O'Shaughnessy
Summary: This study observed the full course of instability in isolated cytokinetic contractile rings, revealing that the turnover time of myosin II controls actomyosin contractile instability in normal cells.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Sefik E. Erdener, Gulce Kureli, Turgay Dalkara
Summary: This study summarizes recent developments in detecting alpha-SMA and contractility in capillary pericytes, as well as relevant literature on actin filaments biology. Innovative labeling and imaging techniques can reveal the molecular machinery of contraction in pericytes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gloria Lee, Gregor Leech, Michael J. Rust, Moumita Das, Ryan J. McGorty, Jennifer L. Rosso, Rae M. Robertson-Anderson
Summary: The cytoskeleton is a dynamic network of proteins that enables essential cellular processes, with microtubules providing flexural rigidity and enhanced connectivity to actin networks for self-organized myosin-driven contraction.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yves Lecarpentier, Victor Claes, Jean-Louis Hebert, Olivier Schussler, Alexandre Vallee
Summary: Myofibroblasts are contractile cells found in various tissues with different regulation mechanisms for contraction and relaxation. Compared to muscles, myofibroblasts have lower shortening velocity and developed tension, but the molecular motor non-muscle myosin type IIA (NMIIA) develops a force similar to muscle myosins.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anja Konietzny, Jasper Grendel, Alan Kadek, Michael Bucher, Yuhao Han, Nathalie Hertrich, Dick H. W. Dekkers, Jeroen A. A. Demmers, Kay Gruenewald, Charlotte Uetrecht, Marina Mikhaylova
Summary: Excitatory synapses of principal hippocampal neurons are often found on dendritic spines, with dynamic strengthening or weakening of individual inputs leading to structural and molecular diversity of spines. Caldendrin, a Ca2+ sensor, regulates the localization of ER tubules and formation of the spine apparatus in dendritic spines through a myosin V-dependent pathway, transforming myosin into a stationary F-actin tether.
Review
Physiology
Chad R. Straight, Michael J. Toth, Mark S. Miller
Summary: Obesity has a negative impact on physical performance in older adults, partly due to compromised muscle strength and power. Recent research has identified potential mechanisms underlying declines in whole muscle function, including changes in myofilament protein function and cellular contractile properties. There is still limited study on how exercise and weight loss interventions affect these mechanisms in obese older adults.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sami Chu, Joseph M. Muretta, David D. Thomas
Summary: The study aimed to test whether the IHM structure is the structural basis for the SRX state, and the results indicated that the IHM structure is sufficient but not necessary to produce the SRX kinetic state.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
J. Colgren, S. A. Nichols
Summary: The study finds molecular and functional similarities between a contractile module in sponge tissues and muscle tissues in other animals, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Christopher R. Veitch, Amelia S. Power, Jeffrey R. Erickson
Summary: The increasing prevalence of diabetes has led to a greater focus on its impacts on the cardiovascular system, with current therapies not fully addressing the cardiac pathology burden in diabetic patients. CaMKII has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for preventing diabetic cardiomyopathy, with recent evidence supporting its role in the pathophysiology of diabetes-related cardiac dysfunction and the benefits of CaMKII inhibition.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Jacob Malin, Christian Rosa Birriel, Sergio Astigarraga, Jessica E. Treisman, Victor Hatini
Summary: The study reveals that Sidekick (Sdk) plays a crucial role in controlling the balance between contraction and expansion in the epithelium by recruiting Polychaetoid (Pyd) for contraction and the WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) for actin branching and protrusion.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Physiology
Raul Padron, Debabrata Dutta, Roger Craig
Summary: This study examines the interacting-heads motif (IHM) in myosin molecules and thick filaments, identifying several variants and discussing their energetic and pathophysiological consequences.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Federica Arbizzani, Manos Mavrakis, Marta Hoya, Juan Carlos Ribas, Sophie Brasselet, Anne Paoletti, Sergio A. Rincon
Summary: In this study, the organization of septin filaments during cell division and its cell cycle regulation were investigated using fission yeast. The findings suggest that an anillin-like protein Mid2 plays a crucial role in promoting septin filament compaction and assembly, which is tightly controlled by the cell cycle.
Article
Biophysics
Daniel B. Cortes, Paul S. Maddox, Francois J. Nedelec, Amy Shaub Maddox
Summary: In this study, the researchers used a microfluidic device and high-numerical-aperture light-sheet microscopy to measure the dynamic changes in cytokinetic ring component abundance. They implemented the measured data into a model and observed biologically realistic cytokinetic kinetics. The findings emphasize the importance of network composition, particularly motor filament abundance, for actomyosin contraction kinetics.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Daren Elkrief, Yu-Shu Cheng, Oleg S. Matusovsky, Dilson E. Rassier
Summary: The interaction between actin and myosin is crucial for muscle contraction and force production. Oxidation of actin and myosin has been found to weaken the myofibrils in healthy and diseased muscles. This study shows that exposure to a chemical compound can affect the interactions between actin and myosin, leading to decreased velocity and force. Oxidation of both actin and myosin contributes to a decrease in contractile activity in muscles.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)