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Objective Nemaline myopathy (NM) is one of the most common congenital nondystrophic myopathies and is characterized by muscle weakness, often from birth. Mutations in ACTA1 are a frequent cause of NM (ie, NEM3). ACTA1 encodes alpha-actin 1, the main constituent of the sarcomeric thin filament. The mechanisms by which mutations in ACTA1 contribute to muscle weakness in NEM3 are incompletely understood. We hypothesized that sarcomeric dysfunction contributes to muscle weakness in NEM3 patients. Methods To test this hypothesis, we performed contractility measurements in individual muscle fibers and myofibrils obtained from muscle biopsies of 14 NEM3 patients with different ACTA1 mutations. To identify the structural basis for impaired contractility, low angle X-ray diffraction and stimulated emission-depletion microscopy were applied. Results Our findings reveal that muscle fibers of NEM3 patients display a reduced maximal force-generating capacity, which is caused by dysfunctional sarcomere contractility in the majority of patients, as revealed by contractility measurements in myofibrils. Low angle X-ray diffraction and stimulated emission-depletion microscopy indicate that dysfunctional sarcomere contractility in NEM3 patients involves a lower number of myosin heads binding to actin during muscle activation. This lower number is not the result of reduced thin filament length. Interestingly, the calcium sensitivity of force is unaffected in some patients, but decreased in others. Interpretation Dysfunctional sarcomere contractility is an important contributor to muscle weakness in the majority of NEM3 patients. This information is crucial for patient stratification in future clinical trials. Ann Neurol 2018;83:269-282.

In 1990, the Seidmans showed that a single point mutation, R403Q, in the human β-myosin heavy chain (MHC) of heart muscle caused a particularly malignant form of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) [Geisterfer-Lowrance AA, et al. (1990) Cell 62:999–1006.]. Since then, more than 300 mutations in the β-MHC have been reported, and yet there remains a poor understanding of how a single missense mutation in the MYH7 gene can lead to heart disease. Previous studies with a transgenic mouse model showed that the myosin phenotype depended on whether the mutation was in an α- or β-MHC backbone. This led to the generation of a transgenic rabbit model with the R403Q mutation in a β-MHC backbone. We find that the in vitro motility of heterodimeric R403Q myosin is markedly reduced, whereas the actin-activated ATPase activity of R403Q subfragment-1 is about the same as myosin from a nontransgenic littermate. Single myofibrils isolated from the ventricles of R403Q transgenic rabbits and analyzed by atomic force microscopy showed reduced rates of force development and relaxation, and achieved a significantly lower steady-state level of isometric force compared with nontransgenic myofibrils. Myofibrils isolated from the soleus gave similar results. The force–velocity relationship determined for R403Q ventricular myofibrils showed a decrease in the velocity of shortening under load, resulting in a diminished power output. We conclude that independent of whether experiments are performed with isolated molecules or with ordered molecules in the native thick filament of a myofibril, there is a loss-of-function induced by the R403Q mutation in β-cardiac myosin.

Protein arginylation is a post-translational modification with an emerging global role in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton. To test the role of arginylation in the skeletal muscle, we generated a mouse model with Ate1 knockout driven by skeletal muscle-specific creatine kinase (Ckmm) promoter. Such Ckmm-Ate1 mice were viable and outwardly normal, however their skeletal muscle strength was significantly reduced compared to the control. Mass spectrometry of the isolated skeletal myofibrils showed a limited set of proteins arginylated on specific sites, including myosin heavy chain. Atomic force microscopy measurements of the contractile strength in individual myofibrils and isolated myosin filaments from these mice showed a significant reduction of contractile forces, which, in the case of the myosin filaments could be fully rescued by re-arginylation with purified Ate1. Our results demonstrate that arginylation regulates force production in the muscle and exerts a direct effect on muscle strength through arginylation of myosin.

Background There is evidence that the actin-activated ATP kinetics and the mechanical work produced by muscle myosin molecules are regulated by two surface loops, located near the ATP binding pocket (loop 1), and in a region that interfaces with actin (loop 2). These loops regulate force and velocity of contraction, and have been investigated mostly in single molecules. There is a lack of information of the work produced by myosin molecules ordered in filaments and working cooperatively, which is the actual muscle environment. Methods We use micro-fabricated cantilevers to measure forces produced by myosin filaments isolated from mollusk muscles, skeletal muscles, and smooth muscles containing variations in the structure of loop 1 (tonic and phasic myosins). We complemented the experiments with in-vitro assays to measure the velocity of actin motility. Results Smooth muscle myosin filaments produced more force than skeletal and mollusk myosin filaments when normalized per filament overlap. Skeletal muscle myosin propelled actin filaments in a higher sliding velocity than smooth muscle myosin. The values for force and velocity were consistent with previous studies using myosin molecules, and suggest a close correlation with the myosin isoform and structure of surface loop 1. General significance The technique using micro-fabricated cantilevers to measure force of filaments allows for the investigation of the relation between myosin structure and contractility, allowing experiments to be conducted with an array of different myosin isoforms. Using the technique we observed that the work produced by myosin molecules is regulated by amino-acid sequences aligned in specific loops.

In this study, we show a method for direct measurements of force and simultaneous visualization of isolated muscle filaments. Single actin filaments isolated from chicken skeletal muscle and single thick filaments isolated from Mussels were imaged using fluorescence and dark field microscopy, respectively. Force generated by the filaments was measured using micro-fabricated cantilevers. Force values were in the range observed previously with myosin filaments and molecules. The results suggest that the technique can be used to investigate many issues of interest and debate in the field of muscle biophysics.

Actin filaments and thick filaments composed mostly of myosin molecules are nanoscopic structures and often require special imaging techniques for visualization in optical microscope. Actin filaments are 7nm in diameter and therefore require fluorescence labeling to be imaged. Thick filaments isolated from mussel muscles are 70nm in diameter and can be imaged with dark field microscopy technique without using fluorescence. To produce a simultaneous image of both filaments, we designed and developed a new illumination chamber that combines fluorescence and dark field microscopy techniques. The chamber is positioned on a microscope stage and allows dark field imaging with high objective NA by providing the illumination of the side of the samples. Such configuration improves the simultaneous fluorescence imaging quality of actin; we tested the technique by measuring the sliding velocity of actin filament on top of myosin filaments (in vitro motility essay), and observed that the signal to noise ratio is increased from 1.5 to 6.3 when compared to previous studies imaging actin-thick filaments. The technique is promising, as it may allow for experiments to be conducted in which simultaneous imaging of myosin-actin filaments is important, e.g. measuring the force produced in a given filament overlap in different situations.