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We tested the hypothesis that the MEK/Erk/caldesmon phosphorylation cascade regulates PKC-mediated podosome dynamics in A7r5 cells. We observed the phosphorylation of MEK, Erk and caldesmon, and their translocation to the podosomes upon phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu) stimulation, together with the nuclear translocation of phospho-MEK and phospho-Erk. After MEK inhibition by U0126, Erk translocated to the interconnected actin-rich columns but failed to translocate to the nucleus, suggesting that podosomes served as a site for Erk phosphorylation. The interconnected actin-rich columns in U0126-treated, PDBu-stimulated cells contained alpha-actinin, caldesmon, vinculin, and metalloproteinase-2. Caldesmon and vinculin became integrated with F-actin at the columns, in contrast to their typical location at the ring of podosomes. Live-imaging experiments suggested the growth of these columns from podosomes that were slow to disassemble. The observed modulation of podosome size and life time in A7r5 cells overexpressing wild-type and phosphorylation-deficient caldesmon-GFP mutants in comparison to untransfected cells suggests that caldesmon and caldesmon phosphorylation modulate podosome dynamics in A7r5 cells. These results suggest that Erk1/2 and caldesmon differentially modulate PKC-mediated formation and/or dynamics of podosomes in A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells.

Actin polymerization and depolymerization plays a central role in controlling a wide spectrum of cellular processes. There are many actin-binding proteins in eukaryotic cells. Their roles in the remodeling of the actin architecture and whether they work cooperatively await further study. Caldesmon (CaD) is an actin-binding protein present in nearly all mammalian cells. Cortactin is another actin-binding protein found mainly in the cell cortex. There have been no reports suggesting that CaD and cortactin interact with each other or work as partners. Here, we present evidence that CaD binds cortactin directly by overlay, pull-down assays, ELISA, and by column chromatography. The interaction involves the N-terminal region of cortactin and the C-terminal region of CaD, and appears to be enhanced by divalent metal ions. Cortactin competes with both full-length CaD and its C-terminal fragment for actin binding. Binding of cortactin partially alleviates the inhibitory effect of CaD on the actomyosin ATPase activity. Not only can binding be demonstrated in vitro, the two proteins also co-localize in activated cells at the cortex. Whether such interactions bear any functional significance awaits further investigation.

Caldesmon (CaD) is an actin-binding protein that is capable of inhibiting the actomyosin ATPase activity in vitro. CaD has a single gene that is alternatively spliced to generate the smooth muscle-specific form, h-CaD, and a shorter isoform, l-CaD, that is present only in non-muscle cells. The difference between h- and l-CaD is a highly charged repeating sequence, corresponding to a 35 nm-long single helical region that separates the N-terminal domain from the C-terminal domain of h-CaD. To test whether such an elongated h-CaD is essential for smooth muscles to function properly, we have specifically abrogated its expression in the mouse by targeting h-CaD without affecting the expression of l-CaD. After genotyping, we have obtained homozygous knockout mice that indeed lack h-CaD, but nevertheless express varying amounts of l-CaD in a tissue-dependent fashion. The contractility of smooth muscles isolated from the knockout animals is currently under investigation.

Smooth muscle caldesmon binds actin and inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity. Phosphorylation of caldesmon by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) reverses this inhibitory effect and weakens actin binding. To better understand this function, we have examined the phosphorylation-dependent contact sites of caldesmon on actin by low dose electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction of actin filaments decorated with a C-terminal fragment, hH32K, of human caldesmon containing the principal actin-binding domains. Helical reconstruction of negatively stained filaments demonstrated that hH32K is located on the inner portion of actin subdomain 1, traversing its upper surface toward the C-terminal segment of actin, and forms a bridge to the neighboring actin monomer of the adjacent long pitch helical strand by connecting to its subdomain 3. Such lateral binding was supported by cross-linking experiments using a mutant isoform, which was capable of cross-linking actin subunits. Upon ERK phosphorylation, however, the mutant no longer cross-linked actin to polymers. Three-dimensional reconstruction of ERK-phosphorylated hH32K indeed indicated loss of the interstrand connectivity. These results, together with fluorescence quenching data, are consistent with a phosphorylation-dependent conformational change that moves the C-terminal end segment of caldesmon near the phosphorylation site but not the upstream region around Cys(595), away from F-actin, thus neutralizing its inhibitory effect on actomyosin interactions. The binding pattern of hH32K suggests a mechanism by which unphosphorylated, but not ERK-phosphorylated, caldesmon could stabilize actin filaments and resist F-actin severing or depolymerization in both smooth muscle and nonmuscle cells.

S100A6 is a member of the S100 family of Ca 2+ binding proteins, which have come to play an important role in the diagnosis of cancer due to their overexpression in various tumor cells. We have determined the crystal structures of human S100A6 in the Ca 2+ -free and Ca 2+ -bound states to resolutions of 1.15 A and 1.44 A, respectively. Ca 2+ binding is responsible for a dramatic change in the global shape and charge distribution of the S100A6 dimer, leading to the exposure of two symmetrically positioned target binding sites. The results are consistent with S100A6, and most likely other S100 proteins, functioning as Ca 2+ sensors in a way analogous to the prototypical sensors calmodulin and troponin C. The structures have important implications for our understanding of target binding and cooperativity of Ca 2+ binding in the S100 family.

Smooth muscles exist in the wall of hollow organs in our body and are responsible for controlling the flow of vital fluids that are essential for the normal function of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. Many diseases, such as hypertension, asthma, indigestion, and premature birth, may attribute to malfunction of smooth-muscle contraction. It is therefore important to decipher how smooth-muscle contraction is regulated. This review attempts to give a brief overview of current understanding about the molecular mechanisms of smooth-muscle regulation and, in particular, to discuss possible roles of caldesmon in this regulatory process.

The primary myosin-binding site of caldesmon was thought to be in the N-terminal region of the molecule, but the exact nature of the caldesmon-myosin interaction has not been well characterized. A caldesmon fragment that encompasses residues 1-240 (N240) was found to bind full-length smooth muscle myosin on the basis of co-sedimentation experiments. The interaction between myosin and N240 was not affected by phosphorylation of myosin, but it was weakened by the presence of Ca(2+)/calmodulin. To locate the myosin-binding site, we have designed several synthetic peptides based on the N-terminal caldesmon sequence. We found that a peptide stretch corresponding to the first 27 residues (Met-1 to Tyr-27), but not that of the first 22 residues (Met-1 to Ala-22), exhibited a moderate affinity toward myosin. We also found that a peptide containing the segment from Ile/Leu-25 to Lys-53 bound both myosin and heavy meromyosin more strongly and was capable of displacing caldesmon from myosin. Our results demonstrate that the sequence near the N-terminal extreme of caldesmon harbors a major myosin-binding site of caldesmon, in which both the nonpolar residues and clusters of positively and negatively charged residues confer the specificity and affinity of the caldesmon-myosin interaction.

To assess the functional significance of tethering actin to myosin by caldesmon in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction, we investigated the effects of synthetic peptides, containing the myosin-binding sequences in the N-terminal region of caldesmon, on force directly recorded from single permeabilized smooth muscle cells of ferret portal vein. Two peptides were used, IK29C and MY27C, containing residues from Ile25 to Lys53 and from Met1 to Tyr27 of the human and chicken caldesmon sequence, respectively, plus an added cysteine at the C terminus. In cells clamped at pCa 6.7, both peptides increased basal tone. Pretreatment of cells atpCa 6.7 with IK29C or MY27C decreased the amplitude of subsequent phenylephrine-induced contractions but not microcystin-racemic mixture-induced contractions. In all cases the effects of the peptides were concentration-dependent, and IK29C was more potent than MY27C, in agreement with their relative affinity toward myosin. The peptides were ineffective after the phenylephrine contraction was established. MY27C did not further increase the magnitude of contraction caused by a maximally effective concentration of IK29C, consistent with the two peptides having the same mechanism of action. Neither polylysine nor two control peptides containing scrambled sequences of IK29C, which do not bind myosin, had any effect on basal or phenylephrine-induced force. Our results suggest that IK29C and MY27C induce contraction by competing with the myosin-binding domain of endogenous caldesmon. Digital imaging of fluoroisothiocyanate-tagged IK29C confirmed the association of the peptide with intracellular filamentous structures. The results are consistent with a model whereby tethering of actin to myosin by caldesmon may play a role in regulating vascular tone by positioning the C-terminal domain of caldesmon so that it is capable of blocking the actomyosin interaction.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) phosphorylate the high molecular mass isoform of the actin-binding protein caldesmon (h-CaD) at two sites (Ser759 and Ser789) during smooth muscle stimulation. To investigate the role of phosphorylation at these sites, antibodies were generated against phosphopeptides analogous to the sequences around Ser759 and Ser789. Affinity-purified antibodies were phosho- and sequence-specific. The major site of phosphorylation in h-CaD in porcine carotid arterial muscle strips was at Ser789; however, the amount of phosphate did not vary appreciably with either KCl or phorbol ester stimulation. Phosphorylation at Ser759 of h-CaD was almost undetectable (

Calcyclin (CaCY) is a member of the S100 subfamily of helix-loop-helix (EF-hand) calcium-binding proteins. Human CaCY was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified with an overall yield of 40 mg/l culture. Ca2+ and Zn2+ binding properties of CaCY were examined with respect to the oxidation state of the single Cys residue at position 3. CaCY with the SH group either reduced, blocked or oxidized stays as a dimer as shown by analytical ultracentrifugation. Upon binding of Ca2+, CaCY exhibits 30% enhancement of the Tyr fluorescence, the apparent binding constant (Ka) being 2.8-5.8x10(4) M(-1). Oxidized CaCY binds Ca2+ approximately twice as weakly than its reduced form. The affinity for Ca2+ is increased in the presence of caldesmon, which could be a potential target molecule. Fully reduced CaCY binds Zn2+ with an affinity of at least 1.0x10(7) M(-1). As compared to Ca2+, Zn2+ binding results in a three times greater enhancement of the Tyr fluorescence. Saturation occurs at a Zn2+/CaCY ratio of 2:1. The reactivity of Cys3 is reduced by Zn2+ binding, although oxidized CaCY still binds Zn2+. On the basis of the effects of thiol-directed labels on the affinities for Ca2+ and Zn2+, the fluorescence changes accompanying the binding, and the CaCY reactivity with a hydrophobic probe, it was concluded that the two cations bind to CaCY at different sites: Ca2+ binds probably at the EF-hand type sites, whereas binding of at least one Zn2+ ion involves the Cys residue, and results in a different structural change.

Arterial smooth muscle stretch is an important physiological modulator of vascular function. To identify intracellular processes altered during muscle stretch, we found previously that extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity increased in response to the application of mechanical loads. In the present study, stretch-dependent activation of MAPK in porcine carotid arteries was investigated as was the phosphorylation of the thin filament-binding protein caldesmon, which is known to be a substrate for the kinase in fully differentiated smooth muscle. MAPK activity was 67 pmol ⋅ min−1⋅ mg protein−1in unloaded muscle strips immediately after attachment to force transducers and 139 pmol ⋅ min−1⋅ mg protein−1within 30 s of muscle stretch. When muscle strips were continually stretched, MAPK activity remained elevated for ∼2 h and then decreased over 16 h to 16 pmol ⋅ min−1⋅ mg protein−1. When muscle strips were stretched and then unloaded, MAPK activity decreased within 1 h to the level present in the muscle before the stretch. These effects of muscle stretch on MAPK activity were additive to the effects of KCl or phorbol ester stimulation and were partially inhibited by reducing extracellular Ca2+. Eliminating extracellular Ca2+had no effect on phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu)-dependent contractions or MAPK activity; however, KCl-dependent contractions and MAPK activity were completely abolished by this procedure. An antibody specific for detecting caldesmon phosphorylated by MAPK, vs. protein kinase C (PKC), was developed and used to assess relative caldesmon phosphorylation in unstimulated and PDBu-stimulated muscle strips. In all cases investigated, the level of MAPK activity correlated with phosphocaldesmon immunoreactivity. Because arterial MAPK activity is regulated by PKC- and stretch-dependent mechanisms, these data are consistent with a role for MAPK and the subsequent phosphorylation of caldesmon as mediators in the stretch activation of vascular smooth muscle.

Contraction of smooth muscle cells is generally assumed to require Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of the 20-kDa myosin light chains. However, we report here that in the absence of extracellular calcium, phenylephrine induces a contraction of freshly isolated ferret aorta cells in the absence of increases in intracellular ionized calcium or light chain phosphorylation levels but in the presence of activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase. A protein at 36 kDa co-immunoprecipitated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase and was identified as the actin-binding protein, calponin, by immunoblot. An overlay assay further confirmed an interaction between the kinase and calponin, even though the kinase did not phosphorylate calponin in vitro. Calponin also co-immunoprecipitated from smooth muscle cells with protein kinase C-epsilon. High resolution digital confocal studies indicated that calponin redistributes to the cell membrane during phenylephrine stimulation at a time when mitogen-activated protein kinase and protein kinase C-epsilon are targeted to the plasmalemma. These results suggest a role for calponin as a signaling molecule, possibly an adapter protein, linking the targeting of mitogen-activated protein kinase and protein kinase C-epsilon to the surface membrane.

The C-terminal region of smooth muscle caldesmon (CaD) interacts with calmodulin (CaM) and reverses CaD's inhibitory effect on the actomyosin ATPase activity. We have previously shown that the major CaM-binding site (site A) in this region is within the segment from Met-658 to Ser-666 (Zhan, Q., Wong, S. S., and Wang, C.-L. A.(1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 21810-21814). Recently, another segment (site B), Asn-675 to Lys-695, was reported to bind CaM (Mezgueldi, M., Derancourt, J., Calas, B., Kassab, R., and Fattoum, A. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 12824-12832). To assess the functional relevance of these two putative CaM-binding sites, we have examined three synthetic peptides regarding their effects on CaM's ability to reverse CaD-induced inhibition of actomyosin ATPase activity: GS17C (Gly-651 to Ser-667), VG29C (Val-685 to Gly-713), each containing one CaM-binding site, and MG56C (Met-658 to Gly-713), which contains both sites. We found that although VG29C did bind CaM, its affinity was weakened by GS17C, and it failed to compete with CaD for CaM under the conditions where GS17C effectively displaced CaD from CaM. MG56C had an effect similar to that of GS17C. These experiments demonstrated that site A for CaM binding is involved in regulating the inhibitory property of CaD.

The actin cytoskeleton is regulated by a variety of actin-binding proteins including those constituting the tropomyosin family. Tropomyosins are coiled-coil dimers that bind along the length of actin filaments. In muscles, tropomyosin regulates the interaction of actin-containing thin filaments with myosin-containing thick filaments to allow contraction. In nonmuscle cells where multiple tropomyosin isoforms are expressed, tropomyosins participate in a number of cellular events involving the cytoskeleton. This chapter reviews the current state of the literature regarding tropomyosin structure and function and discusses the evidence that tropomyosins play a role in regulating actin assembly.

Rationale : Ca 2+ control of troponin–tropomyosin position on actin regulates cardiac muscle contraction. The inhibitory subunit of troponin, cardiac troponin (cTn)I is primarily responsible for maintaining a tropomyosin conformation that prevents crossbridge cycling. Despite extensive characterization of cTnI, the precise role of its C-terminal domain (residues 193 to 210) is unclear. Mutations within this region are associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy, and C-terminal deletion of cTnI, in some species, has been associated with myocardial stunning. Objective : We sought to investigate the effect of a cTnI deletion–removal of 17 amino acids from the C terminus– on the structure of troponin-regulated tropomyosin bound to actin. Methods and Results : A truncated form of human cTnI (cTnI 1–192 ) was expressed and reconstituted with troponin C and troponin T to form a mutant troponin. Using electron microscopy and 3D image reconstruction, we show that the mutant troponin perturbs the positional equilibrium dynamics of tropomyosin in the presence of Ca 2+ . Specifically, it biases tropomyosin position toward an “enhanced C-state” that exposes more of the myosin-binding site on actin than found with wild-type troponin. Conclusions : In addition to its well-established role of promoting the so-called “blocked-state” or “B-state,” cTnI participates in proper stabilization of tropomyosin in the “Ca 2+ -activated state” or “C-state.” The last 17 amino acids perform this stabilizing role. The data are consistent with a “fly-casting” model in which the mobile C terminus of cTnI ensures proper conformational switching of troponin–tropomyosin. Loss of actin-sensing function within this domain, by pathological proteolysis or cardiomyopathic mutation, may be sufficient to perturb tropomyosin conformation.

Caldesmon (CaD) is an extraordinary actin-binding protein, because in addition to actin, it also binds myosin, calmodulin and tropomyosin. As a component of the smooth muscle and nonmuscle contractile apparatus CaD inhibits the actomyosin ATPase activity and its inhibitory action is modulated by both Ca2+ and phosphorylation. The multiplicity of binding partners and diverse biochemical properties suggest CaD is a potent and versatile regulatory protein both in contractility and cell motility. However, after decades of investigation in numerous laboratories, hard evidence is still lacking to unequivocally identify its in vivo functions, although indirect evidence is mounting to support an important role in connection with the actin cytoskeleton. This chapter reviews the highlights of the past findings and summarizes the current views on this protein, with emphasis of its interaction with tropomyosin.

Focal adhesions are specialized regions of the cell surface where integrin receptors and associated proteins link the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton. To define the cellular role of the focal adhesion protein zyxin, we characterized the phenotype of fibroblasts in which the zyxin gene was deleted by homologous recombination. Zyxin-null fibroblasts display enhanced integrin-dependent adhesion and are more migratory than wild-type fibroblasts, displaying reduced dependence on extracellular matrix cues. We identified differences in the profiles of 75- and 80-kD tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in the zyxin-null cells. Tandem array mass spectrometry identified both modified proteins as isoforms of the actomyosin regulator caldesmon, a protein known to influence contractility, stress fiber formation, and motility. Zyxin-null fibroblasts also show deficits in actin stress fiber remodeling and exhibit changes in the molecular composition of focal adhesions, most notably by severely reduced accumulation of Ena/VASP proteins. We postulate that zyxin cooperates with Ena/VASP proteins and caldesmon to influence integrin-dependent cell motility and actin stress fiber remodeling.

The function of the ubiquitous actin-binding protein, caldesmon (l-CaD) in mammalian non-muscle cells remains elusive. During mitosis, l-CaD becomes markedly phosphorylated at Ser497 and Ser527 (in the rat sequence), therefore, it has been suggested that l-CaD is involved in cytokinesis by inhibiting the actomyosin interaction until it is phosphorylated, although direct in vivo evidence is still missing. In the present study, we used F-actin staining and specific antibodies against these two phosphorylation sites of l-CaD to simultaneously monitor actin assembly and l-CaD phosphorylation. Our observations demonstrated that the level of l-CaD phosphorylation undergoes dynamic changes during the cell cycle. The spatial and temporal distributions of phospho-CaD do not correlate with cytokinesis per se, but rather, with the level of actin bundles in a reciprocal manner. The highest l-CaD phosphorylation level coincides with the disassembly of actin cytoskeleton during mitotic cell rounding. Ser-to-Ala mutations at these two positions prevent stress fibers from disassembly upon migratory stimulation. In addition, phospho-CaD appears to colocalize with nascent focal adhesion complexes during postmitotic spreading. These findings suggest that l-CaD phosphorylation plays an important role not only in cytoskeleton remodeling during cell shape changes, but also in cell spreading and migration.

Smooth muscle caldesmon binds actin and inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity. Phosphorylation of caldesmon by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) reverses this inhibitory effect and weakens actin binding. To better understand this function, we have examined the phosphorylation-dependent contact sites of caldesmon on actin by low dose electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction of actin filaments decorated with a C-terminal fragment, hH32K, of human caldesmon containing the principal actin-binding domains. Helical reconstruction of negatively stained filaments demonstrated that hH32K is located on the inner portion of actin subdomain 1, traversing its upper surface toward the C-terminal segment of actin, and forms a bridge to the neighboring actin monomer of the adjacent long pitch helical strand by connecting to its subdomain 3. Such lateral binding was supported by cross-linking experiments using a mutant isoform, which was capable of cross-linking actin subunits. Upon ERK phosphorylation, however, the mutant no longer cross-linked actin to polymers. Three-dimensional reconstruction of ERK-phosphorylated hH32K indeed indicated loss of the interstrand connectivity. These results, together with fluorescence quenching data, are consistent with a phosphorylation-dependent conformational change that moves the C-terminal end segment of caldesmon near the phosphorylation site but not the upstream region around Cys(595), away from F-actin, thus neutralizing its inhibitory effect on actomyosin interactions. The binding pattern of hH32K suggests a mechanism by which unphosphorylated, but not ERK-phosphorylated, caldesmon could stabilize actin filaments and resist F-actin severing or depolymerization in both smooth muscle and nonmuscle cells.

Smooth muscle caldesmon (CaD) binds F-actin and inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity. The inhibition is reversed by Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM). CaD is also phosphorylated upon stimulation at sites specific for mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Because of these properties, CaD is thought to be involved in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. The molecular mechanism of the reversal of inhibition is not well understood. We have expressed His6-tagged fragments containing the sequence of the C-terminal region of human (from M563 to V793) and chicken (from M563 to P771) CaD as well as a variant of the chicken isoform with a Q766C point mutation. By cleavages with proteases, followed by high-speed cosedimentation with F-actin and mass spectrometry, we found that within the C-terminal region of CaD there are multiple actin contact points forming two clusters. Intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer between probes attached to cysteine residues (the endogenous C595 and the engineered C766) located in these two clusters revealed that the C-terminal region of CaD is elongated, but it becomes more compact when bound to actin. Binding of CaM restores the elongated conformation and facilitates dissociation of the C-terminal CaD fragment from F-actin. When the CaD fragment was phosphorylated with a MAPK, only one of the two actin-binding clusters dissociated from F-actin, whereas the other remained bound. Taken together, these results demonstrate that while both Ca2+/CaM and MAPK phosphorylation govern CaD's function via a conformational change, the regulatory mechanisms are different.

S100A6 is a member of the S100 family of Ca(2+) binding proteins, which have come to play an important role in the diagnosis of cancer due to their overexpression in various tumor cells. We have determined the crystal structures of human S100A6 in the Ca(2+)-free and Ca(2+)-bound states to resolutions of 1.15 A and 1.44 A, respectively. Ca(2+) binding is responsible for a dramatic change in the global shape and charge distribution of the S100A6 dimer, leading to the exposure of two symmetrically positioned target binding sites. The results are consistent with S100A6, and most likely other S100 proteins, functioning as Ca(2+) sensors in a way analogous to the prototypical sensors calmodulin and troponin C. The structures have important implications for our understanding of target binding and cooperativity of Ca(2+) binding in the S100 family.

Langerhans cells (LC), the best-understood antigen presenting cells (APC) of the skin, are functionally plastic. Freshly obtained LC readily activate allogeneic T cells, but are incapable of activating autologous, naive T cells. When placed in culture in the presence of GM-CSF, LC up-regulate surface expression of class I and II MHC molecules along with co-stimulatory molecules, such as B7, CD40 and IL-12. This functional transformation enables the cells to activate naive, autologous T cells in vitro. It is paradoxical that intracutaneous administration of exogenous GM-CSF fails to induce intraepidermal LC to undergo functional transformation in situ. It has been reported that serum contains a factor that prevents fresh LC from undergoing functional transformation in culture, and the relevant serum factor has now been identified as haptoglobin (Hp), based on the following experimental results: (a) SDS-PAGE, amino acid sequencing, and mass spectrometric analyses of the inhibitory factor purified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) from normal human serum revealed molecules completely homologous to Hp alpha-1 chain; (b) pure human Hp, but not serum depleted of Hp, inhibited fresh LC from acquiring the capacity to activate autologous T cells in vitro; (c) abundant Hp was detected in cytoplasmic compartments of fresh, but not cultured, LC. It was concluded that Hp, an acute phase protein, is a systemically-derived factor that prevents epidermal LC from spontaneously undergoing functional maturation in the skin. This novel property of Hp may be important in ameliorating or preventing certain T cell-dependent inflammatory skin diseases.

Smooth muscle caldesmon (CaD) exhibits apparent heat stability. A widely used purification procedure of CaD involves extensive heat treatment (Bretscher, A. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 12873-12880). CaD thus purified co-sediments with actin, inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity, and interacts with Ca2+/calmodulin, similarly to the unheated protein. On the other hand, heat-treated CaD binds to actin filaments in a tether-like fashion, whereas lengthwise binding dominates in vivo (Mabuchi, K., Lin, J. J.-C., and Wang, C.-L. A. (1993) J. Muscle Res. Cell Motil. 14, 54-64), suggesting that differences do exist between heat-purified CaD and the native protein. We have isolated, without heat treatment, full-length recombinant chicken gizzard CaD overexpressed in insect cells (High-Five™) using a baculovirus expression system. We found that such unheated CaD interacts with calmodulin 10 times stronger than does the heated CaD; its inhibitory action on actomyosin ATPase is reversed by a much lesser amount of calmodulin. Moreover, electron microscopic examination indicated that actin binding at the N-terminal region is more frequent in the unheated CaD, resulting in more lengthwise binding. These findings point to the fact that CaD is not entirely heat-stable; the C-terminal CaM-binding regions and the N-terminal actin-binding region are possibly affected by heat treatment.

Caldesmon (CaD) is thought to regulate smooth muscle contraction, because it binds actin and inhibits actomyosin interactions. A synthetic actin-binding peptide (GS17C) corresponding to Gly666–Ser682 of chicken gizzard CaD has been shown to induce force development in permeabilized smooth muscle cells. The mechanism of GS17C’s action remains unclear, although a structural effect was postulated. By photo-crosslinking and fluorescence quenching experiments with a gizzard CaD fragment (H32K; Met563-Pro771) and its mutants, we showed that GS17C indeed dissociated the C-terminal region of H32K from actin, in a manner similar to extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mediated phosphorylation, thereby reversing the CaD-imposed inhibition and enabling the actomyosin interaction.

Myocardial “stunning”, a condition resulting from a short period of ischemia followed by reperfusion, can cause cardiac dysfunction, despite the absence of tissue necrosis. Stunning can be associated with rapid proteolytic truncation of the C-terminal 17 acids of TnI (to form “TnI1-192”). Expression of TnI1-192 in transgenic mice is sufficient to account for the stunning phenotype (Murphy et al., 2000), where for example myofibrils containing TnI1-192 and otherwise normal troponin-tropomyosin display increased Ca2+-sensitivity (Narolska et al., 2006; also Foster et al., 2003). In the current study, electron microscopy and 3D-image reconstruction of thin filaments containing cTnI1-192 and control TnC, TnT and tropomyosin was performed to determine if the truncation causes an imbalance in the tropomyosin distribution between different regulatory states. Negatively stained “mutant” filaments showed characteristic periodic troponin projections and tropomyosin strands. Both helical reconstruction and single particle analysis indicated that at low-Ca2+ the tropomyosin localized on the inner aspect of the outer domain of actin. As expected, tropomyosin moves to the inner domain of actin in Ca2+ (Foster et al., 2003). However, truncated TnI appears to promote an extra transition of tropomyosin from the Ca2+- induced, closed position on actin toward the myosin-induced, open-state position. Here, tropomyosin in myosin-free thin filaments appears biased towards the open-state in the presence of only Ca2+. Cross-correlation of filament segments to models of the blocked-, closed-, and open-states (as in Pirani et al., 2005) confirms this open-state bias, which correlates well with the increase in Ca2+-sensitivity observed in in vitro and in fiber assays of function.