Cardiac leiomodin2 binds to the sides of actin filaments and regulates the ATPase activity of myosin

PLoS One. 2017 Oct 12;12(10):e0186288. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186288. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Leiomodin proteins are vertebrate homologues of tropomodulin, having a role in the assembly and maintenance of muscle thin filaments. Leiomodin2 contains an N-terminal tropomodulin homolog fragment including tropomyosin-, and actin-binding sites, and a C-terminal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome homology 2 actin-binding domain. The cardiac leiomodin2 isoform associates to the pointed end of actin filaments, where it supports the lengthening of thin filaments and competes with tropomodulin. It was recently found that cardiac leiomodin2 can localise also along the length of sarcomeric actin filaments. While the activities of leiomodin2 related to pointed end binding are relatively well described, the potential side binding activity and its functional consequences are less well understood. To better understand the biological functions of leiomodin2, in the present work we analysed the structural features and the activities of Rattus norvegicus cardiac leiomodin2 in actin dynamics by spectroscopic and high-speed sedimentation approaches. By monitoring the fluorescence parameters of leiomodin2 tryptophan residues we found that it possesses flexible, intrinsically disordered regions. Leiomodin2 accelerates the polymerisation of actin in an ionic strength dependent manner, which relies on its N-terminal regions. Importantly, we demonstrate that leiomodin2 binds to the sides of actin filaments and induces structural alterations in actin filaments. Upon its interaction with the filaments leiomodin2 decreases the actin-activated Mg2+-ATPase activity of skeletal muscle myosin. These observations suggest that through its binding to side of actin filaments and its effect on myosin activity leiomodin2 has more functions in muscle cells than it was indicated in previous studies.

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / metabolism*
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / physiology
  • Animals
  • Microfilament Proteins / chemistry
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism
  • Microfilament Proteins / physiology*
  • Muscle Proteins / chemistry
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism
  • Muscle Proteins / physiology*
  • Myosins / chemistry
  • Myosins / metabolism
  • Myosins / physiology*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein

Substances

  • Lmod2 protein, rat
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • Myosins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Research, Development and Innovation Office and the European Union (GINOP-2.3.3-15-2016-00025 and EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00004) and the Hungarian Science Foundation (OTKA grant K112794 to MN). This work was also supported by ‘Science, Please! Research Team on Innovation’ (SROP-4.2.2/08/1/2008-0011), the Hungarian Science Foundation (OTKA Grant K109689 to BB), the European Union and the State of Hungary, co-financed by the European Social Fund in the framework of TÁMOP 4.2.4.A/2-11-1-2012-0001 ‘National Excellence Program’ and the New National Excellence Program of the Ministry of Human Capacities (to BB), as well as by the ÚNKP-16-4 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry of Human Capacities (to BB). The present scientific contribution is dedicated to the 650th anniversary of the foundation of the University of Pécs, Hungary.