Articles tagged with Myosins
A team led by Dr. Edward Debold is using a single molecule laser trap assay to directly observe muscle fatigue at the molecular level. They aim to understand how metabolites disrupt muscle contraction and develop new drug therapies to enhance function under fatigue-like conditions.
Researchers at Penn have developed a dynamic model of tissue failure that takes into account the complex feedback effects of cells' molecular motors. The study reveals how myosin activity contributes to tissue instability and provides insights for designing more accurate models to predict tissue behavior.
A study from the University of Pennsylvania has uncovered a mechanism that allows blood stem cells to divide in perpetuity, using the motor protein myosin II. The researchers found that asymmetric division is enabled by myosin IIB, which helps to partition key factors and keep one side as a stem cell.
San Diego State University researcher Sandy Bernstein receives $3.5m NIH grant to model human muscle diseases in fruit flies. His team uses genetically altered flies with engineered myosin protein mutations to better understand the effects on human health.
Researchers have visualized the mechanism of mRNA localization in cells, revealing how a unique 'zip code' signal ensures protein production at the right place and time. The study provides new insights into cellular function and has potential applications for understanding diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy and Alzheimer's.
New research reveals that muscle power comes from multiple directions, including radial forces, which were previously overlooked. The study's findings have significant implications for understanding normal and pathological aspects of muscle function, including cardiac diseases.
Biologist Luis Vidali will explore how components of a cell's internal anatomy organize themselves to grow in a single direction, critical for vital functions in animals, plants, and fungi. He will use genetic techniques, advanced microscopy, and computer simulations to compile a complete picture of the mechanisms involved.
Max Planck scientists have successfully imaged the actin-myosin-tropomyosin complex with a resolution of less than one-millionth of a millimeter. This breakthrough allows researchers to accurately identify protein locations and analyze muscle contraction processes.
Researchers have discovered that ancient sea creatures like sponges and jellyfish possess the building blocks of striated muscles found in higher animals. Gene duplication is believed to be responsible for the emergence of muscle myosin, a crucial protein structure, which evolved independently in these organisms.
A study published in Developmental Cell reveals that actin depolymerization, not myosin motor contraction, is the main force behind yeast cell division. The research uses a novel quantitative microscopy model to confirm this finding and sheds light on cytokinesis mechanisms.
Researchers have identified a unique population of individuals who experienced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and childhood starvation, which may be at greatest risk of developing long-term heart complications. Cellular changes associated with IUGR and starvation could be targeted to prevent or reverse structural heart changes.
Researchers used single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to visualize myoV molecules walking along actin filaments in real-time. The study found that myoV can take multiple hand-over-hand steps without falling off its track, making it well-suited for intracellular cargo transport.
A new study reveals that precise regulation of myosin phosphorylation is crucial for uterine activity during labor. The researchers discovered that specific amino acids are phosphorylated to control uterine contractions, providing insights into premature births and failed inductions.
A study by University of Texas Medical Branch researchers found that protein UNC-45A is linked to increased cell proliferation in breast cancer specimens and cell lines. High levels of UNC-45A also drive enhanced myosin and actin activity, leading to increased rates of cell proliferation and migration.
A study published in Biophysical Journal discovers a state of cardiac muscle with low metabolic rate, which may help regulate energy use and promote efficiency in the heart. This finding suggests that therapeutic interventions increasing the population of this state could be cardio-protective during times of stress.
An international team of scientists used a powerful synchrotron X-ray technique to observe muscle protein changes inside intact and contracting muscle cells. The results revealed the conformation of myosin molecular motors in resting muscles and the signalling pathway between actin and myosin filaments.
Researchers have discovered a key role for motor protein myo1c in the development of cochlear hearing loss. The mutant protein's reduced sensitivity to mechanical loads and lower duty ratio contribute to its failure to function properly.
The ASCB's annual film and image contest, Celldance, recognizes 10 members for their visually engaging and scientifically important videos and images. The winning videos and images will be shown on Saturday, Dec. 11, at the ASCB's 50th annual meeting in Philadelphia.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a critical role for myosin II in long-term memory formation. Myosin II links together key processes, including signal transmission and synaptic plasticity, to solidify neuronal communication.
Researchers from UCI and Scripps discovered that myosin II proteins play a critical role in synaptic plasticity and learning, suggesting new therapeutic targets for memory-related disorders. This finding adds an unexpected dimension to the story of how memories are encoded.
Johns Hopkins researchers find two force-sensitive proteins, myosin II and cortexillin I, cooperate to sense cell shape disturbances and resculpt cells for smooth division. This discovery could lead to new targets for diagnosing and treating diseases like cancer.
Researchers identified the Myosin II-actin machinery powering neuronal migration, revealing how glial cells guide neurons to their correct place in the developing brain. This finding offers new insights into brain organization and could lead to better understanding of disorders like epilepsy and mental retardation.
Researchers have made a significant step forward in understanding the causes of certain forms of deafness by discovering that the myosin 7 motor protein moves and works differently from other myosins. This discovery could lead to new insights into Usher syndrome, a form of degenerative deaf-blindness.
Anne Houdusse's work has established the molecular structure and function of myosins, a family of vital motor proteins involved in muscle contraction and cellular motility. Her research aims to develop therapeutic strategies against cancer by inhibiting specific motors responsible for metastasis.
Scientists have identified a missing-link molecule that explains the process of plasticity and could lead to targeted therapies for learning and memory. The discovery of myosin Vb, a molecular motor, reveals its role in delivering new receptors to synapses, strengthening connections between nerve cells.
Researchers at the GSK-IMCB Group in Singapore have made a groundbreaking discovery about how cells move, revealing a complex of three proteins that regulate the myosin network within a cell. This finding has significant implications for understanding various diseases, including cancer growth and developmental biology.
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that myosin-I motors sense minute changes in force to regulate cellular processes. This discovery has implications for understanding hearing, balance, glucose uptake, and more.
Researchers found a motor protein, myosin 2, remains structurally identical in turkeys and scallops despite their different physical paths. This suggests the protein's importance in regulating smooth muscle function, potentially holding key to understanding aneurisms in humans.
Researchers explore how heart muscle adjusts contractions based on protein spacing and DNA elasticity, revealing new insights into cellular control and potential applications for measuring picoscale forces. The studies also provide a more accurate model for single-molecule research.
A recent study by Dr. Dorit Hanein at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research provides new insights into Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (FHC), a deadly genetic disorder affecting young people and athletes. The research reveals that a specific point mutation in myosin heavy chain causes myocardial disarray, leading to changes i...
Immune cells use filopodia to catch pathogens, with the internal scaffolds growing and shrinking through actin filaments. Researchers tracked the dynamic behavior of these structures for the first time in three dimensions, revealing discrete steps of retraction and a possible molecular mechanism underlying it.
A novel mutation in regulatory protein tropomyosin is associated with muscle weakness and distal limb deformities. The mutation modulates contractile speed and force-generation capacity by affecting myosin-actin kinetics.
Researchers discovered that molecular motors play a crucial role in shedding membrane from the tips of microvilli, speeding up nutrient processing. This finding has implications for understanding gastrointestinal physiology and potential new treatments for diseases.
A new study reveals that precise levels of the special protein UNC-45 are crucial for proper muscle formation. Having too much or too little UNC-45 can disrupt myosin assembly, leading to muscle paralysis and other health issues.
Researchers have found that motor protein myosin X travels along the actin filament of a neuron's backbone, delivering the DCC receptor to its periphery where it interacts with netrin-1. This process enables axons to grow in the right direction and form synapses.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center found overproduction of myosin VI in prostate tumor cells and precancerous lesions. Silencing myosin VI in lab studies reduced cell invasion, suggesting its critical role in starting and maintaining malignant properties of most human prostate cancers.
Chromosomes in the cell nucleus exhibit directed, long-range movement that depends on actin and myosin, contradicting earlier theories on gene location. The study reveals a mechanism for actively moving chromosomes between the periphery and interior of the nucleus.
Novel study sheds light on the mechanism of nerve cell growth by identifying a key role for myosin II protein in recycling actin networks. The findings suggest that efficient recycling is necessary to prevent actin buildup, allowing nerve cells to advance.
Researchers have developed a new classification system for myosins, increasing the number of subclasses from 18 to 24. This allows for better understanding of each myosin's function and its evolutionary links with other proteins.
New measurements at the University of Illinois have resolved a research controversy on myosin VI's function. The study shows that full-length myosin VI can form dimer pairs, walk processively on actin, and transport molecules.
Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys have visualized the 3D representation of myosin V 'walking' along actin filament, a key protein involved in motility and muscle contraction. This study provides detailed molecular knowledge of how myosin interacts with actin through the hydrolysis cycle.
CK-1827452 selectively activates cardiac myosin, increasing contractility without changes in cellular calcium transient. The drug demonstrates improvement in cardiac function and output in a dog model of heart failure, supporting its therapeutic hypothesis.
Researchers discovered the structure of miniature motors in muscles and found out how they are switched off. By studying tarantula striated muscle, scientists created a detailed model of the myosin heads and their interactions with actin filaments.
Researchers, led by Daniel Eberl, studied the Myosin VIIA gene in fruit flies to understand deafness. They found that this gene is essential for hearing in both fruit flies and humans. This discovery will help scientists design experiments to test specific mechanisms of hearing.
Researchers used an extremely sensitive measurement technique to study myosin VI's movement. They found that it walks in a 'hand-over-hand' mechanism, causing part of the protein to come undone. This challenges the long-held inchworm motion theory for this molecular motor.
Researchers identified myosin heavy chain as a selective target in cancer cachexia, a condition characterized by muscle wasting. The study found that TNF-a/IFN-g-dependent loss of myosin heavy chain occurred through different mechanisms depending on the model used.
A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that a key protein called arrestin is transported by a tiny molecular motor, myosin, in response to bright light. This swift relocation helps prevent temporary blindness caused by sudden increases in light intensity.
Researchers discovered a protein, TgGAP50, that anchors myosin in the parasite's membrane, crucial for motility. This understanding may lead to new ways to interfere with parasite control mechanisms, potentially treating malaria.
Stanford researchers discovered a type of molecular motor that provides the proper amount of tension in inner ear sensors to respond to sound. The motor anchors itself and maintains tension, implying its role in cellular organization, such as chromosome separation during cell division.
Scientists successfully reverse the direction of a molecular motor by rotating its lever arm, achieving a previously unknown movement. The breakthrough demonstrates the potential for protein design and engineering to create novel properties with well-defined functions.
Researchers developed single-molecule imaging technique to measure myosin movement, finding it 'walks' in a fashion similar to humans. The study used this technique to determine that myosin V's step size is consistent with a hand-over-hand walking mechanism.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that Myosin V moves in a unique 'hand-over-hand' motion along actin tracks, allowing it to transport molecules without losing contact. This discovery sheds light on how cells convert chemical energy into motion and may offer insights into nanotechnology.
Researchers have discovered a new tool that shows how dividing cells complete the final stage of cell division with precision. Blebbistatin inhibits a type of myosin necessary for cytokinesis, revealing its essential role in human biology and cell division.
Researchers have identified three genes, Myosin VIIa, Harmonin, and Cadherin 23, that cooperate to shape the sensory hair cell bundle. These findings provide new insights into Usher syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting vision and hearing.
Researchers at Imperial College London discovered that Toxoplasma gondii's myosin A gene is essential for its gliding motion and host cell invasion. The motor enables the parasite to penetrate cells within 10-30 seconds, allowing it to replicate safely.
A team of scientists from the University of Illinois at Chicago has discovered a molecular motor called myosin-1 in the nucleus, where it powers the assembly line that forges RNA messages off DNA templates. This finding offers insight into the DNA transcription process and may lead to new ways to treat cancers and other diseases.
Researchers have discovered that myosin VI moves backwards on actin filaments, toward the minus end, challenging current understanding of protein movement. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of cellular assembly and maintenance, particularly in structures with single-orientation actin filaments.
Scientists used a new measurement technique to study muscle movement at the molecular level, shedding light on how myosin and actin interact. The technique, called luminescence resonance energy transfer, provided direct evidence for the lever-arm model of muscle contraction.