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Orientation and mobility of fluorescent probe N-((iodoacetyl)-(1-naphtyl-5-sulpho-ethylenediamine)(1.5-IAEDANS)) specifically bound to Cys-374 of actin in ghost muscle fibers isolated from fast and slow rat muscles were studied by polarized fluorimetry in the absence and presence of myosin subfragment-1 (S1) in intact rats and in the animals with gradual (during 2-5 weeks) reduction of thyroid hormones synthesis (hypothyreosis development). S1 binding to F-actin of ghost muscle fibers was shown to induce changes in orientation of the dipoles of the fluorescent probe 1.5-IAEDANS and in the relative amount of the randomly oriented fluorophores that indicated changes in actin subdomain-1 orientation and mobility resulting from the formation of its strong binding with S1. This effect is markedly inhibited by hypothyreosis development. The maximal effect of hypothyreosis is observed after 34 days of disease development. It is suggested that the change of thyroid status in the muscle inhibits the ability of F-actin to form strong binding with myosin which is essential for force generation.

Polarized fluorimetry technique and ghost muscle fibers containing tropomyosin were used to study effects of caldesmon (CaD) and recombinant peptides CaDH1 (residues 506-793), CaDH2 (residues 683-767), CaDH12 (residues 506-708) and 658C (residues 658-793) on the orientation and mobility of fluorescent label 1.5-IAEDANS specifically bound to Cys-707 of myosin subfragment-1 (S1) in the absence of nucleotide, and in the presence of MgADP, MgAMP-PNP, MgATPgammaS or MgATP. It was shown that at modelling different intermediates of actomyosin ATPase, the orientation and mobility of dye dipoles changed discretely, suggesting a multi-step changing of the myosin head structural state in ATP hydrolysis cycle. The maximum difference in orientation and mobility of the oscillator (4 degrees and 30%, respectively) was observed between actomyosin in the presence of MgATP, and actomyosin in the presence of MgADP. Caldesmon actin-binding sites C and B' inhibit formation of actomyosin strong binding states, while site B activates it. It is suggested that actin-myosin interaction in ATP hydrolysis cycle initiates nucleotide-dependent rotation of myosin motor domain, or that of its site for dye binding as well as the change in myosin head mobility. Caldesmon drives ATP hydrolysis cycle by shifting the equilibrium between strong and weak forms of actin-myosin binding.

Movements of different areas of polypeptide chains within F-actin monomers induced by S1 or pPDM-S1 binding were studied by polarized fluorimetry. Thin filaments of ghost muscle were reconstructed by adding G-actin labeled with fluorescent probes attached alternatively to different sites of actin molecule. These sites were: Cys-374 labeled with 1,5-IAEDANS, TMRIA or 5-IAF; Lys-373 labeled with NBD-Cl; Lys-113 labeled with Alexa-488; Lys-61 labeled with FITC; Gln-41 labeled with DED and Cys-10 labeled with 1,5-IAEDANS, 5-IAF or fluorescein-maleimid. In addition, we used TRITC-, FITC-falloidin and e-ADP that were located, respectively, in filament groove and interdomain cleft. The data were analysed by model-dependent and model-independent methods (see appendixes). The orientation and mobility of fluorescent probes were significantly changed when actin and myosin interacted, depending on fluorophore location and binding site of actomyosin. Strong binding of S with actin leads to 1) a decrease in the orientation of oscillators of derivatives of falloidin (TRITC-falloidin, FITC-falloidin) and actin-bound nucleotide (e-ADP); 2) an increase in the orientation of dye oscillators located in the "front' surface of the small domain (where actin is viewed in the standard orientation with subdomains 1/2 and 3/4 oriented to the right and to the left, respectively); 3) a decrease in the angles of dye oscillators located on the "back" surface of subdomain-1. In contrast, a weak binding of S1 to actin induces the opposite effects in orientation of these probes. These data suggest that during the ATP hydrolysis cycle myosin heads induce a change in actin monomer (a tilt and twisting of its small domain). Presumably, these alterations in F-actin conformation play an important role in muscle contraction.

The effect of caldesmon and its actin-binding C-terminal 35 kDa fragment on conformational alterations of actin in a muscle fiber at relaxation, rigor and at simulation of strong and weak binding of myosin heads to actin was studied by polarizational fluorimetry technique. The strong and weak binding forms were mimicked during binding of F-actin of ghost muscle fibers to myosin subfragment-1 modified with NEM (NEM-S1) or pPDM (pPDM-S1), respectively. As a test for alterations in actin conformation, changes in orientation and mobility of a fluorescent probe, TRITC-phalloidin, bound specifically to F-actin were used. The results obtained have shown that during transition of the muscle fiber from the relaxed state into the rigor and during binding of actin filaments to NEM-S1, changes of polarization parameters take place, which are characteristic of formation between actin and myosin of the strong binding and of transformation of actin subunits from the "turned-off" (inactive) to the "turned-on" (active) conformation. Binding of pPDM-S1 to actin and relaxation of the muscle fiber are accompanied, on the contrary, by the changes of orientation and of the fluorescent probe mobility, which are typical of formation of the weak ("non-force-producing") form of actin-myosin binding and of transformation of actin subunits from the active conformation into the inactive one. Caldesmon and its C-terminal fragment markedly inhibit formation of the strong binding at rigor and activate transition of actin monomers to the switched off conformation at relaxation of muscle fiber. In parallel experiments, these regulatory proteins have been shown to inhibit an active force developed at the transition of a muscle fiber from relaxation to rigor. Besides, caldesmon and its fragment decrease the rate of actin filament sliding over myosin in an in vitro motility assay. Caldesmon is suggested to regulate the smooth muscle contraction in an allosterical manner. The alterations in actin conformation inhibit formation of strong binding of myosin cross bridges to actin and activate the ability of weakly bound cross bridges to switch actin monomers from the "on" to the "off" conformation.

The review summarizes results of studies on the conformational changes in contractile proteins during muscle contraction. The studies were carried out by polarized fluorescence technique in the UV and visible light. The revealed were alterations of actin and myosin in muscle fiber, taking place at various stages of contractile cycle. Transition from a weak binding state of actomyosin to a strong one was accompanied by F-actin subunit rearrangements, with C- and N-terminals moving relative to the core of thin filament. Myosin light chains and 20-kDa domain of myosin head moved in the same direction as C- and N-terminal regions of actin. The flexibility of actin filaments increased, whereas that of C- and N-terminal regions decreased sharply. Actin-myosin interaction changed dramatically tropomyosin flexibility and caused displacement of the protein relative to C- and N-terminals of actin. Actin structure "freezing" by glutaraldehyde or phalloidin, actin cleavage by subtilisin, as well as actin alteration in denervational atrophy inhibited markedly the intramolecular movement and isometric tension of muscle contraction. Besides, troponin-, caldesmon-, calponin-, and myosin-systems, regulating muscle contraction, modified actomyosin rearrangements in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. The role of the movement of polypeptide chains in contractile proteins during muscle contraction is discussed.

The effects of caldesmon and smooth muscle tropomyosin on the motility of myosin subfragment I (SI) modified by N-(iodoacetyl)-N'-(1-naphtyl-5-sulfo)-ethylenediamine (1.5-IAEDANS) was studied in myosin-, troponin- and tropomyosin-free rabbit ghost muscle fibers using the polarized microphotometry technique. It was found that the fluorescence anisotropy initiated by the 1.5-IAEDANS-SI arrangement in the fibers is higher in the presence of tropomyosin than in its absence. Caldesmon diminishes the fluorescence anisotropy of the fibers. Data from a kinetic analysis suggest that the motility of fluorophores in the presence of tropomyosin in thin filaments is markedly decreased. Caldesmon weakens the effect of tropomyosin on the fluorescent label motility. It was supposed that caldesmon and tropomyosin initiate conformational changes in myosin heads which are accompanied by loosening or strengthening of their bonds with F-actin, respectively. Caldesmon inhibits the effect induced by tropomyosin.

Using polarized ultraviolet (UV) fluorescence microscopy, it was shown that the local damage of muscle fibres causes in their morphologically unchanged parts the alternation of regions, being in different functional states referred to as "pseudocontraction" and "superrelaxation". The pattern of UV fluorescence anisotropy suggests that conformation of contractile proteins by "pseudocontraction" is similar to that at contraction, though changes in sarcomere length do not occur. The "superrelaxation" is characterized by a desorganization of myofilaments. During the spreading of Zenker's necrosis, the "pseudocontraction" is seen transferred first into "superrelaxation", and then into irreversible contracture and rigor. "The boundary of Zenker's necrosis" overlaps with the boundary of the self-propagating irreversible contracture. There is no proper boundary of Zenker's necrosis, because the destructive changes are observed over all the muscle fibre. Contraction nodules arise in the regions of "superrelaxation" and follow the changes of the contractile system, peculiar of contracture. The study of the influence of medium ionic composition on the development of Zenker's necrosis suggests that the arising and spreading of destruction are inseparably associated with the irreverrsible changes of intracellular membrane structures, and with the possibility of propogation of the damage signal by these structures along muscle fibres.

The ultrastructure and localization of supercontracted sarcomeres during the spreading (Zenker's) necrosis of twitch and tonic frog fibres and the fast- and slow-twitch rat fibres are described. The formation of supercontracted sarcomeres proceeds mainly by the sliding mechanism. Contracted bands are characterized by homogenization of myosin and actin filaments and by the disappearance of Z-band structures. In the calcium-free medium some myosin filaments pass through the whole depth of the contracted band or are seen bending and deviating backwards upon approaching the contracted band. In calcium-free solution supercontracted sarcomeres often form narrow strips (2-5 sarcomere long), crossing the fibres. The transverse elignment of sarcomeres is typical of supercontracted portion of fibres.

Using phase-contrast technique and electron microscopy, a study was made of morphological changes of contractile system of striated muscle fibre during the spreading necrosis caused by ultraviolet light damage. It has been shown that the degree of manifestation of destructive changes in the contractile system depends upon Ca2+-ion concentration. The ultrastructural study of the damage region, under condition of muscle fibre stretching, made it possible to reveal the initial stages of formation of this pathological process. A possible contribution of intracellular membranous structures in spreading the destructive process along the muscle fibre is discussed.

The effects of Ca2+ on conformational changes of ghost muscle fiber F-actin induced by binding of isolated rabbit skeletal muscle myosin heads (myosin subfragment 1, S1) were investigated. The changes in F-actin induced by binding of S1 to F-actin were followed by the changes in polarized tryptophan fluorescence of F-actin. It was found that the conformational changes in F-actin during the binding of S1 free of DTNB-light chains are insensitive to the changes in Ca2+ concentration. The binding of native S1 containing native DTNB-light chains induces Ca2+-sensitive conformational changes in F-actin. These changes are observed at Ca2+ concentrations of 10(-7)-10(-6) M. Such high sensitivity to Ca2+ exceeds that of S1 containing native DTNB-light chains. It was assumed that the Ca2+-sensitive conformational changes in F-actin induced by myosin head binding reflect the structural changes in thin actin filaments. These changes seem to occur in muscle fibers during the initiation and development of contraction and may be related to the control of vertebrate skeletal muscle contraction by Ca2+.

The dependence of polarized fluorescence of rhodaminylphalloin specifically bound to F-actin and the tension developed by a fiber upon phosphorylation of myosin (18.5 kD) light chains as well as on the concentration of free Ca2+ was observed during the contraction of glycerinated rabbit skeletal muscle fibers. Still greater changes in the polarized fluorescence and higher values of tension were recorded for fibers with phosphorylated light chains at low (0.6 microM) Ca2+ concentrations as well as for those with dephosphorylated light chains at high (10 microM) Ca2+ concentrations. It is concluded that phosphorylation of myosin light chains modulates skeletal muscle contraction. The mechanisms of modulation involve conformational changes in F-actin.

Using phase-contrast and polarized ultraviolet (UV) fluorescent microscopy, the structure of single muscle fibres was studied in the course of the contraction module formation during Zenker's necrosis. The degree of manifestation of destructive changes in the contractile system was shown to depend upon the concentration of extracellular Ca-ions. With decreasing Ca2+ concentration, the fibre loses the ability to form contraction nodules peculiar to the Zenker necrosis, and the development of this process is interrupted at the stage of sarcomere supercontraction. The UV fluorescent anisotropy pattern of fibre regions, conforming with the contraction nodules, suggests the occurrence of a more pronounced disorganization of contractile system in the presence of Ca2+. The ATPase activity of actomyosin isolated from altered muscle was studied to appreciate the functional state of the contractile system. This actomyosin was found to be inactivated 1.5 times as much as that isolated from muscles treated during Zenker's necrosis in calcium-free media.

Using the polarized ultraviolet fluorescent microscopy in the presence of a fluorescence quencher (acrylamide, NO3-) it has been shown that actin tryptophanyls are oriented with their short axes perpendicular to the long axis of the thin filament. Fluorophores in hardly accessible sites of the macromolecule have a more pronounced anisotrophy of orientation in comparison with those in the protein sites easily available by a fluorescence quencher. During the muscle fiber relaxation, conformational changes of F-actin take place which embrace seemingly the sites of subunits, close to the surface of macromolecule, and make difficult the penetration of univalent ions and neutral molecules deep into the protein macromolecule. Some connection between conformational changes of the surface areas of F-actin subunits and the actin incapability of combining with HMM in the presence of ATP is assumed.

The mode and degree of tryptophanyl orientation relative to muscle fiber axes within hydrophobic and hydrophylic sites of myosin macromolecule in the presence of a fluorescence quencher (acrylamide, NO-3) during rigor and relaxation of glycerinated muscle fibers were studied using the polarized ultraviolet fluorescent microscopy. It was shown that myosin tryptophanyls both in LMM and HMM are oriented with their short axes along the longer axis of muscle fiber. Tryptophanyls in LMM have a more pronounced anisotropy of orientation in comparison with the fluorophore orientation anisotropy in hydrophobic sites of HMM. During the muscle fiber relaxation, conformational changes in HMM take place owing to which a section of polypeptide chain with a hydrophilic fluorophore is probably submerged deep into the macromolecule and becomes unapprochable to the quencher.