AI Article Synopsis

  • The heart muscle maintains consistent contraction throughout life due to the precise interaction of electrical, chemical, and mechanical elements within the sarcomere, its basic contractile unit.
  • Calcium plays a crucial role in muscle contraction by being released at the sarcomere ends and having to diffuse to the center to activate contractile proteins, which could lead to inefficient contraction.
  • Myosin-binding protein C (MyBP-C) helps ensure uniform calcium activation by enhancing sensitivity to calcium, and its proper positioning is essential for healthy heart function; any disruption can lead to heart-related diseases.

Article Abstract

The beating heart exhibits remarkable contractile fidelity over a lifetime, which reflects the tight coupling of electrical, chemical, and mechanical elements within the sarcomere, the elementary contractile unit. On a beat-to-beat basis, calcium is released from the ends of the sarcomere and must diffuse toward the sarcomere center to fully activate the myosin- and actin-based contractile proteins. The resultant spatial and temporal gradient in free calcium across the sarcomere should lead to nonuniform and inefficient activation of contraction. We show that myosin-binding protein C (MyBP-C), through its positioning on the myosin thick filaments, corrects this nonuniformity in calcium activation by exquisitely sensitizing the contractile apparatus to calcium in a manner that precisely counterbalances the calcium gradient. Thus, the presence and correct localization of MyBP-C within the sarcomere is critically important for normal cardiac function, and any disturbance of MyBP-C localization or function will contribute to the consequent cardiac pathologies.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4380226PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1400205DOI Listing

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