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Reduced passive force in skeletal muscles lacking protein arginylation

, , , , , , , , , , ,

AJP Cell Physiology

Published online on

Abstract

Arginylation is a posttranslational modification that plays a global role in mammals. Mice lacking the enzyme arginyltransferase in skeletal muscles exhibit reduced contractile forces that have been linked to a reduction in myosin cross-bridge formation. The role of arginylation in passive skeletal myofibril forces has never been investigated. In this study, we used single sarcomere and myofibril measurements and observed that lack of arginylation leads to a pronounced reduction in passive forces in skeletal muscles. Mass spectrometry indicated that skeletal muscle titin, the protein primarily linked to passive force generation, is arginylated on five sites located within the A-band, an important area for protein-protein interactions. We propose a model of passive force regulation by arginylation through modulation of protein-protein binding between the titin molecule and the thick filament.