Abstract
It is now widely accepted that the ATP-induced active sliding of adjacent thin and thick filaments mediated by myosin heads (cross-bridges) is responsible for muscle contraction. Despite intensive studies, the behaviour of the myosin heads during muscle contraction is still unclear. Recent progress in the rapid freezing electron microscope technique has greatly improved the temporal resolution of the images that can be obtained1–3. Here, we report a new type of actomyosin structure captured by rapid freezing. We have analysed images from thin sections of freeze-substituted rabbit skeletal muscle rapidly frozen during isometric contraction. For comparison, we also studied relaxed and rigor muscles. Our results show that, during isometric contraction, most myosin heads are regularly arrayed along the helix of the actin filaments and that this actomyosin structure appears to be distinct from that observed in rigor muscle.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Heuser, J. E. et al. J. Cell Biol. 81, 275–300 (1979).
Tsukita, S., Tsukita, S., Usukura, J. & Ishikawa, H. J. Cell Biol. 96, 1480–1485 (1983).
Heuser, J. E. J. molec. Biol. 169, 123–154 (1983).
Tsukita, S., Tsukita, S., Usukura, J. & Ishikawa, H. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 28, 195–201 (1982).
Reedy, M. K., Holmes, K. C. & Tregear, R. T. Nature 207, 1276–1280 (1965).
Huxley, H. E. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 631–673 (1957).
Huxley, H. E., Faruqi, A. R. & Kress, M. J. molec. Biol. 158, 637–684 (1982).
Yagi, N., O'Brien, E. J. & Matsubara, I. Biophys. J. 33, 121–138 (1981).
Matsubara, I., Yagi, N., Miura, H., Ozeki, M. & Izumi, T. Nature 312, 471–473 (1984).
Huxley, H. E. et al. J. molec. Biol. 169, 469–506 (1983).
Hosaka, Y. & Hosoi, J. J. ultrastruct. Res. 84, 140–150 (1983).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tsukita, S., Yano, M. Actomyosin structure in contracting muscle detected by rapid freezing. Nature 317, 182–184 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/317182a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/317182a0
This article is cited by
-
Cryo-electron tomography of intact cardiac muscle reveals myosin binding protein-C linking myosin and actin filaments
Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility (2023)
-
Evaluation of freeze substitution in rabbit skeletal muscle. Comparison of electron microscopy to X-ray diffraction
Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility (1995)
-
Two-dimensional time-resolved X-ray diffraction studies of live isometrically contracting frog sartorius muscle
Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility (1993)
-
Structural change of crossbridges of rabbit skeletal muscle during isometric contraction
Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility (1993)
-
Myosin step size: Estimates from motility assays and shortening muscle
Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility (1992)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.