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Letter

Nature Cell Biology 5, 980–986 (1 November 2003) | doi:10.1038/ncb1060

Load-dependent kinetics of force production by smooth muscle myosin measured with optical tweezers

Claudia Veigel , Justin E. Molloy , Stephan Schmitz & John Kendrick-Jones

Muscle contraction is driven by the cyclical interaction of myosin with actin, coupled with ATP hydrolysis. Myosin attaches to actin, forming a crossbridge that produces force and movement as it tilts or rocks into subsequent bound states before finally detaching.