Actin and the smooth muscle regulatory proteins: a structural perspective

• Published in: Journal of muscle research and cell motility 2000-02, Vol.21 (2), p.115-130
• Main Author: Hodgkinson, J L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actins - chemistry; Actins - physiology; Animals; Calcium-Binding Proteins - chemistry; Calcium-Binding Proteins - physiology; Calmodulin-Binding Proteins - chemistry; Calmodulin-Binding Proteins - physiology; Calponins; Humans; Microfilament Proteins; Muscle, Smooth - chemistry; Muscle, Smooth - physiology; Proteins; Structure-Activity Relationship; Tropomyosin - chemistry; Tropomyosin - physiology
• ISSN: 0142-4319; 1573-2657
• DOI: 10.1023/a:1005697301043

The structural details of the smooth muscle acto-myosin interaction and its functional implications have been much discussed in recent years, however other, smooth muscle specific, actin-binding proteins have received much less attention. With increasing technical advances in structural biology a great deal of structural information is now coming to light, information that can provide useful insight into the mechanism of action for many important nonmotor actin-binding proteins. The purpose of the review is to instill the current knowledge on the structure, and interaction sites on F-actin, of the major, non-motor actin-binding proteins from smooth muscle, proposed to have a role in regulation. In the light of the recent structural studies the probable roles of the various actin-binding proteins will be discussed with particular reference to structure function relationships.