Point mutations in genes encoding isoforms of skeletal muscle tropomyosin may cause nemaline myopathy, cap myopathy (Cap), congenital fiber-type disproportion (CFTD), and distal arthrogryposis. The molecular mechanisms of muscle dysfunction in these diseases remain unclear. We studied the effect of the E173A, R90P, E150A, and A155T myopathy-causing substitutions in γ-tropomyosin (Tpm3.12) on the position of tropomyosin in thin filaments, and the conformational state of actin monomers and myosin heads at different stages of the ATPase cycle using polarized fluorescence microscopy. The E173A, R90P, and E150A mutations produced abnormally large displacement of tropomyosin to the inner domains of actin and an increase in the number of myosin heads in strong-binding state at low and high Ca²⁺, which is characteristic of CFTD. On the contrary, the A155T mutation caused a decrease in the amount of such heads at high Ca²⁺ which is typical for mutations associated with Cap. An increase in the number of the myosin heads in strong-binding state at low Ca²⁺ was observed for all mutations associated with high Ca²⁺-sensitivity. Comparison between the typical conformational changes in mutant proteins associated with different myopathies observed with α-, β-, and γ-tropomyosins demonstrated the possibility of using such changes as tests for identifying the diseases.

Point mutations in the genes encoding the skeletal muscle isoforms of tropomyosin can cause a range of muscle diseases. The amino acid substitution of Arg for Pro residue in the 90th position (R90P) in γ-tropomyosin (Tpm3.12) is associated with congenital fiber type disproportion and muscle weakness. The molecular mechanisms underlying muscle dysfunction in this disease remain unclear. Here, we observed that this mutation causes an abnormally high Ca²⁺-sensitivity of myofilaments in vitro and in muscle fibers. To determine the critical conformational changes that myosin, actin, and tropomyosin undergo during the ATPase cycle and the alterations in these changes caused by R90P replacement in Tpm3.12, we used polarized fluorimetry. It was shown that the R90P mutation inhibits the ability of tropomyosin to shift towards the outer domains of actin, which is accompanied by the almost complete depression of troponin’s ability to switch actin monomers off and to reduce the amount of the myosin heads weakly bound to F-actin at a low Ca²⁺. These changes in the behavior of tropomyosin and the troponin–tropomyosin complex, as well as in the balance of strongly and weakly bound myosin heads in the ATPase cycle may underlie the occurrence of both abnormally high Ca²⁺-sensitivity and muscle weakness. BDM, an inhibitor of myosin ATPase activity, and W7, a troponin C antagonist, restore the ability of tropomyosin for Ca²⁺-dependent movement and the ability of the troponin–tropomyosin complex to switch actin monomers off, demonstrating a weakening of the damaging effect of the R90P mutation on muscle contractility.

The substitution for Arg168His (R168H) in γ-tropomyosin (TPM3 gene, Tpm3.12 isoform) is associated with congenital muscle fiber type disproportion (CFTD) and muscle weakness. It is still unclear what molecular mechanisms underlie the muscle dysfunction seen in CFTD. The aim of this work was to study the effect of the R168H mutation in Tpm3.12 on the critical conformational changes that myosin, actin, troponin, and tropomyosin undergo during the ATPase cycle. We used polarized fluorescence microscopy and ghost muscle fibers containing regulated thin filaments and myosin heads (myosin subfragment-1) modified with the 1,5-IAEDANS fluorescent probe. Analysis of the data obtained revealed that a sequential interdependent conformational-functional rearrangement of tropomyosin, actin and myosin heads takes place when modeling the ATPase cycle in the presence of wild-type tropomyosin. A multistep shift of the tropomyosin strands from the outer to the inner domain of actin occurs during the transition from weak to strong binding of myosin to actin. Each tropomyosin position determines the corresponding balance between switched-on and switched-off actin monomers and between the strongly and weakly bound myosin heads. At low Ca²⁺, the R168H mutation was shown to switch some extra actin monomers on and increase the persistence length of tropomyosin, demonstrating the freezing of the R168HTpm strands close to the open position and disruption of the regulatory function of troponin. Instead of reducing the formation of strong bonds between myosin heads and F-actin, troponin activated it. However, at high Ca²⁺, troponin decreased the amount of strongly bound myosin heads instead of promoting their formation. Abnormally high sensitivity of thin filaments to Ca²⁺, inhibition of muscle fiber relaxation due to the appearance of the myosin heads strongly associated with F-actin, and distinct activation of the contractile system at submaximal concentrations of Ca²⁺ can lead to muscle inefficiency and weakness. Modulators of troponin (tirasemtiv and epigallocatechin-3-gallate) and myosin (omecamtiv mecarbil and 2,3-butanedione monoxime) have been shown to more or less attenuate the negative effects of the tropomyosin R168H mutant. Tirasemtiv and epigallocatechin-3-gallate may be used to prevent muscle dysfunction.

Substitution of Ala for Glu residue in position 173 of γ-tropomyosin (Tpm3.12) is associated with muscle weakness. Here we observe that this mutation increases myofilament Ca²⁺-sensitivity and inhibits in vitro actin-activated ATPase activity of myosin subfragment-1 at high Ca²⁺. In order to determine the critical conformational changes in myosin, actin and tropomyosin caused by the mutation, we used the technique of polarized fluorimetry. It was found that this mutation changes the spatial arrangement of actin monomers and myosin heads, and the position of the mutant tropomyosin on the thin filaments in muscle fibres at various mimicked stages of the ATPase cycle. At low Ca²⁺ the E173A mutant tropomyosin shifts towards the inner domains of actin at all stages of the cycle, and this is accompanied by an increase in the number of switched-on actin monomers and myosin heads strongly bound to F-actin even at relaxation. Contrarily, at high Ca²⁺ the amount of the strongly bound myosin heads slightly decreases. These changes in the balance of the strongly bound myosin heads in the ATPase cycle may underlie the occurrence of muscle weakness. W7, an inhibitor of troponin Ca²⁺-sensitivity, restores the increase in the number of myosin heads strongly bound to F-actin at high Ca²⁺ and stops their strong binding at relaxation, suggesting the possibility of using Ca²⁺-desensitizers to reduce the damaging effect of the E173A mutation on muscle fibre contractility.

Polarized fluorescence microscopy of “ghost” muscle fibers, containing fluorescently labeled F-actin, tropomyosin, and myosin, has provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying muscle contraction. At low Ca²⁺, the troponin-induced overtwisting of the actin filament alters the configuration of myosin binding sites, preventing actin–myosin interactions. As Ca²⁺ levels rise, the actin filament undergoes untwisting, while tropomyosin becomes overtwisted, facilitating the binding of myosin to actin. In the weakly bound state, myosin heads greatly increase both the internal twist and the bending stiffness of actin filaments, accompanied by the untwisting of tropomyosin. Following phosphate (Pi) release, myosin induces the untwisting of overtwisted actin filaments, driving thin-filament sliding relative to the thick filament during force generation. Point mutations in tropomyosin significantly alter the ability of actin and tropomyosin filaments to respond to Pi release, with coordinated changes in twist and bending stiffness. These structural effects correlate with changes in actomyosin ATPase activity. Together, these findings support a model in which dynamic filament twisting is involved in the molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction together with the active working stroke in the myosin motor, and suggest that impairment of this ability may cause contractile dysfunction.