Modification of gizzard myosin and reconstituted actomyosin with 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole at low and...

Treatment of reconstituted gizzard actomyosin at 0.15 M or 0.6 M KCl with the fluorescent adenine analog 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole, NBD-Cl, resulted in a significant decrease in the labeling of the myosin from actomyosin compared to that of myosin alone. Actin protected partially the K(+)-ATPase activity of myosin from modified actomyosin. The reagent was able to detect changes in the conformation of myosin as the distribution of the label in the heavy and light chains of myosin and actin was different at 0.15 M and 0.6 M KCl. The 6S and 10S transition, unique to smooth muscle myosin, can be monitored with the aid of this reagent.