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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Myosin-Specific Adaptations of In vitro Fluorescence Microscopy-Based Motility Assays
Published on: February 4, 2021
Myosin filament depolymerizes in a low ionic strength solution containing L-histidine
T Hayakawa1, T Ito, J Wakamatsu
1Meat Science Laboratory, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, N-9, W-9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8589, Japan. t-haya@anim.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
Abstract:
Myosin, one of the major myofibrillar proteins, forms a filamentous polymer and is insoluble in physiological and low ionic strength solutions. We have shown that myosin is soluble in a low ionic strength solution containing L-histidine. In this study, to clarify the role of L-histidine in the solubilization of myosin, we investigated effects of L-histidine on the filament formation and the morphology of myosin at a low ionic strength. In the presence of L-histidine, myosin formed a filamentous polymer in a physiological ionic strength solution and dispersed in a low ionic strength solution. Transmission electron microscopy showed that light meromyosin (LMM), the rod region of myosin, in a low ionic strength solution containing L-histidine was longer than that in a high ionic strength solution without L-histidine. L-histidine causes the elongation of LMM region of myosin contributing to the weakening of the myosin filament and the dissociation of myosin in a low ionic strength solution.
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