Methanol traps the troponin-tropomyosin-actin complex in an "off-state"

We have investigated the effect of methanol at concentrations below 15% (v/v) on acto-heavy meromyosin (HMM)- and tropomyosin (Tm)-troponin (Tn)-acto-heavy meromyosin-ATPase activities. Methanol slightly enhanced ATPase activity of acto-HMM alone. It had no apparent effect on normalized Tm-Tn-acto-HMM-ATPase activity in the absence of Ca2+. In the presence of Ca2+, however, methanol markedly inhibited normalized Tm-Tn-acto-HMM ATPase activity. These results show that methanol affects the troponin-tropomyosin regulation of acto-HMM ATPase: methanol suppresses the Ca(2+)-sensitivity of the regulatory system and traps it in an "off-state."