Elastic Filaments of the Cell: June 16-19,1999, on the campus of the University of Washington (Seattle, WA)

from Springer Elastic filaments refer mainly to titin, the largest of all known proteins. Titin was discovered initially in muscle cells, where it interconnects the thick filament with the Z-line. Titin forms a molecular spring that is responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of contracting muscle, ensuring efficient muscle contraction. More recently, it has become clear that titin is not restricted to muscle cells alone. For example, titin is found in chromosomes of neurons and also in blood platelets. This topic is fast becoming a focal point for research in understanding viscoelastic properties at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. In titin may lie a generic basis for biological viscoelasticity. It has become clear that titin may hold the key to certain clinical anomalies. For example, it is clear that titin-based ventricular stiffness is modulated by calcium and that titin is responsible for the altered stiffness in cardiomyopathies. It is also clear from evidence from a group of Finnish families that titin mutations may underlie some muscular dystrophies and that with other mutations chromatids fail to separate during mitosis. Thus, it is clear that this protein will have important clinical implications stemming from its biomechanical role. One aspect of this field is the bringing together of bioengineers with clinical researchers and biologists. Genetic and biochemical aspects of titin-related proteins are being studied together with front-line engineering approaches designed to measure the mechanics of titin either in small aggregates or in single molecules. Front Matter Pages i-ix PDF Elastic Filaments of The Cell Front Matter Pages 1-1 PDF Elastic Filaments of the Cell Connecting Filaments: A Historical Prospective Károly Trombitás Pages 1-23 Connectin: From Regular to Giant Sizes of Sarcomeres Koscak Maruyama, Sumiko Kimura Pages 25-33 Molecular Tools for the Study of Titin’s Differential Expression Thomas Centner, Francoise Fougerousse, Alexandra Freiburg, Christian Witt, Jacque S. Beckmann, Henk Granzier et al. Pages 35-52 Sequence and Mechanical Implications of Titin’s PEVK Region Marion L. Greaser, Seu-Mei Wang, Mustapha Berri, Paul Mozdziak, Yashiyuki Kumazawa Pages 53-66 Probing the Functional Roles of Titin Ligands in Cardiac Myofibril Assembly and Maintenance Abigail S. McElhinny, Siegfried Labeit, Carol C. Gregorio Pages 67-88 Assembly of Myofibrils in Cardiac Muscle Cells Joseph W. Sanger, Joseph C. Ayoob, Prokash Chowrashi, Daniel Zurawski, Jean M. Sanger Pages 89-110 Molecular Mechanism of Elasticity Front Matter Pages 111-111 PDF Mechanical Manipulation of Single Titin Molecules with Laser Tweezers Miklós S. Z. Kellermayer, Steven Smith, Carlos Bustamante, Henk L. Granzier Pages 111-128 Unfolding Forces of Titin and Fibronectin Domains Directly Measured by AFM Matthias Rief, Mathias Gautel, Hermann E. Gaub Pages 129-141 Computer Modeling of Force-Induced Titin Domain Unfolding Hui Lu, André Krammer, Barry Isralewitz, Viola Vogel, Klaus Schulten Pages 143-162 Extensibility in the Titin Molecule and its Relation to Muscle Elasticity Larissa Tskhovrebova, John Trinick Pages 163-178 Titin Elasticity in the Context of the Sarcomere: Force and Extensibility Measurements on Single Myofibrils Wolfgang A. Linke Pages 179-206 Titin-Like Proteins Front Matter Pages 207-207 PDF Links in the Chain: The Contribution of Kettin to the Elasticity of Insect Muscles Belinda Bullard, David Goulding, Charles Ferguson, Kevin Leonard Pages 207-220 Titin as a Chromosomal Protein Cristina Machado, Deborah J. Andrew Pages 221-236 Role of the Elastic Protein Projectin in Stretch Activation and Work Output of Drosophila Flight Muscles Jim O. Vigoreaux, Jeffrey R. Moore, David W. Maughan Pages 237-250 Drosophila Projectin: A Look at Protein Structure and Sarcomeric Assembly Agnes Ayme-Southgate, Richard Southgate, Michelle Kulp McEliece Pages 251-264 Role of Titin in Nonmuscle and Smooth Muscle Cells Thomas C. S. Keller III, Kenneth Eilertsen, Mark Higginbotham, Steven Kazmierski, Kyoung-Tae Kim, Michaella Velichkova Pages 265-281 . . Functional Role of Elastic Filaments Front Matter Pages 283-283 PDF Mechanical Properties of Titin Isoforms Henk Granzier, Michiel Helmes, Olivier Cazorla, Mark McNabb, Dietmar Labeit, Yiming Wu et al. Pages 283-304 Intact Connecting Filaments Change Length in 2.3-nm Quanta Felix Blyakhman, Anna Tourovskaya, Gerald H. Pollack Pages 305-318 Titin-Thin Filament Interaction and Potential Role in Muscle Function Jian-Ping Jin Pages 319-335 Is Titin the Length Sensor in Cardiac Muscle? Physiological and Physiopathological Perspectives Jean-Yves Le Guennec, Olivier Cazorla, Alain Lacampagne, Guy Vassort Pages 337-351 Ca2+-Dependence of Passive Properties of Cardiac Sarcomeres Bruno D. Stuyvers, Masahito Miura, Henk E. D. J. ter Keurs Pages 353-370 Possible Contribution of Titin Filaments to the Compliant Series Elastic Component in Horseshoe Crab Skeletal Muscle Fibers Haruo Sugi, Tsuyoshi Akimoto, Takakazu Kobayashi, Suechika Suzuki, Mitsuyo Shimada Pages 371-382 Skeletal Muscle-Specific Calpain, p94, and Connectin/Titin: Their Physiological Functions and Relationship to Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2A Hiroyuki Sorimachi, Yasuko Ono, Koichi Suzuki Pages 383-404 From Connecting Filaments to Co-Expression of Titin Isoforms Károly Trombitás, Alexandra Freiburg, Marion Greaser, Siegfried Labeit, Henk Granzier Pages 405-418 Back Matter Pages 419-425 - . Front Matter....Pages i-ix Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Connecting Filaments: A Historical Prospective....Pages 1-23 Connectin: From Regular to Giant Sizes of Sarcomeres....Pages 25-33 Molecular Tools for the Study of Titin’s Differential Expression....Pages 35-52 Sequence and Mechanical Implications of Titin’s PEVK Region....Pages 53-66 Probing the Functional Roles of Titin Ligands in Cardiac Myofibril Assembly and Maintenance....Pages 67-88 Assembly of Myofibrils in Cardiac Muscle Cells....Pages 89-110 Front Matter....Pages 111-111 Mechanical Manipulation of Single Titin Molecules with Laser Tweezers....Pages 111-128 Unfolding Forces of Titin and Fibronectin Domains Directly Measured by AFM....Pages 129-141 Computer Modeling of Force-Induced Titin Domain Unfolding....Pages 143-162 Extensibility in the Titin Molecule and its Relation to Muscle Elasticity....Pages 163-178 Titin Elasticity in the Context of the Sarcomere: Force and Extensibility Measurements on Single Myofibrils....Pages 179-206 Front Matter....Pages 207-207 Links in the Chain: The Contribution of Kettin to the Elasticity of Insect Muscles....Pages 207-220 Titin as a Chromosomal Protein....Pages 221-236 Role of the Elastic Protein Projectin in Stretch Activation and Work Output of Drosophila Flight Muscles....Pages 237-250 Drosophila Projectin: A Look at Protein Structure and Sarcomeric Assembly....Pages 251-264 Role of Titin in Nonmuscle and Smooth Muscle Cells....Pages 265-281 Front Matter....Pages 283-283 Mechanical Properties of Titin Isoforms....Pages 283-304 Intact Connecting Filaments Change Length in 2.3-nm Quanta....Pages 305-318 Titin-Thin Filament Interaction and Potential Role in Muscle Function....Pages 319-335 Is Titin the Length Sensor in Cardiac Muscle? Physiological and Physiopathological Perspectives....Pages 337-351 Front Matter....Pages 283-283 Ca 2+ -Dependence of Passive Properties of Cardiac Sarcomeres....Pages 353-370 Possible Contribution of Titin Filaments to the Compliant Series Elastic Component in Horseshoe Crab Skeletal Muscle Fibers....Pages 371-382 Skeletal Muscle-Specific Calpain, p94, and Connectin/Titin: Their Physiological Functions and Relationship to Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2A....Pages 383-404 From Connecting Filaments to Co-Expression of Titin Isoforms....Pages 405-418 Back Matter....Pages 419-425 PREFACE This volume contains the proceedings of the conference Elastic Filaments of the Cell, held June 16-19,1999, on the campus of the University of Washington (Seattle, WA).