The long-term objective of this research is to understand the mechanism by which myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation is regulated in smooth muscle thus regulating contraction. Smooth muscle contraction is primarily regulated by myosin light chain phosphorylation. Since the protein kinase responsible for phosphorylation of myosin is Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase, Ca2+ is required for initiation of contraction. However, evidence has been accumulated that Ca2+independent pathways also influences myosin phosphorylation thus muscle contraction. The hypothesis to be tested in this project is that agonists activate the Ca2+independent signaling systems, thus increasing MLC phosphorylation by the inhibition of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) and/or by activating the Ca2+independent MLC kinases in smooth muscle. There are two key MLCP regulatory components, i.e., CPI17 and myosin binding subunit (MBS) of MLCP, both of which are enhanced by their MLCP inhibitory activity by phosphorylation at specific sites. We will clarify the physiological role of these MLCP regulatory components by correlating the phosphorylation of these regulators with MLC phosphorylation in smooth muscle fiber and cells. On the other hand, little is known about the role of Ca2+independent MLC kinases on myosin phosphorylation in smooth muscle fiber and cells. The proposal will address the question whether these kinases play a role in MLC phosphorylation upon agonist stimulation in smooth muscle. We will use the two systems, i.e., alpha-toxin skinned fiber and freshly isolated or cultured smooth muscle cells having contractile phenotype. Using the former system, we will study whether the change in force and MLC phosphorylation correlated with the change in the activity of MLCP regulators and Ca 2+independent kinases. Using the single cell system, we will study the correlation between the spatio-temporal change in MLC phosphorylation and the localization/translocation of the MLCP regulatory components, and the Ca2+independent protein kinases in the smooth muscle cells after agonist stimulation. This will be achieved by using ultra fast 3D digital fluorescence imaging techniques. We will use various biochemical and molecular biological techniques to achieve the goal including the use of phosphorylation site-specific antibodies, gene silencing with dsRNAi or anti-sense oligonucleotides, gene transfection, and recombinant DNA technology. The itemized specific aims are: 1. To define the role of CPI17 and MBS, two regulatory components of MLCP during agonist stimulation of smooth muscle contraction; 2. To define the protein kinases responsible for the phosphorylation of CPI17, and MBS; 3. To define the role of Ca2+independent MLC kinases in myosin phosphorylation upon agonist stimulation; 4. To define the localization and translocation of Ca2+independent MLC kinases and the MLCP regulatory components in smooth muscle.
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