Molecular dynamics simulations of the cardiac troponin complex performed with FRET distances as restraints.

ABSTRACT: Cardiac troponin (cTn) is the Ca(2+)-sensitive molecular switch that controls cardiac muscle activation and relaxation. However, the molecular detail of the switching mechanism and how the Ca(2+) signal received at cardiac troponin C (cTnC) is communicated to cardiac troponin I (cTnI) are still elusive. To unravel the structural details of troponin switching, we performed ensemble Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations of the cardiac troponin core domain complex. The distance distributions of forty five inter-residue pairs were obtained under Ca(2+)-free and saturating Ca(2+) conditions from time-resolved FRET measurements. These distances were incorporated as restraints during the MD simulations of the cardiac troponin core domain. Com

SUBMITTER: Jayasundar JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3928104 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature