Tyrosine phosphorylation of myosin heavy chain during skeletal muscle differentiation: an integrated bioinformatics approach

• Main Authors: Edwards RJ, Butler RK, Harney DF
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2005-03-01
• Series: Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling
• Online Access: http://www.tbiomed.com/content/2/1/12

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previously it has been shown that insulin-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of myosin heavy chain is concomitant with enhanced association of C-terminal SRC kinase during skeletal muscle differentiation. We sought to identify putative site(s) for this phosphorylation event.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A combined bioinformatics approach of motif prediction and evolutionary and structural analyses identified tyrosines163 and 1856 of the skeletal muscle heavy chain as the leading candidate for the sites of insulin-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our work is suggestive that tyrosine phosphorylation of myosin heavy chain, whether in skeletal muscle or in platelets, is a significant event that may initiate cytoskeletal reorganization of muscle cells and platelets. Our studies provide a good starting point for further functional analysis of MHC phosphor-signalling events within different cells.</p>