title: Blebbistatin, a myosin II inhibitor, is photoinactivated by blue light.
abstract: Blebbistatin is a small molecule inhibitor discovered in a screen for inhibitors of nonmuscle myosin IIA. Blebbistatin inhibits the actin-activated MgATPase activity and in vitro motility of class II myosins. In cells, it has been shown to inhibit contraction of the cytokinetic ring. Blebbistatin has some photochemical properties that may affect its behavior in cells. In particular, we have found that exposure to light at wavelengths below 488 nm rapidly inactivates the inhibitory action of blebbistatin using the in vitro motility of myosin as an assay. In addition, the inhibition of cytokinetic ring contraction can be reversed by exposure of the cells to blue light. This property may be useful in locally reversing the action of blebbistatin treatment in a cell. However, caution should be exercised as free radicals may be produced upon irradiation of blebbistatin that could result in cell damage.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1762, USA.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Limouze
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Combs
authors.forename: Aaron F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Straight
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sellers
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D024507:Nonmuscle Myosin Type IIA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D010777:Photochemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D014743:Videotape Recording
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D005609:Free Radicals; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; C472645:blebbistatin; D024507:Nonmuscle Myosin Type IIA