title: Conformation-regulated mechanosensory control via titin domains in cardiac muscle.
abstract: The giant filamentous protein titin is ideally positioned in the muscle sarcomere to sense mechanical stimuli and transform them into biochemical signals, such as those triggering cardiac hypertrophy. In this review, we ponder the evidence for signaling hotspots along the titin filament involved in mechanosensory control mechanisms. On the way, we distinguish between stress and strain as triggers of mechanical signaling events at the cardiac sarcomere. Whereas the Z-disk and M-band regions of titin may be prominently involved in sensing mechanical stress, signaling hotspots within the elastic I-band titin segment may respond primarily to mechanical strain. Common to both stress and strain sensor elements is their regulation by conformational changes in protein domains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Physiology, Institute of Physiology, Ruhr University Bochum, MA 3/56, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Voelkel
authors.forename: Wolfgang A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Linke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064211:Connectin; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004548:Elasticity; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012518:Sarcomeres / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D064211:Connectin; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011494:Protein Kinases