Effect of bridging the two essential thiols of myosin on its spectral and actin-binding properties.

The circular dichroic and fluorescent spectral properties of the myosin head (subfragment I (SFI)) modified by covalently bridging the two essential thiol groups have been examined. CD spectra of SFI with the two thiols linked through reaction with a bifunctional reagent, N, N'- p-phenylenedimaleimide, show enhancement of the 282-nm minimum similar to that observed for the long-lived kinetic intermediate (Mg**MgADP-Pi) formed during the ATP cleavage reaction. No significant perturbation of the CD band at 282 nm is seen on blocking both thiol groups with the monofunctional reagent N-ethylmaleimide. The fluorescence emission maximum also shifts to lower wavelengths following covalent bridging (from 343 to 340 nm), but no change in fluorescent intensity has been detected. Formation of the covalent bridge completely inhibits interaction of the modified protein with F-actin. These results suggest that the local conformational state of the polypeptide chain formed on bridging the two thiol groups exhibits certain similarities with the state produced following binding of MgATP to native myosin.