Structural advances on titin: towards an atomic understanding of multi-domain functions in myofilament mechanics and scaffolding.

Titin is a gigantic filamentous protein of the muscle sarcomere that plays roles in myofibril mechanics and homoeostasis. 3D-structures of multi-domain fragments of titin are now available that start revealing the molecular mechanisms governing its mechanical and scaffolding functions. This knowledge is now being translated into the fabrication of self-assembling biopolymers. Here we review the structural advances on titin, the novel concepts derived from these and the emerging translational avenues.