835 S. Wolcott Ave., (M/C 901)
Chicago, IL 60612-7342
312-996-7620 phone
312-996-1414 fax

Tomoyoshi Kobayashi, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor

Molecular mechanism of Ca-dependent regulation of cardiac muscle contraction in health and disease

Striated muscle contraction is regulated by Ca2+, which binds to the troponin (Tn) complex located on the thin filament. Ca2+-binding to TnC, one of the Tn components, triggers a series of structural change among the thin filament proteins, subsequently allowing the interaction of the thick and thin filaments. The regulation by Ca2+-activation of cardiac muscle is fine-tuned by covalent modification, such as phosphorylation of the myofilament proteins, including TnI and TnT. Using biochemical, biophysical and molecular biology methods, we are investigating how the Ca2+-binding to TnC activates the thin filament to initiate contraction and how this event is modified by covalent modification under the pathophysiological conditions.