REVIEW: Essential Light Chains of Myosin and Their Role in Functioning of the Myosin Motor

---

D. S. Logvinova^1,2,a and D. I. Levitsky^1,3,b*

¹Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Center “Fundamentals of Biotechnology”, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia

²Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia

³Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received February 27, 2018; Revision received April 13, 2018

---

This review summarizes current data on the structure and functions of myosin essential light chains (ELCs) and on their role in functioning of the myosin head as a molecular motor. The data on structural and functional features of the N-terminal extension of myosin ELC from skeletal and cardiac muscles are analyzed; the role of this extension in the ATP-dependent interaction of myosin heads with actin in the molecular mechanism of muscle contraction is discussed. The data on possible interactions of the ELC N-terminal extension with the myosin head motor domain in the myosin ATPase cycle are presented, including the results of the authors’ studies that are in favor of such interactions.

---

KEY WORDS: myosin, myosin essential light chains, actin, molecular mechanism of muscle contraction

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297918080060

---