Grant: Operating Grant

Muscle contraction is a basic function of life. Muscles allow us to move and to breathe, and provide the heart with the strength for pumping blood to the different parts of our body. Muscle contraction is a complex process that has several regulatory mechanisms. Some of these mechanisms are well known, and have allowed us to understand how muscles work in conditions of health and disease. However, there are still several forms of regulation that are not well understood. The reasons for such limitation are likely technological. Among these forms of force regulation that are not well understood, there is one process called protein arginylation: a cellular process catalyzed by a specific enzyme (arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase), responsible for transferring arginine (Arg) from tRNA into proteins. We have collected evidence that arginylation is a global protein regulator in skeletal muscles with multiples functions, including cell development, contractility, aging and muscle health. The goal of this proposal is to investigate further the specific role of arginylation on muscle proteins, contractility and muscle health. Novel and accurate methods of measurement that include sub-cellular structures and single molecules isolated from muscles will be used in our laboratories. These experiments will provide information on how this newly discovered form of force regulation dictates muscle functioning. Therefore, the outcome of this research has implications for everyday life.