Effect of Light Chain Removal

In each of these cases, the light chain deficient myosins did not function well in moving actin filaments. The myosin heavy chain sequence in this area is in the form of an extended a-helix that is stabilized by the presence of the light chains (Rayment et al., 1993). Without the light chain the helix is likely to collapse. 

An explanation for the poor movement in the absence of LC17 may be that the neck region of myosin is stiffened by the presence of the light chain and that a stiff neck is required for the generation of force and motion. 

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