Scientists discover a new mechanism that regulates the elasticity of the heart muscle

Myosin is the largest protein in the human body and is a key protein for skeletal muscle and heart function

The study, published in Redox Biology, builds on earlier observations showing that oxidation of the amino acid cysteine ​​modulates the in vitro mechanical properties of carnosine

"We were the first to discover that carnosine contains a group of cysteines that are highly evolutionarily conserved, suggesting that they play an important role in the function of the protein," commented Dr.

PhD student Inés Martínez Martín describes how they determined these oxidative effects by running computer simulations based on mathematical models: "Depending on the type of oxidation, carnosine becomes more or less stiff, affecting the mechanics of the heart muscle

The authors propose that this mechanism may also explain changes in the heart during pathological processes that affect oxidative status, such as myocardial infarction